Berry Good Jam

I decided since I had the time and the desire, to make up the last of last season's blackberries into a fresh batch of jam.

Measure out 7 cups of sugar in a bowl. Place your canning jars, lids and rings in a pan of very hot water. You can also place them in a sinkful of very hot water after they have been washed and rinsed. They need to remain hot until you are ready to use them. I use liquid fruit pectin, which comes 2 pouches to a box (this is what makes the jam or jelly set). Cut the top off of 1 pouch and stand up in a container so it doesn't spill. Get Hubby out of the kitchen.

This is the equipment I used:

A large mixing bowl to hold the berries, my medium sized stock pot, a 1 quart measuring cup, an eight cup plastic measuring pitcher, a 1 cup dry measure, a small bowl, a potato masher, bamboo spatula and spoon, a rubber scraper, a large glass mixing bowl to crush the berries in, and a food mill.

I placed the frozen berries in my large mixing bowl to thaw.

I then mashed the thawed berries, one cup at a time, using the potato masher. Carefully measure 1 cup full and put it in the cooking pot until you have 2 cups of whole mashed berries. Place the food mill in the bowl you mashed the berries in and put a couple of cups of berries in the mill. With the wooden tool that comes with the mill, mash the berries against the sides of the mill in a round and round motion. The pulp will squeeze out through the holes and the seeds will remain in the mill. Repeat until you have 2 cups of pulp, carefully measure and pour in the pot with the mashed berries. Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to the pot...this will keep the mixture from foaming.

Pour the sugar over the 4 cups of berries and pulp in the saucepan and start stirring to mix. Turn the heat to medium.

Stir continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil.

Boil the mixture until you reach a rolling boil, one that cannot be stirred down.

Be very careful...the mixture "plops" and may splash up on you. When the rolling boil is reached, you will notice a subtle change in color and texture.

Pour in the pectin, stirring all the time, and time for 1 minute exactly, making sure the pectin is incorporated in the fruit mixture.

Set the boiling mixture off the heat. I have my jars and lids on a cookie sheet with a towel on it. I pour the boiling mixture into my measuring pitcher and pour the hot liquid into the jars up to 1/8 inch from the top. Wipe the jar edge with a clean wet rag to remove any jam that may have splashed on it. Carefully place a lid on top, then a ring, screwing the ring down to secure the lid and place upside down on the towel. Repeat until the jars are filled and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes is up, turn the jars right side up and set the cookie sheet with the jars on it someplace where they will not be disturbed for 24 hours. You will hear a pop noise as the lids seal.

When completely cool and "settled", you can tell if the jars have sealed by running your finger over the lid. It should be sunk in at the center. You should have about 8 one cup jars.

I realize this sounds complicated but it isn't. You can use powder or liquid pectin. It doesn't matter which brand, but be sure and follow the directions that come in the box. I used Certo brand liquid pectin because that's what I had on hand.

Use the brand of sugar you usually use. Some sugar is sweeter than others. If you choose a different brand than you generally use, you may find it too sweet or not sweet enough. I always use Cost Cutter or Best Choice...cheaper!

Use a heavy 6 or 8 quart pan. I am fortunate enough to have Cuisinart stainless cookware. The half sized stock pot is perfect and the pan is heavy enough that I don't have scorch problems. It heats evenly and quickly.

I got my measuring pitcher at a restaurant supply store. If you don't use a pitcher, you have to ladle the boiling liquid into each jar and it usually gets messy. The most expensive thing you will have is the food mill. If you plan to can a lot it is very worth the expense. I've had mine since Hector was a pup, so I'm never out any expense except for jar lids. A lady I used to work with gave me all her canning jars which I have guarded for several years. One dozen jars is about $7 or $8. I usually buy a dozen or so small jars each season. They are the ones I share with neighbors and friends.

A large water bath canner with a jar rack is not very expensive. I can process 8 quarts of produce at one time. I hope you are encouraged to try your hand at canning. You can make jams and jellies out of frozen fruit or 100% juice you can buy. My daughter makes a tangerine pomegranate jelly that is unbelievable. She found the juice at Target.

Not counting the jars (which you can use year after year) I used the berries we grew. The expense for three blackberry bushes 5 or 6 years ago was about $12 each. They have more than paid for themselves. Jar lids are less than $2 for a dozen. The sugar was $1.67 at Dollar General. One bag of sugar has about 8 cups. The rest of the stuff you probably have at home. So for the sugar and the lids and my time, I spent out of pocket about $4 for 8 jars of all fruit jam. I had plenty of jars on hand...the neighbors are terrified of me if I have to go hunt down my jars so they always return them.

Happy canning!