Summer is the best time to pick fruit, and up here in the Pacific Northwest, we have an endless supply of blackberries. My hubby and I went on an adventure this week, and we found a huge blackberry patch just outside of town. We took two big strainers and collected about 10 lbs of blackberries in less than an hour! I not only managed to make a delicious, fresh blackberry cobbler the other night, but I also made homemade, blackberry freezer jam. It was my first time ever making jam, but I'll be honest, it was way easier than I thought.
I will warn you now, this recipe is by no means healthy. There is a fair share of sugar, but my goodness, it's so good! I had some on a slice of homemade bread just this morning.
Recipe
*This recipe makes 6 (8oz.) jars
5 cups of fresh blackberries
2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons Ball real fruit instant pectin
First, I washed the blackberries. I then poured 2 1/2 cups into a bowl at a time and (using a potato masher) lightly crushed them. I did the same with the other half. Next, I used a strainer to get most (not all) of the seeds out. I still like some fruit in my jam so I left some clumps and seeds. I then poured the liquid and smooshed blackberries into a large bowl. I used a very large 6 cup measuring cup. Here comes the sweet part!
I took a small bowl and measured out the sugar and pectin. Then I slowly added the sugar and pectin to the blackberry mixture while continuously whisking. It's best to whisk for approximately 2 minutes, until all of the pectin and sugar have dissolved.
I lined up all 6 of my jars and slowly poured the jam mixture into each container, leaving about 1/2 inch room at the top. The space allows for expansion during the freezing stage. I wiped the rim of each container and screwed the lid on tight. The jars sat for about 25 minutes and then were placed into the freezer! These jars will be good in the fridge for about 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year (pshh, like they'll last that long).
This is the beginning of my jam making adventures, people. Something about homemade jam on homemade bread... just delightful!