This summer I have been trying to make a concerted effort to slow down and enjoy simple pleasures that connect me to friends and family. My mom and I had never made jam before since my grandmother would always make it for us. We realized this summer on a visit to Oregon that we should learn how to continue this tradition. We went to a farm near my grandmother’s house and got a flat of marionberries. Over the course of an evening we made 24 jars of jam and several bottles of syrup. Now that we’re back in California, we’ve already made another batch of blackberry jam!
You may want to consult a recipe as we chose to make our jam with considerably less sugar. Test it out – I just couldn’t imagine using 7 cups of sugar!
Ingredients
– 1 flat of berries (blackberry, marionberry, or raspberry)
– 3 cups sugar
– juice of one lemon
– 1 granny smith apple in 6 pieces
– 1 box of pectin
Directions
1.) Buy one box of 8 ounce jars and lids. Wash jars in a dishwasher. Place lids in hot water prior to filling with berry mix.
2.) Rinse berries and place in a bowl with ½ cup sugar. Mix well and let sit. The berries will begin to macerate and you can then pour them into a large pot (5 to 6 quarts). Turn on heat and bring to a boil. Add one box of pectin, lemon juice, and granny smith apple. I let it boil for a bit and the berries naturally broke down. (With the blackberries, I also put them through a food mill as they didn’t break down). Remove apple.
3.) Using a wide-moth sieve, spoon into jars leaving a minimum of ¼ inch space from top of jar. Place lid tightly on jars. Once you are finished filling the jars, boil water in a large pot with water that reaches over 2 inches above the jars. Boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove jars with jar lifter tongs. Cool jars on a towel on the counter for 12 hours. At that time check the seal (a small circle will indent if sealed).
If you would like more detailed instructions and information on equipment, I found this site helpful!
Happy jamming!
For further instructions on canning jam I used this reference.
Photo by Caitlin Flemming