Blackberry Jam: The Taste of Summer

Right now blackberries are growing ripe and rampant in the weedy places. Their sweetness is juxtaposed with hooked thorns; no joy is without it’s price.

Blackberries, uninvited and wild, clutter roadsides and side lots with their messy, unapologetic sprawl, and they are free for the picking. Wear pants, so you can wade deep into the thicket. Brave a scratched arm, for just one more perfect berry, just out of reach. The hot summer sun is beaming down all around. This is what summers are made of.

In the deeps of winter, pull a jar from the shelf. Bright summer light, transfigured to a jar of blackest berry jam, starred with seeds like summer stars.

Please be sure of your identification and do not forage for wild foods unless you are an expert at plant identification.

If you are not familiar with the water bath canning method watch our water bath canning video workshop. Always make sure you are following all safety guidelines outlined by the USDA when canning anything

Makes 5 1/2 pint jars

Directions

1) Start your canner boiling and mash the berries

Start your canner boiling on the stove. In a heavy bottomed preserving pan, mash the berries with a potato masher.

2) Cook the jam and sanitize your jars

Add the sugar and lemon juice and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Increase the heat to medium-high and boil the mixture, stirring frequently, until the jam passes the gel test. Sanitize your jars while your jam cooks. Remove sanitized jars after 10 minutes in the boiling canner and place on a kitchen towel to drain.

3) Run jam through a food mill

If your berries are wild and weedy and a little too seedy, feel free to run all or some of the berry jam through a food mill as it cooks. We like to remove about half of the seeds, for an authentic, but not TOO authentic, texture.

4) Pack your hot jars and process

Ladle the jam into half pint jars leaving 1/2" head space. Process in a boiling water-bath canner for 10 minutes.

 

5) Let jars cool and store

Place the processed jars on a kitchen towel and let cool. If all of your jars have sealed they can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to year. Jars that have not sealed should go into the refrigerator or be enjoyed immediately!

Ready for the Next Step?

Check out our Video Workshop: Learn all About Water Bath Canning and our article  Finding your Perfect Jam Setting Time.

Over to You

It’s part of our mission here at Mountain Feed to help you make delicious, sustainable, homemade food more often. Stop by and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. Or, as always, you can do it the old fashioned way and come by the store to speak with one of our in-house experts.

If you are not familiar with the water bath canning method watch our water bath canning video workshop. Always make sure you are following all safety guidelines outlined by the USDA when canning anything. Keeping a great journal leads to delicious results! Get inspired by new recipes, expert articles and homemade food adventures in our Monthly Journal.