Yesterday The Girl and I picked blackberries. After after gorging ourselves on fruit, we made a cobbler. But we still had a huge bowl of blackberries left over. So I popped them in the freezer last night and made a batch of blackberry jam this morning after breakfast.
Blackberry jam is one of those funky ones you usually only find in specialty stores. And with good reason. Blackberry jam takes a little extra effort to make. Unless you want a mouth full of hard little seeds, you’ll need to use a sieve to remove some of the blackberry seeds first.
Trust me. You don’t want to miss this step.
Ingredients
6 cups blackberries
1/4 cup lemon juice {I used bottled}
8 cups sugar
1 box pectin {I used Sure Jell}
Directions
Bring a boiling-water canner, 3/4 full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Crush blackberries, and measure 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. sauce pot. Add pectin and stir.
Combined the blackberries, pectin, and lemon juice and bring to a full rolling boil, reduce heat, and stir in sugar. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid boiling over. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.} Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.} Yields 10 1/2 pints.
Go HERE for more canning recipes.
If you are looking for a canner, I used the Granite Ware 11-1/2 Quart Covered Preserving Canner with Rack
If you need a tool kit, I use one similar to this one.
If you are looking for a proper sieve, this is what the pros use.
This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.
Tanya says
Oh what memories Mavis. Growing up I had to help my mom with picking the blackberries and making jam. Each summer we picked 40lbs for my dad to make wine and 20 lbs for my mom to make jam. We also did the forage thing on all the empty house lots on our street. 🙂 Now I want blackberry jam, mmmmm!
Jenn says
I’m so jealous that you are able to pick blackberries just down the road. My husband has searched and searched the woods behind our house to try and find me some but has had no luck. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do when I can come across them.
Mavis says
Best of luck finding a secret patch. 🙂 It’s worth the effort of seeking one out. 🙂
Jules says
We grew blackberries where I was raised. I didn’t know we were having gourmet food 😉 I use a food mill to get most of the seeds out.
Mavis says
I like the idea of using a food mill. I know, who would of thought blackberries were gourmet food LOL, I grew up with them too. 🙂
Susan says
DH and I went out back to the wetlands and picked blackberries today. Just got enough for the Blackberry Cobbler.
There are LOTS of unripe ones . Will have to pick more later 🙂
Mavis says
I really, really LOVE the crust on this cobbler!!!
Di says
I want to see a pantry picture/blog entry of all of your cheapo groceries, trades, and canned garden treats! Where do you store everything? A walk in pantry, basement or a bazillion cupboards? Cool blog!
Mavis says
We have a pantry and I also store them in cupboards. 🙂 I’ll try and get a picture up soon.
lyra says
I love all of your canning recipes. I would like to get started with making some jams. How do you find canning supplies on a frugal budget? Or do I just go to the grocery store and buy some jars. Is there a price that I should look for and then buy up some jars when they hit that low cost?
Mavis says
If you don’t mind used jars, then I would search garage sales and thrift stores for them. Typically you can expect to pay .25 per jar/ $3 person buying them used. Otherwise I would wait until the end of canning season when Target and Walmart are clearing them out and buy them then at around $5-$6 for a case of 12
Brenda says
can’t wait to try this! I have lots of berries and hope to get lots more! how much did the big canning pot run?
Mavis says
They run between $20 – $25
Bren says
Followed your directions, came out perfect. Thanks SO much Mavis!
Ursula says
I have always used paraffin to seal my jars of jam. I save various jars with screw top lids through out the year just of this purpose. It doesnt heat up the house so much. After skimming the foam from the cooked jam, I ladle it into my prepared jars leaving a half inch head space. I melt Gulf Paraffin in a 1 lb. coffee can and keep it at the ready. Wipe the jar rims with a clean cloth then slowly pour the melted paraffin over the jam. As it cools, I use a quilting needle(they’re longer) to “pop” any air bubbles that may rise under the wax. The only reason that I have used the water bath method is for gifts that need to be shipped. The jostelling around would break the wax seal which is stable for shelf storage. That saves $$ on lids that must be used for low acidic foods. I have been freezing my thornless blackberries to get enough to make all the batches of jam in one day!
Rochelle says
Can I use frozen berries?
Nicole says
In the recipe, when do you sieve to remove some of the blackberry seeds?
Jan says
I sieve mine after cook them for 20 minutes
Angela says
Do you add the rest of the mashed blackberries after you separate out the 4 cups to mix with pectin?
Donna says
First batch of Jelly in the canner now. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Can you substitute other berries and use the same recipe?