Blackberry Jam

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Living in northern Alberta means accepting certain limitations. Blackberries, those juicy clusters of summer sweetness, are one of those limitations. Our harsh winters and short growing season make these delicate berries a coveted luxury rather than a staple I can grow on my homestead.

So when my sister’s breathless phone call cameโ€””The grocery store has fresh blackberries for a dollar a clamshell!”โ€”I nearly dropped my coffee mug! Within minutes, I was throwing on my coat, mentally calculating how many batches of jam I could make and how many pints I should buy.

The store’s produce section was busy, other jam-makers clearly having received the same alert through the prairie grapevine. I filled my cart with enough cases to raise eyebrows – offering a “you making jam, too?” as an explanation.

This homemade blackberry jam recipe is dedicated to the prairie grapevine.

Homemade blackberry jam in jars.

Tips


  • ALWAYS prepare an extra quarter pint jar when Iโ€™m making jelly. Just in case I have a smidge less than I expected I have a jar thatโ€™s ready to go when I canโ€™t fill a half pint jar.
  • We can eliminate the jar sterilization step in this recipe by ensuring the jam jars are in the water bath canner for at least 10 minutes, so that’s my timings look a little different than other recipes.
  • Finger-tight is such a vague term, hereโ€™s how I tighten my jars: screw the bands on until the jar starts to turn on the counter, then back off about a 1/8th of a turn.
  • If you’re using frozen berries like me, allow them to thaw at room temperature before crushing, it’s much easier than smashing frozen berries! Make sure you mash the berries well – this is the key to smooth jams.
  • Blackberry juice stains! So don’t wear white, or use a wooden spoon that may never recover from the dye!
An open jar of blackberry jam with fresh blackberries around it.

Canning Safety

Sterilizing Jars:

Everyone and their dog has their own way of cleaning jars, but make sure that you do it. National Center For Food Preservation has CLEAR GUIDELINES about sterilizing jars. The TL;DR is that if youโ€™re processing for at least 10 minutes, sterilization is not required โ€“ this is why I do not sterilize my jelly jars (and process for at least 10 minutes!)

Processing Time:

When water bath canning, you must know your elevation due to the different temperatures at which water boils based on elevation and the length of time food must be held at a certain temperature before it is considered pasteurized. A higher altitude equals lower boiling temperature and longer processing time.

ElevationProcessing Time
0-1,000 feet10 minutes
1,001 โ€“ 6,000 feet10 minutes
6,001 +15 minutes

** Processing time for half pint-sized jars only

Key Ingredients

Blackberries: Always choose high quality, ripe berries. Pick through them to remove any molded, bruised, or damaged fruit, then wash well before use. You can use fresh or frozen berries for this recipe!

Sugar: Granulated sugar imparts sweetness without impacting flavor, so I prefer it for jam recipes where I want my fruit flavor to shine through. It also dissolves easily in the heated jam and helps to preserve the flavor, color, and texture of the jam while also making it shelf-stable!

Blackberries, sugar, and pectin crystals in bowls.

How To Make Blackberry Jam

Prepare Your Canning Jars:

  1. This recipe makes 9 half pint (250 ml) jars and does not require sterilization due to the processing time. Prepare your jars, flats, and rings by washing in hot soapy water and rinsing well before setting aside on a clean kitchen towel until you’re ready to use them.
  2. Fill a water bath canner, and set to boil over medium high heat.

Prepare The Berries:

  1. Gather approximately 3 pounds (10 or so cups) of blackberries.
  2. If using frozen berries, thaw them first. Place fresh or thawed berries in a single layer in a large bowl. Mash well with a potato masher. Repeat; adding layers and mashing until all berries are crushed.
  3. Measure berries and their juice, ensuring you have 5 cups of crushed berries.

Make The Jam:

  1. Place 5 cups of prepared blackberries in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan. Stir in one 57g package of powdered pectin, and 1/2 teaspoon of butter, optional – but can help reduce foaming .
  2. Bring the berry mixture to a full rolling boil over medium high heat, then stir in 7 cups of granulated sugar.
  3. Stir the jam mixture constantly while it comes back to a full rolling boil – this is a boil you cannot stir down. Boil for 1 minute.
  4. Remove the sauce pan from heat, scoop off any foam if necessary.

Process The Jam:

  1. Ladle hot jam into prepared canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, center a new snap lid on each jar, and tighten bands finger tight.
  2. Transfer filled jars to the prepared boiling water canner using a jar lifter, ensure the jars are covered by 1-2 inches of water, cover the canner and return to a full boil.
  3. Once the water bath returns to a boil, begin to process for 10 minutes (at 0- 6,000 feet above sea level, see section above for canning at other altitudes).
  4. When processing is complete, turn off the heat, remove the lid from the water bath canner, and rest for 5 minutes before removing the hot jars and transferring them to a heat-proof surface to cool untouched for 24 hours.
  5. After 24 hours, remove the screw bands, wipe down the jars, and place them in long-term storage location.

Label Your Jam:

  1. I love to label my handcrafted goodies. I used myย Munbyn thermal printerย andย 2″ round labelsย for this project. I created the labels in Canva. You can grab an editable copy of the round label file for free when you join the Crave Insiders.
Labeling jam jars.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy my homemade jam!

Batch + Storage

Batch:

This recipe makes approximately 9 half pints of delicious homemade jam. Itโ€™s a great idea to always prep 1 jar thatโ€™s a size smaller than the jars youโ€™re using to deal with leftovers!

For example, I am using half pint (250 ml) jars for this jam recipe, but I have also prepared a quarter pint (125ml) jar in case there isn’t quite enough jam to fill another half pint jar!

I don’t recommend doubling jam recipes, I find things can go wonky, I recommend just making concurrent batches.

Storage:

Properly water-bathed jam can be kept in a cool, dark place, for up to 12 months. While the lids may seal for longer, flavor, texture, and color can change in an undesirable way. Even properly processed and stored foods can lose their quality over time, so itโ€™s important to cycle the stock of your canned goods. Degradation occurs more quickly in temperatures above 70f or 21c.

Overhead view of spread blackberry jam.

Pectin Jam vs Pectin Free Jam

When making berry jams, I usually opt for the versions with pectin.

Pectin free jams require twice as much fruit and usually only a cup or so less sugar for the same amount of jam. This means you’re concentrating the flavor and sweetness in the jam and while that sounds great it can be cloying, or excessively sweet and cause the loss of the natural tartness and flavor profile of the berry.

The other downside is that pectin free jams require more cooking to render out the liquid from the berries – they are cooked down by pretty much half. This can result in a less fresh, more “cooked” flavor that lacks the depth and nuance of fresh berries.

๐Ÿ“– Printable Recipe

A jar of homemade blackberry jam.

Easy Blackberry Jam Recipe

Allyson Letal
This perfectly ripe blackberry jam balances sweet and tart flavors, showcasing summer berries at their peak. Using just berries, sugar, and pectin, this recipe yields 8-9 half-pint jars of rich, spreadable jam that will brighten winter mornings. This delicious jam is processed in a water bath for long-term storage.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Water Bath 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dips, Spreads + Sauces
Cuisine American
Servings 72 tablespoons
Calories 85 kcal

Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

Prepare Canning Jars:

  • This recipe makes 9 half pint (250 ml) jars and does not require sterilization due to the processing time. Prepare your jars, flats, and rings by washing in hot soapy water and rinsing well before setting aside on a clean kitchen towel until youโ€™re ready to use them.
  • Fill a water bath canner, and set to boil over medium high heat.

Prepare The Berries:

  • Gather 3 lbs of blackberries. If using frozen berries, thaw them before beginning.
  • Place fresh or thawed berries in a single layer in a large bowl. Mash well with a potato masher. Repeat adding layers and mashing until all berries are crushed.
  • Measure berries and their juice, ensuring you have 5 cups of crushed berries.

Make The Jam:

  • Place 5 cups of prepared blackberries in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan. Stir in one 57g package of powdered pectin, and 1/2 teaspoon of butter, optional โ€“ but can help reduce foaming.
  • Bring the berry mixture to a full rolling boil over medium high heat, then stir in 7 cups of granulated sugar.
  • Stir the jam mixture constantly while it comes back to a full rolling boil โ€“ this is a boil you cannot stir down. Boil for 1 minute.
  • Remove the sauce pan from heat, scoop off any foam if necessary.

Process The Jam:

  • Ladle hot jam into prepared canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, center a new snap lid on each jar, and tighten bands finger tight.
  • Transfer filled jars to the prepared boiling water canner using a jar lifter, ensure the jars are covered by 1-2 inches of water, cover the canner and return to a full boil.
  • Once the water bath returns to a boil, begin to process for 10 minutes (at 0- 6,000 feet above sea level, see section above for canning at other altitudes).
  • When processing is complete, turn off the heat, remove the lid from the water bath canner, and rest for 5 minutes before removing the hot jars and transferring them to a heat-proof surface to cool untouched for 24 hours.
  • After 24 hours, remove the screw bands, wipe down the jars, label, and place them in long-term storage location.

Notes

Batch:

This recipe makes approximately 8-9 half pint jars. Itโ€™s a great idea to always prep 1 jar thatโ€™s a size smaller than the jars youโ€™re using to deal with leftovers!
For example, I am using half pint (250 ml) jars for this jam recipe, but I have also prepared a quarter pint (125ml) jar in case there isnโ€™t quite enough jam to fill another half pint jar!
I donโ€™t recommend doubling jam recipes, I find things can go wonky, I recommend just making concurrent batches.

Storage:

Properly water-bathed jam can be kept in a cool, dark place, for up to 12 months. While the lids may seal for longer, flavor, texture, and color can change in an undesirable way. Even properly processed and stored foods can lose their quality over time, so itโ€™s important to cycle the stock of your canned goods. Degradation occurs more quickly in temperatures above 70f or 21c.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 2mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 41IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.1mg
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