Making the Easiest Jam - How-To
Berry Pickin'
Yesterday my Gram, my brother and I went berry pickin'. If you saw yesterday's Steepshot post you know that I was trying to out-pick Gram. Well, I won! Sort of. My brother gave me his, so my bucket was heavier, but just barely. My Gram is a berry pickin' beast. The big rain started about an hour in, so we didn't get a whole lot, but I got enough to make a couple batches of jam, which I can use to bribe Adam for the next couple months.
The Easiest Jam Ever
This recipe can be used with any fruit, fresh or dehydrated. It's super fast, turns out perfect every time, and uses minimal equipment.
If you're using dehydrated fruit, start with rehydrating it. If you're using fresh fruit, just wash it and cut it into smaller pieces if you need to.
Before I get the actual jam started, I put all of the equipment that will be touching the jam into a big pot and bring it to a boil to sanitize it. This includes jars , lids, rings, my funnel and my ladle. Boiling the lids also softens the rubber seal, bettering your chances for a true seal. I'm making 2 batches, so I think I'll come out with about eight cups of jam today, so I'm preparing 9 half pint jars. I always prepare an extra jar or two just in case I have more product than I anticipated.
The ingredients list is short. You'll need 4 cups of sugar and 4 cups of fruit.
All the fruit and 2 cups of sugar go into a pot. I like to use this old beauty that I got at a garage sale for a dollar. It's heavy aluminum and the thick walls hold and distribute heat evenly to prevent spots of scorching.
Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. I stir with a potato masher and mash up the fruit as I go. Once it's in a full rolling boil, that's a boil that you can't stir out of, keep stirring for 5 minutes.
But this point add your other two cups of sugar, bring back to a rolling boil and stir constantly for 10 to 15 minutes. About 11 minutes works good for me. Keep in mind that the longer it boils the thinker your jam will be. If you don't boil it long enough it will be syrup. I wouldn't advise boiling it for more than 15 minutes or you run the risk of ending up with an unspreadable clump of fruit and sugar. Also keep in mind that your jam will thicken as it cools, so don't cook it until it's at your desired consistency. Just stick with 10 to 15 minutes.
When your 10 to 15 minutes is up, remove your pot from the heat and let it set for 10 minutes. Take this 10 minutes to prepare your "filling station".
I like to lay a clean towel next to the stove. I use canning tongs and a magnet stick to remove the hot jars and lids from the hot water. You can use whatever you've got, just don't stick your hands in the hot water, please.
I go ahead and pull my jars and set them on the towel. I leave the lids in the water until my jars are full so I know they won't get contaminated and the rubber stays soft.
Now it's time to fill the jars. Using the ladle and funnel that were previously sanitized, fill your jars to 1/2 inch from the top. This half-inch is called headspace. Headspace is needed to seal the jars properly. As the product and the air cools it shrinks and takes up less space making a vacuum that pulls the lid to the jar, sealing it.
Once your jars are filled use a damp rag or paper towel to clean the rims of the jars before placing the lid. When you put the lid on try not to touch the bottom side or the rubber seal just to keep everything inside the jar clean.
Now put your rings on the jars. Let them sit and cool on the counter and they should be sealed within a few hours. Mine typically seal in 25 to 45 minutes. I love hearing the ping when they seal!
I always have one jar that isn't quite full. I don't use a canning lid and ring on this jar, waste-not-want-not! I use a lid from a store-bought small-mouth jar. This jar I'm going to put in the refrigerator so it doesn't need to be sealed like the ones for the pantry.
Now that they're sealed and cool enough to handle I'll remove the rings and store the jars in the pantry. The reason for removing the rings is this: if there's not a good seal on the jar or if there's a contaminant in the jar the lid will release. If there's a ring on the jar holding the lid on, it can reseal without my knowledge. However, if there's no ring the lid will not reseal itself and I will know that the jam is not safe to eat. Always remove your canning rings before storing your home canned foods.
That's it! I don't think it gets much simpler than that! 😁
howdy there @powellx5...say this is an excellent post, I love the fast, efficient methodology. I haven't really seen a step-by-step canning process done before, I know that's hard to believe but I've never been into canning. I've been into EATING all manner of canned goods though!
this was great. God bless you!
Thanks! I'm all in from seed to harvest to preservation! I love seeing all the canned foods on the shelf and think, "Look what I did!!!"
yes Ma'am what an accomplishment and some security also ..knowing that you have stuff that will last and on hand in case things get crazy.
Very detailed and informative post! I like canning too, and jam is one of my favourites.
My garden harvest is just starting, and like every year, blackberry jam is the kick-off to canning season! It's one of the more satisfying things I do in the kitchen. I'm hoping to try some new things this year. I'm looking for a yummy carrot canning recipe.
So no pectin at all? Just fruit and sugar? Amazing how it jells with just that.
This was jam with whole fruit. What about jelly? Have you tried doing it with just juice? (Thinking of my lilac jelly fails....)
I haven't tried it with jelly. It doesn't get real gelatinous, so I'm not sure it would work.
But I might try it with some dandelion jelly and get back to ya on that. 👍
Blackberry jam is probably one of my favorites and just from the pictures, I am sure it will taste delicious.