Blueberry Jam

The simplest of all berries to make jam with, Blueberry Jam is easy to make! With just a little pectin, canning blueberry jam means the freshness of summer can be had in the middle of winter! This recipe is vegetarian and vegan.

Course Component

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Blueberry Jam Recipe, How to Make Blueberry Jam, Pectin Blueberry Jan

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 35

Servings 8 oz Jars

Calories 148kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

In Pomona's Pectin Package:

1/2 tsp Calcium Powder prepared with water as directed below
4 tsp Pectin Powder

For the Jam:

1/2 C Fresh Lemon Juice about 3 lemons juiced
1 1/2 C Granulated Sugar
8 C Mashed Blueberries about 5 pints

Instructions

If using jars from previous canning projects, thoroughly inspect your jars for nicks and/or cracks. Even hairline cracks can result in breakage in the water bath. Discard jars that are damaged.
Sterilize 14, 8-oz jars. The National Center for Home Food Preservation shares how. Wash new lids and bands in hot, soapy water, rinse, and set aside.
Have ready a canner 2/3 full of water, 4-qt saucepan, ladle or stainless 1-cup measuring cup, large measuring cup (I use a 4-cup), or bowl to mash berries in, large separate bowl to hold the mashed berries, and several kitchen towels.
While you're preparing the blueberries, keep your jars hot in the canner until you're ready to use them (you can turn off the heat if you've already sterilized the jars). This keeps the jars preheated and helps prevent thermal shock when filling and transferring them to the canner.
Rinse blueberries in a large strainer.
In Pomona's Pectin package, find the calcium pack. In a lidded 8-oz jar, mix 1/2 C water with 1/2 tsp of calcium powder. Mix well. This will last several months (discard if powder discolors or molds). Shake well before using. Set aside. Measure out the sugar and add 4 tsp pectin to the sugar. Mix well. Set aside. Squeeze the lemons and measure out 1/2 C of juice. Set aside.
In the large measuring cup (or bowl), mash the blueberries. Do this in 2 C batches, otherwise, it's hard on your hands. Transfer mashed blueberries to a large bowl. Continue mashing in 2 C batches until you've depleted almost all the 5 pints of blueberries. Start measuring out the mashed blueberries and place 8 C total in the 4-qt saucepan. Mash more blueberries if needed.
Turn the stove on to about medium high under the mashed blueberries. Add 4 tsp calcium water, 1/2 C lemon juice, and granulated sugar mixture.
Bring blueberry mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, and scraping the corners of the pan, making sure no sugar is sticking/clumping in the corners. Boil for 1 minute. You want all the sugar and pectin dissolved before canning. Remove from heat.
Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter, leaving the water behind in the canner, one jar at a time.
Place the wide mouth funnel on a jar and carefully begin filling the jars with the blueberry mixture, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top of the jar. Slide a rubber spatula down between the jam and the inside of the far two or three times to release air bubbles.
Fill all the jars, topping off the jars as the residual blueberry mixture allows. With a clean damp cloth, wipe the jar rim and threads. Place lids and rings on the jars to fingertip tightness.
To process the jars, use a jar lifter to place them in the canner. Heat the water to a boil. You'll need at least a one inch of water to cover the jars. If needed, add more water. Process (boil) for 10 minutes.
Wipe the jars clean and dry after removing them from the boiling water. Allow to cool at room temperature.
The jar has sealed when you hear a "pop". Test the seal by pressing the center of the lid down. If the lid can still be pressed down, the jar has not sealed. Wait for 24 hours, and if the jar still has not sealed, store in the refrigerator and use within two weeks.
Once the seal is confirmed, remove the band so the jar rim and band can dry. If preferred, once clean and dry, the band can be reapplied. Label the lids with the type of jam and date. Jam will keep for up to a year stored in a cool, dark place.

Notes

Updated Pickling Guidance is From Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Nutrition