Description
Homemade Blueberry Jam brings summer’s sweetest memories to your kitchen, capturing fresh fruit’s essence in a delightful spread. Sweet, tangy berries simmer into a luscious preserve you can enjoy on toast, pastries, or straight from the spoon.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits:
- 4 cups blueberries
- 1 medium lemon
Sweeteners:
- 3 cups granulated sugar
Preserving Agents:
- 1 packet pectin (1.75 oz/49 g)
- 1/4 tsp butter (optional, to reduce foaming)
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash blueberries and remove any stems or damaged fruit.
- Zest and juice the lemon, ensuring no seeds remain in the juice.
- Crush blueberries in a large heavy-bottomed pot using a potato masher to release their natural juices.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and pectin to the crushed blueberries, stirring to combine evenly.
- Place pot over high heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, maintaining constant stirring.
- Quickly add granulated sugar, continuing to stir vigorously to fully incorporate.
- Return to a full rolling boil, cooking for exactly 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Optional: Add butter to help reduce foam formation during boiling.
- Remove from heat and skim off any foam that has formed on the surface.
- Carefully ladle hot jam into sterilized glass jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace at the top.
- Wipe jar rims clean and seal with sterilized lids and rings.
- Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to ensure proper preservation.
- Remove jars and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
- Check seals and store in a cool, dark pantry for up to one year.
Notes
- Soften berries gently before crushing to release maximum juice and flavor without breaking down fruit structure completely.
- Use fresh, ripe blueberries at peak season for most vibrant color and intense natural sweetness.
- Add small pinch of salt to enhance overall blueberry flavor and balance sweetness without making jam taste salty.
- Consider reducing sugar by 25% if using ultra-ripe, naturally sweet blueberries to maintain fruit’s authentic taste profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Breakfast, Desserts
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 246
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg