With just a few ingredients, you can make this classic, delicious jam and enjoy fresh summer fruits all year long.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for this small batch recipe:
- It’s easy to make. Even though canning can feel intimidating, this recipe is straightforward and doesn’t require any special equipment.
- It’s a small batch. You’ll only need four half-pint jars, so it’s perfect if you’re new to canning or don’t want to make a big batch.
- The flavor is amazing. This jam captures the true taste of summer and is perfect for spreading on toast or using in recipes. It’s not too sweet!
🥣 Equipment
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- Waterbath canner
- 4-5 half-pint mason jars
- 4-5 rings
- 4-5 lids (you must use new lids every time)
- large saucepan
- potato masher
🍴Instructions
- ripe blackberries
- granulated sugar
- powdered pectin
- bottled lemon juice
Step One: Mix the fruit and sugar
Place the blackberries and sugar into the saucepan and mix well. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while you prepare your canning supplies.
Step Two: Prep your equipment
Fill the canner ¾ full of tap water and start to heat on the stovetop. Place the rings and lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. Heat the clean mason jars in hot water, the dishwasher, or the oven set to 200°.
Step Three: Mash the fruit and add the remaining ingredients
Mash the blackberries with a potato masher. Add the pectin and lemon juice and mix well.
Step four: Boil the jam and skim the foam
Bring the mixture to a boil and let it boil for five minutes. Stir it constantly so it doesn’t scorch. Remove any foam with a spoon or offset spatula when it is done.
Step Five: Put jam in jars
With a canning funnel, pour the finished jam into your hot, clean mason jars. Run a clean, hot butter knife around the inside to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean. Place the lids and on top and twist them fingertip tight.
Step six: Process in canner
Lower the jars into a boiling canner using the rack. Once the water has come back to a boil, start timing for 10 minutes. For half pints, and 15 minutes for full pints. When the time is up, carefully lift the rack and remove the jars with a jar remover. Place them on a clean dish towel.
🥫 Storage instructions
- Store in a cool, dark place.
- Heat can cause the homemade jam to spoil, so it’s important to store it in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cupboard.
- Home canned food will stay fresh at least 1 year, and some newer lids will keep food fresh for 2 years. After that, it is typically still safe to eat but may lose flavor and quality.
🔍 FAQs
Yes! Absolutely. If you want to can in winter, try freezing all your fruit and putting it off for colder weather.
Yes. I do it all the time. If they’re very tart, add an additional 1/2 cup of sugar in step one. Or embrace the tartness!
No. We’re adding lemon juice for the acidity, not the flavor. Bottled lemon juice has stable acid levels, so that’s why we need to stick with bottled.
You undercooked it and it didn’t set. Properly set jam will coat a wooden spoon or form a solid blob on a cold plate. You can use it as ice cream topping, which is absolutely delicious.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Jam-making is easy, but a day of canning is hard. Make sure you start in the morning, with a clean kitchen, and plan an easy dinner.
- You don’t need to sterilize jars! Honest! They just need to be clean and hot (to prevent cracking
- You can use a food mill if you really want to, but mashing is much easier.
📘 Related Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
- There’s nothing like biscuits and homemade jam
- Or try homemade white bread, toasted
- And I LOVE grilled cheese with fresh jalapeno and a thin layer of jam!
📖 Here’s the recipe
Old Fashioned Blackberry Jam
Equipment
- Waterbath canner
- 4-5 half-pint mason jars
- 4-5 rings
- 4-5 lids new
- large saucepan
- potato masher
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds fresh blackberries (about 6-7 cups)
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon powdered pectin
- ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix the fruit and sugar. Place the blackberries and full amount of sugar into the saucepan and mix well. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while you prepare for canning
- Prep your equipment. Fill the canner ¾ full of tap water and start to heat on the stovetop. Place the rings and lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. Heat the clean mason jars in hot water, the dishwasher, or the oven set to 200°.
- Mash the fruit and add the remaining ingredients. Using a potato masher, mash the fruit until no whole blackberries remain. Add the pectin and lemon juice and mix well.
- Boil the jam and skim the foam. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Once you've reached this, let the jam boil for five minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't scorch. Once set, remove any foam with a spoon or offset spatula.
- Put jam in jars. Using a canning funnel, pour the finished jam into your hot, clean mason jars. Run a clean, hot butter knife around the inside to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean. Place the lids and rings on top and twist them fingertip tight.
- Process in canner. Using the rack, lower the jars into a canner that is at a full rolling boil. Once it has returned to a boil, start timing the processing time. Half pints need 10 minutes and full pint jars need 15 minutes. When the time is up, carefully lift the rack and remove the jars using a jar remover. Place on a clean dish towel on the counter. The jars will seal within 24 hours.
