Blackberry Jam Without Added Pectin

Wash and rinse all canning jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well.

Wash berries well and remove any debris.

In a large canner or a very large pot, fill with water and bring to a boil. Water will need to be able to cover glass jars by 2 inches when sealed. Add clean jars to the pot.

In a small pot, bring water to a boil.

Place a small plate in the freezer to check consistency of jam.

Remove 3 cups of the berries and place in a sieve with a pestle to remove the seeds. Smash until juice has been removed. Alternately, you could smash the 3 cups berries with a potato masher and run that through a fine strainer to remove seeds, or if you like the seeds, smash the fruit well with the potato masher and use like you would the 3 cups berries with seeds removed. Do not blend your berries, it will destroy the natural pectin.

Place the juice from the berries into a large stock pot and add all of the sugar. Mix together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the mixture boils, add remaining 4 cups of berries and smash half or more with a potato masher, depending on how chunky you like your jam. The more berries you smash, the smoother the jam. Return berries to a boil and cook for about 13 minutes. Jam is about done when foaming has subsided and jam becomes a rich glossy red color. Take the plate from the freezer and place a large dollop of jam on the plate and place back into the freezer for 1 minute. After a minute, run a finger through the jam. Jam is ready to be canned when juices from the berries stay separated and don’t run. Jam will still be a bit thin but not runny. If jam is still runny, continue to cook checking every minute for set with plate from the freezer.

In the small pot with boiling water, remove from heat and add lids.

Remove a jar from the canner and place on a clean work surface. Fill the jar using a canning funnel. Leave 1/4 inch head space from the top of the jar. Clean the edge of the jar to remove any jam with a clean damp cloth. Cover with a lid from the small pot and seal with a rim, until finger tight. Place back into the canning pot and repeat with all the remaining jars. Make sure the water in the canning pot is boiling and there is enough water to cover jars by at least 2 inches.

When all the jars are back into the canning pot, process for 10 minutes covered.

Removed jars to an area they can rest for 24 hours undisturbed.

Tip: If I don’t have enough jam to fill a jar all the way, I place that jar in the fridge and it is the first jar to be eaten. Jar lids will make a popping noise as the jars seal, do not be alarmed. Never double this recipe or it might not set correctly. Work in single batches.