Easy Blueberry Jam

1. Place a few small plates in the freezer. (They will be used to test the jam later.)

2. Stir berries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and half the zest in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and mashing lightly with a potato masher. Skim foam from the surface, if any forms. Cook, stirring more frequently as jam thickens, until it has the consistency of a very loose jelly, 8-9 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Remove a plate from the freezer and drop a small spoonful of jam on it. Return the plate to the freezer for 1-2 minutes. Remove plate once more and nudge jam with finger. The jam should hold its shape. If it does not hold its shape and spreads, return the pot to a boil, testing again after each minute. Continue this process until the test jam holds its shape.

4. If using berries with large seeds, strain half if the jam through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. (If your berries do not have noticeable seeds, skip this step.) Return strained jam to the pot and return to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove from heat and let it cool completely before pouring into containers.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, June 2012.