How to Make Blackberry Jam
Yesterday The Girl and I picked blackberries. After after gorging ourselves on fruit, we made a cobbler. But we still had a huge bowl of blackberries left over. So I popped them in the freezer last night and made a batch of blackberry jam this morning after breakfast.
Blackberry jam is one of those funky ones you tend to only find in specialty stores. And with good reason. Blackberry jam takes a little extra effort to make as you need to use a sieve to remove some of the blackberry seeds first {unless you want a mouth full of hard little seeds that is}.
Trust me. You don’t want to miss this step.
If you’ve never done this before, simply place a sieve over a bowl and using the back of a spatula, mash the blackberries to strain out seeds and/or hard pieces first.
Then repeat the mashing process with the remaining blackberries to remove more seeds if needed.
Here’s a picture tutorial for you to follow along with.
~Mavis
Canning 101 – How to Make Blackberry Jam
Ingredients
6 cups blackberries
1/4 cup lemon juice {I used bottled}
8 cups sugar
1 (1.75 ounce) box of pectin (I used Sure Jell)
Instructions
- Bring a boiling-water canner, 3/4 full with water, to simmer.
- Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water.
- Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat.
- Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
- Using a use a sieve, crush the blackberries, remove about half of the seeds, and measure 4 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. sauce pot. Add pectin and stir.
- Combined the blackberries, pectin, and lemon juice and bring to a full rolling boil, reduce heat, and stir in sugar. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid boiling over. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.
- Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.} Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.} Yields {10} 1/2 pints.
Looking for a few more canning recipes? Search my Full List of Canning Recipes
Looking for a good canning book? Here’s a list of my favorites:
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
- The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook
- Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It
- Food in Jars
- The Amish Canning Cookbook
- Not Your Mama’s Canning Book
Also, check out these tutorials if you’ve never used a canner before:
Tutorial: Hot Water Bath Canning
Tutorial: How to Use a Pressure Canner
Tanya says
Oh what memories Mavis. Growing up I had to help my mom with picking the blackberries and making jam. Each summer we picked 40lbs for my dad to make wine and 20 lbs for my mom to make jam. We also did the forage thing on all the empty house lots on our street. 🙂 Now I want blackberry jam, mmmmm!
Jenn says
I’m so jealous that you are able to pick blackberries just down the road. My husband has searched and searched the woods behind our house to try and find me some but has had no luck. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do when I can come across them.
Mavis says
Best of luck finding a secret patch. 🙂 It’s worth the effort of seeking one out. 🙂
Jules says
We grew blackberries where I was raised. I didn’t know we were having gourmet food 😉 I use a food mill to get most of the seeds out.
Mavis says
I like the idea of using a food mill. I know, who would of thought blackberries were gourmet food LOL, I grew up with them too. 🙂
Susan says
DH and I went out back to the wetlands and picked blackberries today. Just got enough for the Blackberry Cobbler.
There are LOTS of unripe ones . Will have to pick more later 🙂
Mavis says
I really, really LOVE the crust on this cobbler!!!
Di says
I want to see a pantry picture/blog entry of all of your cheapo groceries, trades, and canned garden treats! Where do you store everything? A walk in pantry, basement or a bazillion cupboards? Cool blog!
Mavis says
We have a pantry and I also store them in cupboards. 🙂 I’ll try and get a picture up soon.
lyra says
I love all of your canning recipes. I would like to get started with making some jams. How do you find canning supplies on a frugal budget? Or do I just go to the grocery store and buy some jars. Is there a price that I should look for and then buy up some jars when they hit that low cost?
Mavis says
If you don’t mind used jars, then I would search garage sales and thrift stores for them. Typically you can expect to pay .25 per jar/ $3 person buying them used. Otherwise I would wait until the end of canning season when Target and Walmart are clearing them out and buy them then at around $5-$6 for a case of 12
Brenda says
can’t wait to try this! I have lots of berries and hope to get lots more! how much did the big canning pot run?
Mavis says
They run between $20 – $25
Bren says
Followed your directions, came out perfect. Thanks SO much Mavis!
Ursula says
I have always used paraffin to seal my jars of jam. I save various jars with screw top lids through out the year just of this purpose. It doesnt heat up the house so much. After skimming the foam from the cooked jam, I ladle it into my prepared jars leaving a half inch head space. I melt Gulf Paraffin in a 1 lb. coffee can and keep it at the ready. Wipe the jar rims with a clean cloth then slowly pour the melted paraffin over the jam. As it cools, I use a quilting needle(they’re longer) to “pop” any air bubbles that may rise under the wax. The only reason that I have used the water bath method is for gifts that need to be shipped. The jostelling around would break the wax seal which is stable for shelf storage. That saves $$ on lids that must be used for low acidic foods. I have been freezing my thornless blackberries to get enough to make all the batches of jam in one day!
Rochelle says
Can I use frozen berries?
Nicole says
In the recipe, when do you sieve to remove some of the blackberry seeds?
Jan says
I sieve mine after cook them for 20 minutes
Angela says
Do you add the rest of the mashed blackberries after you separate out the 4 cups to mix with pectin?
Donna says
First batch of Jelly in the canner now. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Can you substitute other berries and use the same recipe?
Lindsey says
I made this last week and it’s amazing! I didn’t use lemon juice bc I didn’t have any. I’m making another batch right now!
Nancy says
With your blackberry jam recipe, you say use one box of pectin. There are two pouches in a box of Ball liquid pectin. Should I use one or two of the pouches in a box of liquid pectin?
Mavis Butterfield says
I used 1 (1.75 ounce) box of (dry) pectin.
Lindsey says
I made this 2 weeks ago. Just did half a batch. Turned out amazing and I gave some away and they all loved it and want more! I made another batch a full one last week and it didn’t set. So I tried again yesterday making sure I did exactly as the recipe said. This morning I checked and they are still a little runny!! I’m so mad bc the first time turned out so amazing I cant figure out what I’m doing differently. Anyways the first batch was SO good. Best jam I’ve had. I just wish this batch would set up.
Ali says
Stupid question—I’m guessing that you remove the seeds with a sieve, while crushing them? Not after you have boiled and cooked the mixture? Thanks very much.
Cait says
The ingredients say “6 cups of blackberries” and the recipe says to add “4 cups of prepared fruit.” Which quantity is correct?
Mavis Butterfield says
Both. 6 cups of blackberries should equal 4 cups of prepared {crushed} fruit.
Cathy Johnson says
So you cook the berries about 20 minutes, strain them to remove seeds. This should yield the 4 cups? I’m looking forward to trying this. My family loves blackberry jam.
Cathy says
Do you have to use 8 cups of sugar? Seems like a lot. Has anyone tried Trivia, if so, how much!
Anna says
Your directions are so unclear especially for a first time jam maker 🙁 when do I sieve the blackberries?
Marcia says
Was gifted some home-grown black erries, so I found your recipe & made this morning. This recipe is perfect, and our jam is excellent!!
Patricia says
Do I have to use 8 cups of sugar?
Cheryl says
Cover with two-piece lids, not sure what means. Two flat lids plus the ring?
Mavis Butterfield says
Flat lid plus the ring.
Erin says
I’ve made this recipe twice using 4 cups sugar instead of 8 but I only yield 2 and 1/2 pints. Am I doing something wrong? After crushing my berries I have 4 cups of just juice. Should I be leaving in more of the fruit?
Mavis Butterfield says
If you look closely at the photos you’ll see there is still a bit of “fruit” in my pot before I bring the berry mixture to a boil. When I make the recipe with 8 cups of sugar I end up with {10} 1/2 pints.