Blackberry Jam Pomona Recipes

BLUEBERRY-BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Inspect 8 half-pint jars for cracks and rings for rust; discard any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until jam is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Toast the almonds in an ungreased skillet until lightly colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Place crushed blueberries and blackberries in a large pot and add pectin. Slowly bring to a full rolling boil. Add sugar and lemon juice and stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Skim off any foam with a ladle or a large spoon.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in gin and toasted almonds.
• Ladle jam immediately into the prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any spills. Top with lids and tightly screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart. Let rest for 24 hours without moving the jars. Gently press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.

BLACKBERRY JAM (POMONA)

Steps:

• Wash and stem blackberries.
• Mash the blackberries a layer at a time in something like a pie plate using something like a potato masher.
• Press through sieve or food mill to remove seeds, if desired (see discussion in Notes below.)
• Measure 1 litre / 4 cups of juice and put juice in large stainless steel pot.
• If using sugar or Splenda, put them in a bowl, add the pectin powder, and mix. If using a liquid sweetener such as honey or liquid stevia, ladle out about 4 tablespoons of juice and put in a small bowl. Add the pectin powder all at once, and stir it into juice. Whichever combination you made up, set it briefly aside.
• Add lemon juice to the pot.
• Add the calcium water to the pot.
• Bring the pot to a boil over high heat.
• Add the pectin mixture a little at a time, stirring constantly.
• Let boil vigorously for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat.
• Ladle into 125 ml (4 oz) or quarter-litre (1/2 US pint / 8 oz) jars.
• Leave 1 cm (1/4 inch) headspace.
• Debubble, adjust headspace.
• Wipe jar rims.
• Put lids on.
• Process in a water bath or steam canner.
• Process either size jars for 10 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• The night before you make your jam, layer the blackberries and sugar together in a very large bowl, then cover and set aside at room temperature. This helps the sugar to start dissolving so you don't run the risk of over-cooking the fruit when you actually begin to make the jam. The next morning, give everything a quick stir, then set aside again until you are ready to start cooking.
• Before you start, put a small saucer in the freezer. Take a preserving pan or a large, wide-based pan (the wider and more open the pan, the faster the jam will be ready, so a preserving pan is really ideal) and tip the berries in, scraping out all the juices and any undissolved sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, then collect all the pips and secure them inside a tea-leaf strainer or piece of muslin before adding them to the pan (cooking the pips along with the fruit extracts the pectin they contain, helping your jam to set).
• Start the blackberries over a low heat until all the sugar is completely dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Turn off the heat and spoon a little hot syrupy jam onto the chilled saucer. Once it's cool, push it with your finger. If it wrinkles a little, it's ready and has reached setting point. If it's too runny to wrinkle, return the pan to the heat and boil in 2 or 3-minute stages, removing the pan from the heat each time you do the saucer check, until the jam wrinkles.
• Skim off any excess scum, then stir in the knob of butter, if you want - this will help to dissolve any remaining scum. Leave the jam for 15 mins before ladling into sterilised jars - this allows the fruit to settle so it doesn't sink to the bottom. The jam will keep in a cool, dark place for at least 6 months. Refrigerate jars once opened.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Mash blackberries in a saucepan with a potato masher. Stir in sugar until juices form; place about 1 tablespoon blackberry juice in a small bowl and stir in cornstarch. Pour cornstarch mixture into saucepan.
• Bring berries to a boil, stirring often, until jam is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and allspice. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer jam to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Stir in lemon juice.

BLACKBERRY JAM WITH PORT

Steps:

• Put the blackberries in a blender and blend until they are pureed. You may need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your blender.
• Strain the blackberry puree through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds - stir and press on the puree while it is in the strainer, you want to get as much puree as you can.
• Directions for making with Pomona's Pectin:.
• Measure out 5 cups of the seedless blackberry puree into a preserving pan.
• Add the lemon juice and the calcium water and bring to a boil.
• Mix the 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of Pomona's Pectin into 2 cups of the sugar. Add to the boiling fruit mixture and stir well for 2 minutes, keeping the fruit at a low boil.
• Add the remaining 4 cups of sugar and the port and stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Return to the boil and remove from the heat.
• Place into prepared jars,leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• Directions for making with regular pectin:.
• Measure out 5 cups of the seedless blackberry puree into a preserving pan.
• Add the lemon juice and the pectin and stir to combine well.
• bring to a boil over high heat, stirring all the while.
• Add the sugar to the fruit mixture (REMEMBER - you will need a total of 7 cups of sugar if you are making this with regular pectin! Otherwise it may not set) and stir well. Return to a hard boil, stirring constantly.
• Add the port and continue boiling & stirring for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat and place into prepared jars,leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.