Monday, August 2, 2010

Blueberry Freezer Jam

Remember the Top Ten Kitchen Experiments I want to try? Well, I'm slowly crossing the experiments off the list. I've tackled homemade yogurt, condensed cream of mushroom soup, flour tortillas, and now I'm on to freezer jam!


You can do this successfully too. All you have to do is read and follow the 3 instructions (I kid you not) on the back of your Instant Fruit Pectin packet.


I even broke a "rule" and blended my blueberries in the food processor, which supposedly breaks down the natural berry pectin. I prefer the berries more blended (because of the blueberry skins), so I took the risk, and it all turned out great anyway.


So here's how you do it:

Blueberry (or any berry you prefer) Freezer Jam
Ingredients: 
4 cups crushed fruit
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 packet instant fruit pectin (if you use regular pectin you have to add a lot more sugar)
Jars for Freezing (I re-purposed old Smuckers jars)

The three steps (you can handle this):
1--Mix together the sugar and pectin. 
2--Add to crushed fruit. 
3--Pour into your containers of choice and let stand for 30 minutes.

Wha-la! This jam is good in the fridge for up to 3 weeks supposedly (although I've found it lasts for much longer!) or in the freezer for up to one year! We are on our second container now.


Making homemade jam makes me feel like Ma Ingalls. Well, Ma Ingalls plus a food processor.




Update on 3/23/11: I have now tried making freezer jam with both strawberries and pluots, and they both turned out wonderfully. To make the freezer jam with pluots, I had to blanch the pluots first (much like you would with plums).
 
This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays At The Table, Delicious Dishes, and WFMW.
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11 comments:

  1. I was interested to see this made with blueberries. I've made it with blackberries and strawberries with good success, but my mother tried it with blueberries and didn't like it--I think the blender or food processor may have made a difference, she remarked about the skins and not knowing whether to leave them in or try to strain them out. I'll have to let her know to try the food processor!

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  2. @Charlene: I hope she has success with it! I did process them as little as possible to get the pictured consistency. It did help with the skins!

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  3. I love making jam - it's such an easy process but looks so complicated! I've never tired blueberry jam though - we've never had enough berries! Want to trade some strawberry for some blueberry? ;)

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  4. Melinda, I would be totally down for that! :D

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  5. OH, my favorite jam!! YUM! I have a lot of frozen blueberries, too. :D
    Thanks for sharing! Have a great day!!
    Sherry

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  6. My sister makes this and its delicious!

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  7. Oh man! I'm going to have to make this! I've made strawberry freezer jam, raspberry freezer jam, cherry limeade freezer jam but I never, ever thought of making it using blueberries! Hooray! We're going blueberry picking later this week!

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  8. Hey! It looks great. I recently made strawberry freezer jam for the first time too using the same recipe. We LOVE it! Organic strawberries and organic sugar too.

    http://longwaitforisabella.blogspot.com/2010/06/organic-freezer-jam.html

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  9. This blueberry jam looks lovely! Thanks for sharing :) I have used original pectin, but I'll have to try the instant pectin because I have using so much sugar.

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  10. share!!! That looks so easy, and good.

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  11. Looks Great!
    Thanks for linking up!
    ~Liz

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