Homemade Blueberry Jam

Step 1

Sterilize all the jars and tools used for this recipe. Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and leave them to drain and dry.If you're planning to can the jam, prepare the canner now, too, by adding the trivet/rack to the bottom of the canner and filling it with enough water to submerge the cans.

Step 2

Wash the blueberries well, removing any that are spoiled, have blemishes, etc.

Step 3

Transfer the berries to a large, deep, stainless-steel saucepan along with the sugar and lemon juice. Then use a potato masher or fork to gently crush the berries, leaving some whole if preferred.

Step 4

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Then stir in the pectin and continue to stir over a hard boil for one minute.

Step 5

Remove the jam from the heat, skim off any foam, and ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) of headspace at the top. Tap the jar against your kitchen surface and/or use a knife to remove any air bubbles in the jam.To make the jars hot, heat them up (lids on) in the water bath canner while bringing the water to an almost boil. Alternatively, warm the jars (not lids) in an oven or dishwasher.

Step 6

Wipe the jar rims with a clean kitchen towel and place the lid on the jar, then screw the bands until they are fingertip-tight.

Step 7

Place the filled jars in the prepared canner, ensuring they're fully submerged under at least 1 inch of water.

Step 8

Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, add a lid, and allow them to process in the boiling water for 10 minutes (adjust the time based on the altitude).

Step 9

Remove the canner lid and allow them to sit for 5 minutes before carefully using canning jar tongs to remove the jars from the water and set them onto a clean kitchen towel to drain and cool undisturbed for 24 hours.

Step 10

Once cooled, check the jars seals (the middle part of the lid should not pop up and down when pressed), then store them in a cool, dark location (like your pantry) for up to a year.Any unsealed jars can be reprocessed with new lids or transferred to the refrigerator to use within a month.