I already have one recipe for freezer jam on this site but it is for fruits that require little or no cooking. For berries like blueberries and blackberries, I think the jam is tastier when the berries are cooked. The good news about this is that it’s possible to streamline the process by mixing the calcium water into the berries and the pectin into the sugar. The recipe on the Pomona’s Pectin site is great, but assumes that the jam will be canned, so has extra steps I just don’t need for freezer jam. This is the first year we’ve grown enough blueberries to have some of our jam come from them. In future years we might be able to do the whole winter supply with our own berries.
INGREDIENTS Makes 5-6 half-pint jars of jam
4 c. mashed fruit (blueberries, blackberries or a mix). This can be up to 6 c. whole fruit
1/4 c. lemon juice (optional)
2 tsp calcium water (follow instructions in Pomona Pectin box)
3/4 to 2 c. sugar. I usually use a generous cup
2 tsp pectin powder
DIRECTIONS
- Wash the fruit and mash or use a food processor to pulse into smaller pieces
- Put fruit in a saucepan and add the lemon juice and calcium water
- Measure the sugar into a bowl and add the pectin. Stir to mix fully
- Bring the fruit/lemon/calcium water to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently
- Add the sugar/pectin and stir very well to dissolve fully
- Bring mixture back to a boil and then remove from heat
- Measure jam into clean jars
- Cool, then label and freeze
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