Over the years I’ve really discovered my inner grandma. I enjoy canning.
Canning is the proper preserving of food in jars.
It’s a labor of love.
First you boil the jars and lids for ten minutes, second you fill the jars with whatever you want (jam, salsa, pickles).
Then you put the lids on, boil for 10 minutes submerged in water.
Lastly you remove the jars from the water and hear “the music.” When the lids seal they make a popping sound.
There is nothing more therapeutic than hearing that popping sound.
I’ve made a plethora of jams and jellies over the years and have many recipes to share with you.
Blueberry/Raspberry jam was a slam dunk. If you don’t want to go through the canning process, you can put it in a container in the fridge.
Here is how I made it.
Put all the washed berries in a large pot with lemon juice and zest.
Cook down until the berries start to pop.
Smash the berries with a potato masher.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl.
Ladle a little bit of the berry mixture at a time in the strainer, taking a spatula to press the juice out. You need about 4 cups of berry juice. If you do not have enough juice, add water to make it 4 cups.
Place the juice back in the pot and add a pack of pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
This is the pectin that I use.
Once it comes to a boil, add 5 1/2 cups sugar, stir. Bring to a boil for 1 full minute. Remove any foam, if any.
Start the canning process.
If you don’t want to can the jam you can put it in small containers and refrigerate. It make a great gift!
Blueberry Raspberry Jam
12 oz raspberries
28 oz blueberries
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 box pectin
5 1/2 cups sugar
Place the berries, lemon juice, lemon zest in a large pot. Bring to a simmer until berries start to burst.
Mash with a potato masher to release all the juices.
Place a fine mesh strainer on top of a bowl.
Ladle the berries into the strainer, pressing them down with a spatula to make sure you get ALL the juice.
You will need exactly 4 cups of berry juice. If you are short some berry juice, add water to equal 4 cups.
Pour the berry juice into the clean pot. Add pectin and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Add sugar, stirring it in. Bring to a boil for exactly 1 minute.
Funnel the liquid into sterile jars and begin canning process.
