Spicy Blueberry Jam

 

Blueberries are a delicious, healthful part of summer, and something we preserve in vast quantities by drying or freezing.

But you just can’t bring home a basket of blueberries without turning some of those delicious berries into jam!

(Honest. You can’t.)

 

This Spicy Blueberry Jam recipe uses Pomona’s Pectin and raw honey to preserve all the goodness of the blueberries without too much added sugar… and a blend of spices for a gentle, spicy twist. Note: To make a jam that is safe to can, it important to NOT use any more spices than the amounts called for in the recipe. It is okay to make substitutions, but the amount must stay the same.

This recipe is a variation of the Simple Classic: Blueberry Jam recipe in the fabulous book Preserving with Pomona’s Pectin.

Pomona’s Pectin is easy to use (find out how I discovered it here) but it is a little different from the “regular” pectin you might be used to, so be sure to check out the directions that come with the pectin. If you prefer to watch a video — or if you need to brush up on the basics of canning — click this link for tutorial.

Spicy Blueberry Jam

Needed:

8 cups of blueberries, organic or no-spray are best

Pomona’s Pectin and calcium water (don’t worry, the calcium comes with the Pectin.)

1/2 cup bottled lemon juice (I use this kind.)

1 1/3 cups raw, local honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon (like this or get quality spices here)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (like this or get quality spices here)

1/4 teaspoon allspice (like this or get quality spices here)

A water bath canner, or a large pot with a lid and a rack like this to keep the jars off the bottom of your pot. When canning jam, I find that a large pot (deep enough for 1-2 inches of water over your jars) and a cooling rack work best.)

Canning utensils

Jelly jars, with (new) lids and rings. This recipe makes 8-9 half pint jars.

Method:

1.    Rinse the blueberries and remove any stems. Place the berries, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of water, and 4 teaspoons of calcium water in a large pan. Add spices and heat, stirring often.

2.    Add 4 teaspoons of Pomona’s Pectin to the honey, stirring to fully incorporate.

3.    Bring the blueberries to a full boil. If you like, you can mash the blueberries a bit, or leave them to burst, or not, as they cook. When the blueberries are boiling, slowly add the honey-pectin mixture, stirring constantly. Stir vigorously for a minute to completely incorporate.

4.    Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture returns to a full boil.

5.    Remove from heat, and place hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (remembering to adjust for your altitude, if necessary!)

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