When I buy or pick berries and fruit for canning purposes, I usually process my "score" quickly. Anything that needs to be peeled, gets peeled. All of it gets washed, and some of it gets tossed in a food processor whereupon the pulse button comes into play 2-3 times. I don't want it pureed, I just want small bits of fruit without having to endure hand cramps chopping it up myself. I know, I know. I am a slacker. Doesn't matter, I get it done.
Can't make jam now? Store the fruit or berries and do it later!
Once the berries or fruit are peeled, mangled, mashed, cut, chopped and/or whacked to my satisfaction, I measure it into a glass measuring cup and put 2 cups in a quart Ziploc bag pre-marked with the type, date and amount of fruit or berries. I close all but the last inch of the "zipper" and then push all the air out (well, I try to anyway), then fully close the "zipper."
Then I place the bag on a cookie sheet for support and gently flatten it out. I stack the next bag on top, and the next, and so on, until everything is bagged and tagged. Next, they all go in the freezer. Once they are frozen, I take my cookie tray back. In this manner, I can store quite a large quantity of berries and fruits for jamming season.
I should probably explain "jamming season." There is a moratorium at my house concerning jams. I am not allowed to make any in the summer when its hot out because it makes the house too hot and humid. So I collect all of my goodies as their seasons come and go, and then, in the fall when the cold hits, jamming season starts. Enough said.
Making lemonade out of lemons
Somehow, when I was berry picking last summer, I miscalculated my berry needs and ended up with a bag here and there of extra berries. Two cups of any one type of berry just isn't enough to "get-er-done". I eyeballed what I had, considered the consequences and then said, "What the heck!" and went for it. The results were great, and I had a whole new jam flavor! Even better is the fact that I can change it up whenever I want just by changing the berries I use. Yay!
Berry Jam Recipe
Ingredients:
- 5 Cups crushed berries (your choice on berry type - about 3 lb or 8 6oz containers)
- 1/4 C lemon juice
- 2/3 C honey
- 4 C organic sugar
- 1/2 tsp butter (prevents foaming)
- 1 1/2 packages of powdered pectin
- You will also need 1/2 pint or pint canning jars; matching (size) lids and rings; canner for hot water bath; canning funnel; lid magnet; jar tongs (to handle filled hot jars when putting into hot water bath and when removing.
Directions:
- Bring all ingredients except sugar and honey to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down, over high heat; stir constantly so that you don't inadvertently scorch your jam.
- When the mixture reaches a full rolling boil, add the sugar and honey and return to a full rolling boil.
- Boil hard for 2 minutes, continuing to stir constantly.
- Remove the jam from heat (don't forget to turn off that burner!), skim foam, if necessary, ladle into hot jars, and process in a water bath for 20 minutes.
This recipe makes approximately 8 half pints.
Note: Be careful because the mixture can "spit" at you if it boils too hard, so it’s OK to turn the heat down a little if necessary. I also wear a heat resistant glove on my stirring hand. Enjoy!
Tanya Drayton - I am a Reiki practioner, I do CranioSacral bodywork, I am a qualified equine appraiser through the American Society of Equine Appraisers ...
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