How To Make Freezer Blueberry Jam
If you just picked up 20 pounds of blueberries and are interested in making jam with these berries, you can do so without having any canning equipment at all. The type of jam you can make is freezer jam. Freezer jam is not hard to make and requires no special equipment. Here is a great recipe you can follow for making your very own blueberry freezer jam.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here is the list of ingredients you will need to gather before you begin making your jam:
- 4 cups ripe blueberries
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups white sugar
- 5 T. pectin
If you have never made jam before, you might not know what pectin is. Pectin is a substance used to make most jams and spreads, and it is needed to make the mixture thicken. Without it, you will end up with runny jam that will not be easy to spread.
Instructions To Follow
Once you have all the ingredients you need, you will need to find a large pot, potato masher, and spoon to use to make the jam. The first step will be to place the blueberries, fresh lemon juice, and cinnamon in a pan and mix together. Next, you will need to mash the blueberries with the potato masher to soften them. You can mash them as much as you would like, or you can mash them very little to create a chunkier type of jam. Once you have mixed and mashed these ingredients, bring them to a boil over medium heat.
As soon as the mixture begins to boil, add the sugar and bring the mixture back to a boil. Boil for two minutes and stir the entire time. Next, add the pectin and boil for one more minute. As soon as the minute is up, remove the pan from the stove and pour the mixture into freezer containers. Place the lids on the tops of the containers and place them on your kitchen counter until they are cool. You can then place them in the freezer. You can also keep a container or two for your refrigerator to eat right away.
Making your own jams and jellies is not hard to do, but it does take time. If you do not have time to make your own but enjoy eating homemade jams, you could always order a variety of different types of a specialty food supplier like Chunkyfruits.