This recipe post was inspired by a long-time friend who asked me for my blueberry jam recipe. The Simply Sweet Blueberry Jam has only a few needed ingredients to create one of the tastiest jams of the season.
How is the Blueberry Jam served in my home? For breakfast, you can spread it on a biscuit or toast, top a cheesecake, or another sweet. However, I will often pair it with red meats for a sophisticated flavor profile creating a lovely garnish.
Making the Blueberry Jam is simple, but it does take some time. I usually start the process the evening before when I have the time to watch the jam pot. My favorite tip for a successful jam batch is Maceration. What is Maceration? It is the process of pulling juice out of the fruit and softening the fruit's flesh. Maceration is done with sugar in my blueberry jam-making. It creates a natural syrup base to start the jam avoiding dry sugar in a pan that can quickly caramelize and burn, ruining the batch of jam. Using macerated blueberries starts to break down and meld with the sugar, so half of the sweet treat has already been completed.
Blueberry Jam
Yields 2.5 cups of Jam
Ingredients
2½ Lbs. - blueberries
2½ cups sugar (divided)
zest of 1 large lemon
juice of 1 large lemon
⅓c water
6 Jelly Jars (4-5 oz.) or 3 Half-Pint Jars (8 oz.)
How to make Blueberry Jam
- Gently wash the blueberries, dry them, and place berries in a bowl or saucepan with a 1½ cup of sugar. Slightly mix and mash the berries mixture. Cover the container and allow the berries to macerate in the refrigerator for about 6 to 12 hours
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan, mix the macerated berries, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and the remaining 1 cup of sugar.
- Bring to a boil stirring constantly.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down, simmering over medium heat for about 1-hour, frequently stirring, until it reaches the desired consistency (neither too liquid nor too hard).
- Prepare Jars while tending the jam. Sanitize the jars by boiling jars in hot water.
- To check the optimal cooking point, do the 'saucer test': take a small amount of the blueberry jam with a teaspoon and place it on a cool plate. The jam is ready if, passing through it with a spoon, the line you will draw remains a few seconds before it recedes; if it disappears immediately, continue cooking. You may need to repeat the test a couple of times.
- Once the jam is ready, ladle it into the sanitized and warm jars, filling them with jam up to 0.5-inches from the jar's rim.
- Clean the rim of the jar with a damp cloth.
- Place the lid screwing it without tightening it too much.
At this point, you can either prep for refrigeration & freezing or complete the canning process.
Freezing or Refrigeration
The Blueberry Jam will store in the freezer for up to 6-months or in the refrigerator for 3-weeks.
- Allow jam jars to cool on the counter on a towel or tray.
- Place in the refrigerator or freezer.
Canning
The jam will be shelf-stable for up to 2 years.
- Place the filled jars into the pot upright. To prevent the jars from breaking during the canning process, place a tea towel on the bottom of the pot and wrap each jar with additional tea towels or use a canning basket.
- Cover the jars with at least 1-inch of water over the tallest jar.
- Cover the pan and bring to a rapid boil.
- Once boiling, with the lid on the pot, simmer for 10 minutes and cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat.
- After the 10 minutes of cook time, turn off the heat, and remove the pot's lid, allowing jars to remain in the water for another 10 minutes.
- Extract the jars by lifting them by the glass, using a jar lifter, tongs or gloves, and pot holders.
- Allow jam jars to cool on the counter on a towel or tray.