Blackberry Preserves Food

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Place the berries in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, mashing the berries with a potato masher as they cook. Add the lemon juice and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring and mashing constantly.
• Add the sugar and return the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to look syrupy and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and test for doneness: a candy thermometer should register 220 degrees F and the mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Run a finger--or a clean object about the width of a finger--through the coat of jam. If the jam does not run and fill the gap, it is done. Otherwise, return the pan to the heat for another 1 to 2 minutes and test again. Be careful not to let the mixture get too thick--it will thicken as it cools.
• When the jam is done, transfer it to a heatproof jar and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. The jam will keep for up to 2 weeks.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Mash blackberries in a saucepan with a potato masher. Stir in sugar until juices form; place about 1 tablespoon blackberry juice in a small bowl and stir in cornstarch. Pour cornstarch mixture into saucepan.
• Bring berries to a boil, stirring often, until jam is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and allspice. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer jam to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Stir in lemon juice.

BLACKBERRY PRESERVES RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse 7 clean freezer containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
• Cook blackberries and sugar in large saucepan on medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and blackberries release their juices, stirring occasionally while being careful to not crush the berries. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
• Mix water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring 1 min. Add to blackberry mixture; cook and stir 2 min. or until completely blended.
• Ladle berry mixture immediately into prepared containers, filling to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until completely set. (To ensure berries are evenly distributed evenly throughout the preserves, gently turn the containers over every 15 min. for the first hour or until mixture thickens enough to keep the berries in suspension.) Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year. (If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before using.)

HOMEMADE BLACKBERRY JAM RECIPE - HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY JAM:

Steps:

• Jam can ONLY be made in small batches at a time (about 6 cups at a time). DO NOT increase the recipe or the jam will not "set" (jell or thicken).
• Preparing the equipment: Before you start preparing your jam, place canner rack in the bottom of a boiling water canner. Fill the canner half full with clean warm water for a canner load of pint jars. For other sizes and numbers of jars, you will need to adjust the amount of water so it will be 1 to 2 inches over the top of the filled jars. Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water.
• Sanitize the jars, lids, and rings. Never plunge room temperature jars into rapid boiling water or they may crack. Place the jars in a large pot. Add 1-inch of water to the bottom, cover securely, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Keep the jars, lids, and rings in the hot water until they are ready to by used.
• Preparing the blackberries: Gently wash, stem, and drain the blackberries (removing any stems, cores, dried-up berries, and leaves).
• Crush the blackberries with a potato masher, food mill, or use a food processor (If using a food processor, pulse to very fine chop) to lightly crush them. For best results, crush 1 cup at a time. DO NOT PUREE. Jam should have bits of fruit. Sieve all the pulp to remove the seeds. You can keep some seeds in for effect, but I would not recommend for blackberry jam since the seeds are hard on the teeth.
• Making the jam: Measure the exact amount of sugar into a separate bowl; set aside. NOTE: Reducing sugar or using sugar substitutes will result in failure for the jam setting up. To use less sugar, you must purchase and use the pectin for Less Sugar or No Sugar.
• Measure the exact amount of prepared blackberries (juice) into a large 6 to 8-quart saucepan. Stir in 1 package/box fruit pectin into the blackberry fruit mixture. Add the 1/2 teaspoon butter to reduce foaming, if desired.
• Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. A full rolling boil is a boil that does not stop bubbling when stirred. Quickly stir in the sugar and return again to a full rolling boil and let boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• If you bring it back to a full boil fairly slowly (on medium heat rather than high) that will help reduce foaming.
• Remove from heat and quickly skim of any excessive foam/bubbles.
• Place jam into the jars: One jar at a time, ladle the hot prepared jam into the hot, sterilized jars. Fill to within 1/8 inch of top of jar. Wipe rim of jar or glass with a clean damp cloth. Immediately place a hot lid and ring on top of the jar; tightly screw the ring on the jar.
• Processing the jam: Place jars on the elevated canner rack. Lower rack into the canner with the hot water. Add more boiling water, if needed, so the water level is at least 1 inch above the jar tops. Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them. Cover the canner with a lid. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start time when the water returns to a boil). Adjust processing time according to altitude chart below.
• After 10 minutes, remove jars with a jar lifter and place jars upright on a towel or cooling rack to cool completely. Leave at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft. Let the jars sit undisturbed while they cool, from 12 to 24 hours. Do not tighten ring bands on the lids or push down on the center of the flat metal lid until the jar is completely cooled.
• After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with your finger (if lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary). Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use first.
• Label jars and store the sealed jars in a a cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year. Refrigerate any open jars up to 3 weeks.
• Yields 9 cups.
• Altitude Adjustments for Boiling Water Bath Canner:
• Altitude In Feet - Increase Processing Time
• 1,001 to 3,000 - 5 minutes
• 3,001 to 6,000 - 10 minutes
• 6,001 to 8,000 -15 minutes
• 8,001 to 10,000 - 20 minutes
• There are a number of circumstances that affect whether or how well your jam sets:
• Pectins are somewhat sugar amount specific. Also liquid pectins do not set up as well as powdered. Use only the type of pectin called for in your recipe.
• Powdered pectin and liquid pectin are not interchangeable in recipes. The preserving books seem to confirm that the reason liquid and powdered pectin may not be interchangeable is that the liquid version is always added after boiling but most types of powdered are added to the raw fruit or juice.
• Never EVER double a jelly or jam recipe. For some reason, this effects the setting.
• If your jam does not set, chances are it contains too little pectin.
• An imbalance between the pectin and the acid in your jelly. Adding a little lemon juice helps the pectin, and also helps create an environment hostile to bacteria.
• High humidity in the kitchen can cause problems with jam and jelly.
• Finally, you can defeat the whole purpose of adding pectin if you boil the mixture too long - overcooking causes the pectin to break down and lose its thickening capacity.

BLACKBERRY PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of pork with steak seasoning. ** please note...just SPRINKLE the pork with seasoning...don't rub it in, don't coat it..just SPRINKLE !**
• Cook on grill for 8-10 minutes or until done.
• In saucepan, combine remaining ingredients (EXCEPT FRESH BERRIES) and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Pour sauce over pork to serve, garnishing with fresh blackberries if desired.

SEEDLESS BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Prepare your jars, start your lids to simmering and bring your canning pot to a boil.
• In a large, non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled cast iron), combine the sugar and fruit pulp and bring to a simmer. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest/juice and stir to combine.
• Let the mixture reach a boil, stirring frequently to prevent it from boiling over. When the mixture appears to be thickening a bit, add the pectin and bring it back to a roiling boil.
• Let it boil vigorously for at least five minutes to activate the pectin. Before removing from the heat, check the set using the plate or spoon test to ensure that the jam will firm up when cool.
• Fill your jars with the hot jam, wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water canner for ten minutes.
• Remove from canner and allow the jars to completely cool on a dishtowel-lined counter top.
• Once the jars are cool, check the seals, label them and eat jam on toast in January.

BLACKBERRY AND BING CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Rinse blackberries and cherries.
• Press blackberries through a sieve or a food mill to remove the seeds.
• Stem cherries and remove pits.
• Coarsely chop cherries in a food processor.
• Combine blackberries, chopped cherries, pectin, lemon juice and butter in large stockpot.
• Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add sugar all at once and return to a boil.
• Bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down and boil 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and add almond extract.
• Let sit for 5 minutes stirring every 30 seconds.
• Ladle into sterilized jars using the USDA guidelines for water bath canning leaving a 1/4" headspace.
• Wipe rims and place lids and screw rings on jars.
• Place jars in water bath canner and make sure you have at least 1-2 inches of water covering the jars.
• Place lid on pot and bring to a hard rolling boil (do not remove lid).
• Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat, remove lid from pot and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Remove jars from pot and set aside to seal and cool.

BLACKBERRY JAM RECIPE WITHOUT PECTIN

Steps:

• Add blackberries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan. Be sure there are several inches of headspace to allow for foaming.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer the jam until it reaches gel stage, stirring to keep the bubbles down. In this low sugar batch, it should take 20-30 minutes for a low sugar jam. (increasing the sugar will cause the jam to gel faster and result in a higher yield)
• Test for gel stage on a plate in the freezer.
• Pour jam into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Store in the refrigerator, or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.