Low Sugar Blackberry Jam Food

LOW SUGAR BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Juice blackberries, either with this attachment for your kitchen aid, using a food mill or other juicer, or by hand. The easiest way to juice them by hand is to let them cook down for about 15 minutes in a bit of water. Then run the juice through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Juice can be frozen for later use.
• Prepare jars. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. It is no longer recommended to sterilize jars. Just start your canning pot heating. It can take up to 45 minutes to heat the water. Let the jars sit in hot water until ready to fill.
• Place washed lids in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. Let sit until ready to use. I also add my ladle and funnel to this pot to sterilize them.
• Add juice and water to a large, heavy bottom pot. Heat over high heat.
• Meanwhile, mix low sugar pectin with 1/4 cup of sugar to keep the pectin from clumping, Add the mixture to the pot. Stir constantly, after pectin is added.
• Bring blackberries to a boil and add pectin/ sugar mixture. Bring to a full boil (one that can't be stirred down).
• Add the rest of sugar all at once. Again, bring to a full boil and boil for 1 full minute
• Fill jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Wipe rim of jars with clean, damp paper towel and place lid on. Add band and tighten to fingertip tight.
• Place filled jars into canning pot and bring to boil. Low boil for 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 5 minutes. Remove them to counter and let them cool.
• After 24 hours, check lids by pushing down in center. If lids flex up and down, the jar is not sealed and should be refrigerated.
• Jars that have sealed should be stored in a cool place for up to a year. (If it lasts that long!)
• This recipe makes 2 half pint jars jam.

LOW SUGAR BLACKBERRY JAM RECIPE EASY CANNING HOW-TO

Steps:

• Begin by filling your large canning pot with water. You will want enough water that it will still cover the jars with 1 inch of water above them once they are placed in there. It's a good idea to start this step early since it takes the longest to come to a gentle boil. This step takes the longest, so begin it right away.
• Once your water is close to a boil, place your glass jars in the water for 10 minutes. After that remove with tongs and place jars on a clean towel. You can also wash the canning jars with hot soapy water, but I prefer to clean them with boiling water to ensure there is no residue left on the glass, and then they are warm and ready to be used.
• Place your lids in a small bowl and cover with hot water for 1 minute, then remove and let the lids air dry at room temperature.
• In a large pot add the blackberries and mash with a potato masher over medium-high heat. In a small bowl mix together the pectin and ¼ cup sugar. Add the pectin-sugar mixture to the blackberries. Bring to a full rolling boil and stir in the remaining amount of sugar. Allow the mixture to thicken for 1 more minute while boiling, and then remove from heat. You can test if the jam will set well by doing the spoon test - dip a spoon into the hot jam and if it does not slide off the spoon right away and shows jam wrinkles when it dries, your jam is at the perfect gel stage.
• Ladle the jam into your prepared jars (use the jar funnel to make it less messy). Wipe the rims down (a clean jar rim is a necessity!), and place your lid on, then screw the ring on next. Don't overtighten the ring.
• Place the jars of jam into the boiling water canner and process for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the jars and allow them to cool on a clean towel. Not too long after you take them out you'll begin to hear popping - that's the jars sealing! After they are completely cool, check to make sure they are all sealed. If you press down on the center of the lid it should not spring back. If it does, refrigerate the jar or use the troubleshooting tips down below.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• The night before you make your jam, layer the blackberries and sugar together in a very large bowl, then cover and set aside at room temperature. This helps the sugar to start dissolving so you don't run the risk of over-cooking the fruit when you actually begin to make the jam. The next morning, give everything a quick stir, then set aside again until you are ready to start cooking.
• Before you start, put a small saucer in the freezer. Take a preserving pan or a large, wide-based pan (the wider and more open the pan, the faster the jam will be ready, so a preserving pan is really ideal) and tip the berries in, scraping out all the juices and any undissolved sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, then collect all the pips and secure them inside a tea-leaf strainer or piece of muslin before adding them to the pan (cooking the pips along with the fruit extracts the pectin they contain, helping your jam to set).
• Start the blackberries over a low heat until all the sugar is completely dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Turn off the heat and spoon a little hot syrupy jam onto the chilled saucer. Once it's cool, push it with your finger. If it wrinkles a little, it's ready and has reached setting point. If it's too runny to wrinkle, return the pan to the heat and boil in 2 or 3-minute stages, removing the pan from the heat each time you do the saucer check, until the jam wrinkles.
• Skim off any excess scum, then stir in the knob of butter, if you want - this will help to dissolve any remaining scum. Leave the jam for 15 mins before ladling into sterilised jars - this allows the fruit to settle so it doesn't sink to the bottom. The jam will keep in a cool, dark place for at least 6 months. Refrigerate jars once opened.

NO SUGAR ADDED BLACKBERRY JAM (WITH SPLENDA)

Steps:

• Place blackberries in medium saucepan over medium heat and add lemon juice.
• Crush berries with a potato masher, or any other tool, until desired consistency.
• I like there to be big chunks of berries in my jam, so I only crush a little.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture comes to a full boil.
• Blend Splenda and the Lite Pectin in a small bowl, then add to the berry mixture.
• Bring back to a boil, and stir slowly until Splenda and pectin have dissolved.
• Mix well and allow to simmer one more minute.
• Fill clean, hot jars with the jam, leaving about 1/4 inch space, and seal with two-part lids.
• Store jam in refrigerator.
• After opening, jam can be stored for two weeks, refrigerated.

SURE.JELL FOR LESS OR NO SUGAR NEEDED RECIPES - BLACKBERRY FREEZER JAM

Steps:

• Rinse 6 clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
• Crush blackberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Sieve half the blackberries to remove seeds, if desired. Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into large bowl.
• Mix sugar and pectin in medium saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat. Immediately add to prepared fruit; stir 1 min. or until blended.
• Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year. (If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before using.)

SURE.JELL® FOR LESS OR NO SUGAR NEEDED RECIPES - BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Crush berries thoroughly, 1 layer at a time. (Strain half of the pulp to remove seeds, if desired.) Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
• Mix 1/4 cup of the sugar (from the measured amount in bowl) and pectin in small bowl. Add to fruit in saucepot; mix well. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 3-3/4 cups sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)