Small Batch No Pectin Blueberry Jam

As with the raspberries, you can also make blueberry jam out of just a small batch of berries. It is so delicious, so amazingly fresh tasting, you will be making this jam whenever you have a bit of ripe berries in the garden, or every time the grocery store has blueberries on sale.

This jam is seriously tasty and so quick and easy to make, family and friends will look forward to being gifted with jam when you visit. It needs no pectin and no hot water bath, just 30 minutes of your time.

As you are not using pectin for this jam, it will be a bit looser than your ‘regular’ pantry jams, but essentially the longer you boil it, the more it sets up. I like a looser jam, so I cook mine about 20 minutes in total, but add an extra 5 minutes cooking time if you like a firmer set.

The ‘rule’ for making no pectin jam, especially with low pectin fruits like blueberries, is to use about 60% as much sugar as you have berries. You can use less when using high pectin fruits like apples, grapes, plums, currants…

I adapted this freezer jam from Melissa K Norris’s blueberry jam recipe. Here is what I used to make mine, and it is divine. I wish I had limes at home as Melissa says it is to die for, but sadly the limes on my tree are not ready yet, so I used my homegrown Eureka lemons instead. You can also use a bit less sugar if you are using a lime.

• 2.5 cups of blueberries (625 ml)

• 1 heaping cup of sugar (350 ml)

• Zest of one lime (or lemon)

• Juice of one good sized lime (or lemon)

Place the blueberries into a pot and mush them up with a potato masher or an immersion blender. Add the sugar and mush them some more.

Add the zest and the juice of the lime (or lemon). When zesting, make sure to just get the skin, the colourful part, not the white pith underneath. Cup one hand under the lime when squeezing out the juice, to catch any seeds.

Start with a low heat for just a few minutes to melt the sugar, Then turn up to a high heat and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Skim off any foam from the surface of the jam. You can also add a dollop of butter to the mixture to get rid of the foam, but my mom always skimmed, therefore, so do I : )

Lower the temperature to a medium heat, so that it is still slowly bubbling. Stir often. Cook for an additional 15 or 20 minutes, till it gels to the firmness that you like.

Check for readiness by dropping a small bit onto a chilled plate. If it sets nicely, does not spread, it is ready. Or, stick a spoon into the freezer while you cook the jam. Pull it out of the freezer when you are ready and dip into the jam. If the jam drips off of the spoon in drops, it is not yet ready, if it all falls off in a plop, it is almost ready, but if it coats the back of the spoon, it is ready.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, this will keep all the berries from rising to the top.

Scoop or pour into 2 x 250 ml sterilised mason jars. To sterilise your jars, wash with soapy water, rinse well, and boil in a pot on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes as you make your jam. Swish the clean jar lids in the hot water, too, allow to dry before placing them on the jars.

Keeps in the fridge for 3 weeks, pop the extra jar into the freezer.

It is just that easy! When you start making your own small batch jams, you will be hooked and be making them all the time : ) The fresh berry flavour cannot be beat and it is super fast and easy to boot.

Enjoy your small batch jam! Use any berries you would like.

For the small batch raspberry jam, please see HERE!!