Jamberry!!!

We were supposed to be leaving WA on Wednesday morning, but when we were about to head out to the plane to board...we were told we had to wait because the crew didn't show up. After about 20 minutes or so of waiting on the bus then back in the terminal, our flight was cancled and rescheduled for the next morning. Mom had to drive all the way back to McChord and pay another toll to pick us up since she had made it all the way home after dropping us off. Of course nothing had been planned for that day since we were supposed to be on a plane, but I thought it would be fun to make some blackberry jam. There is an abundance of blackberries around my parent's house (I also made blackberry buckle while we were there) so I went out and picked a bunch shortly after we got home while Jon, Cody, Kaitly, and my mom all napped. :) It had been raining, but it cleared up enough for me to go out and right as I came back in the house it started to pour. It's so easy to make and so delicious...here's how to make it. Hope I get it right since I'm doing it from memory.

Ingredients:

5 cups of mashed berries...I picked about 8 cups

7 cups of sugar

1 packet of pectin

1 tsp. butter

What you'll need to make this yummy jam possible:

7 - 8 jam jars, lids, and rings

food processor or potato masher

small pot

medium pot

canner or large pot (with lid) that you can fit all of your jars in (if using a canner or pot without a jar rack you'll need a dish towel to put in the bottom)

tongs

jar tongs

ladle

spoon

measuring cups

Let's make some jam!

Fill the canner or large pot about 1/2 full with water and put on the stove to boil. It needs to be deep enough so that it will cover the jars 1-2 inches. Cover and let it come to a slow rolling boil...not a rapid boil.

Put the lids in the small pan and put some water in there...then put it on the stove. Let it come to a slow boil.

Measure the 7 cups of sugar into a bowl and set asside.

Berry time! Mash the blackberries 1 cup at a time. I used a food processor, but you can also use a potato masher. Since it's Jam you want pieces of fruit so you want to pulse with food processor a couple times is all. I did it the hard way and put it into a glass bowl then had to measure it...if you have a large measuring cup it's easier to dump it in there as you go so you know how much you still need. Do this until you have 5 cups worth of mashed berries.

This part is really messy! :)Set your Jars up so they are all ready to fill.

After you've got your 5 cups of berries ready put them in to your medium pot and put it on the stove. Stir in the pectin and keep on stirring continuously. Bring to a rolling boil (this a boil that keeps on going even while you're stirring). Stir in the butter. The butter is to keep it from get way to foamy.

As soon as it comes to a rolling boild dump in the sugar and stir it in fast. Stir continuously until it comes to a rolling boil again. Let it boil for 1 minute.

When it's done boiling...take it off of the stove and skim off the foam with a spoon.

Now use your ladle and fill the jars to 1/8 inch from the rim. Once they are all filled wipe any jam off the rims of the jars. Next use the tongs to take the lids out of the water one at a time and place them on the jars. Screw the rings on, but don't make them super tight so you won't be able to get them off later.

Once they are all ready put them into the canner or large pot. You don't want the jars to be touching the actual bottom of the pot. If you don't have a jar rack just used a folded dish towel and push it down on the bottom with your tongs. Use jar tongs to put them in the canner. I'm sure regular ones will work but tongs made for jars is easier. Be sure not to tip the jars while putting them in or taking them out. Let the water come to a gentle rolling boil again and let them sit in the boiling water for 10 minutes.
Lay a towel out on the counter or table. Take the jars out and let them sit for 24 hours before using them or storing them. The lids will seal as they begin to cool. Make sure the lids have properly sealed by pushing down in the middle of the lid...if it makes a clicking sound and pushed in...it's not sealed properly...the jam is still just fine though so just use this jar first and stick it in the fridge. The jam can be stored for up to a year unopened and 3 months in the fridge opened.

There you have it...yummy blackberry jam. Sorry the pics sucked and that I didn't have pics of all the steps, the good camera was still packed in the truck from our first attempt to fly and I didn't alway shave an extra hand to take a pic. We opened a jar when we got back the other day and it is so good. I'm so proud of myself for making such good jam.