Blueberry Thyme Jam Recipes

BLUEBERRY JAM WITH LIME

Steps:

• Prepare four 1/2-pint jars: Wash jars, lids and rings in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Place jars in a 200-degree oven until needed. Put lids in a pan of boiling water, and cover until needed.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot or canning bath. (Or put down a layer of lid rings.) Add enough water to cover jars by 2 to 3 inches (do not put jars in yet) and bring to a boil, then reduce heat. The water will need to be at about 180 degrees - a whispering boil - when jars are added for processing. Place two small saucers in freezer.
• In a large saucepan, gently heat berries with 1/2 cup water until they burst their skins. Remove pan from heat, let cool slightly, and run berries through the coarse blade of a food mill.
• Return purée to pan. Add sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Cook at a full boil, stirring constantly, until a gel set is achieved, 8 to 10 minutes; mixture will look jammy. To test, drop a teaspoon of the mixture onto a chilled saucer. Put in freezer for 1 minute. Push your finger through jam. If surface wrinkles, it is ready. (If not, cook a few minutes more and repeat with second saucer.) Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in lime juice and zest.
• Ladle hot jam into jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space to allow contents to expand. Run a skewer or other thin tool around the jars' inside edges to release bubbles or air pockets. Wipe rims clean with a damp paper towel, put flat lids in place, and screw on rings just until tight.
• Using a jar lifter or tongs, lower sealed jars into water bath. Cover and rapidly bring water to a full rolling boil. Once water is boiling, boil jars for 10 more minutes.
• Turn off heat and remove jars from water bath. Place on a cutting board or folded dish towel and leave overnight.
• The next morning, verify that jars have sealed. Remove ring and press on center of lid. If the lid moves, or if the "button" in the center flexes, the seal has failed to set. The jam is still safe to eat, but it is not suitable for shelf storage; put it in the refrigerator and use it first. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening. Info Box

EASY SMALL-BATCH BLUEBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Mix blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes.

MIXED BERRY AND THYME JAM

Steps:

• Place the berries in a medium saucepan. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the berries. Add the maple syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours (the jam will continue to thicken as it cools). Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 1 month.

BLUEBERRY-THYME JAM

Steps:

• Submerge 6 empty half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot of water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low to keep jars warm until ready to fill.
• Tumble blueberries and lemon zest and juice into a wide, nonreactive 8-quart pot. Whisk together sugar and pectin in a small bowl, then stir into pot until combined.
• Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil, until volume has reduced by at least 1/3, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in thyme after 18 minutes of cooking. Remove pot from heat and check for set.
• Working with one jar at a time, remove empty jars from canning pot. Using a wide-mouth funnel, carefully ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/2 inch for headspace. Use a clean wooden chopstick to work air bubbles out of jars. Check headspace again and add more jam if necessary to bring to 1/2 inch from the top.
• Wipe jar rims, apply lids and bands (not too tightly), and return jars to canning pot; cover pot and return water to a rolling boil. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pot lid, and let jars stand in the cooling water 5 minutes to help ensure a good vacuum seal.
• Move jars to a folded kitchen towel or wooden cutting board to cool completely before checking seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. They are shelf-stable at least 1 year.

BLUEBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Put a plate in the freezer for you to test your jam is set later. Sterilise two 500ml jam jars so they are ready to use.
• Put the blueberries, sugar, vanilla and lemon in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Crush the blueberries a little with a potato masher. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 mins. Skim off any skum that has formed on the top with a spoon and discard.
• Test the jam is set by spooning a mound on to your cooled plate. Put in to the fridge for 3 mins. If the jam forms a skin and ripples when you push it with your finger, it's ready. If not, return to the heat for 5 more mins then repeat the test. Do this until you reach setting point.
• Leave the jam to sit for 10 mins off the heat. Ladle into your warm, sterilised jars and seal the lids on top. Leave to cool completely. Will keep for six months unopened in a cool, dry place, or two weeks once opened in the fridge.