Preserves Frozen Berries Strawberry Cherry Blueberry Recipes

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY BLUEBERRY JAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare your jars and lids by washing in hot soapy water. Check for cracks or chips and discard any damaged jars.
• Prepare a large hot water bath canning pot that is large enough to submerge all of your jars in at once. Fill Hot Water Bath canning pot half-full with water and add jars. Add more water if needed to allow for the water to be 2 inches over all the jars. Bring the water to to a boil then reduce the heat and allow the jars to sit in the simmering water.
• Wash the strawberries, drain well and stem. Slice and measure until you have 4 cups of sliced strawberries. Crush the strawberries in a large bowl and set aside.
• Place the blueberries in another bowl and crush, leaving some whole berries.
• Add the 7 cups of sugar to a large pot.
• Measure 4 cups of the crushed strawberries and 4 cups of crushed blueberries and pour the fruit into the pot with the sugar.
• Turn the heat on low and add the butter to the pot to help reduce the amount of foam that will form on the top of the pot.
• Stir to mix the sugar with the crushed berries.
• Once most of the sugar has dissolved increase the heat to high and bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred), stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
• Stir in pectin once heated to a full rolling boil. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove the pot from heat and allow to settle for a few minutes.
• Skim off as much foam as possible with metal spoon and discard the foam.
• Remove one jar from the hot water bath canner and place upside down on a soft towel to drain for a few seconds. Carefully flip the jar right side up using a towel to protect your hands from the hot jar.
• Place the wide mouth funnel in the top of the warm jar and ladle the hot jam into the hot jar, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe the jar rim and threads with a damp paper towel.
• Place a flat lid on top of the jar then screw a band on the jat just until finger tight. Place the filled jar on a folded towel as you continue to fill each of the jars with jam.
• Once all of the jars are filled with jam place them on an elevated rack in your hot water bath canner. Carefully lower rack and jars into canner. (Water must cover jars by at least 2 inches. Add boiling water to the pot to bring the level up, if needed.)
• Cover the pot; bring water to gentle boil and place a lid on the pot. Process the jam jars for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the hot water bath with a jar lifter and place upright on a towel to cool completely overnight.
• After the jars are cool, check seals by pressing the middle of the lid with a finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed properly and the jam will not be able to be stored in a cabinet or pantry. You can refrigerate any jars that do not seal to eat immediately.

BERRY JAM

Steps:

• Toss berries and sugar together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and up to overnight, periodically tossing to coat and to dissolve the sugar. (This will help coax the juices out of the fruit.)
• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the berries burst and the juices start to boil, about 15 minutes. If using a vanilla bean as an add-in, put it in the pot at this point.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the jam, at first stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula, then more frequently as the juices thicken. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has begun to break down, 40 to 50 minutes. How much it breaks down will depend on its type and ripeness: For example, strawberries are likely to retain more of their shape, while raspberries will break down almost entirely.
• As the jam cooks, the liquid will reduce, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles: This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing the chance that the fruit will burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• Once the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam returns to its earlier consistency, about another 5 minutes. To test the consistency, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook a few minutes more. (Note: Some fruit, like strawberries, contain more water and less natural pectin than say, a raspberry. This means the jam will never be quite as thick or gelled, but it will still be delicious).
• Remove from heat, and incorporate any of the add-ins listed (see notes). Pick out vanilla bean if you added it earlier. Divide jam between several 8-ounce canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them within a couple of weeks.

PRESERVES (FROZEN BERRIES) STRAWBERRY, CHERRY, BLUEBERRY

Steps:

• For the strawberry.
• roughly chop strawberries (this is easy with a processor or let strawberries sit at room temp for a few minutes to soften them and chop with a knife).
• mix all other ingredients and cook in a nonstick pan over meduim heat.
• stir frequently, cook at least 20 to 30 minutes. This will thicken as it cooks and a bit more after it cools. You will know when it is ready when it has greatly reduced and is thick. Patience.
• For the blueberry and Cherry.
• mix all ingredients and stir over meduim heat for 20 to 30 minutes. This will thicken as it cooks and a bit more after it cools. You will know when it is ready when it has greatly reduced and is thick.
• Each will produce about 2 cups of preserves and can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator for a couple weeks.

BLUEBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook 15-18 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently., Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into three hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

CHERRY-BERRY JAM

Steps:

• Inspect 8 half-pint jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until jam is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Prepare fruit and measure. Remove pits from cherries and measure 3 cups of pitted sour cherries. Crush raspberries and measure 1 cup crushed raspberries. Mash blueberries and measure 1 cup mashed blueberries.
• Combine cherries, raspberries, and blueberries in a large pot. Stir in pectin. Slowly bring to a full rolling boil that does not stop bubbling when stirred. Stir in sugar sugar and stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil on high heat and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Skim off any foam with a ladle or a large spoon.
• Ladle cherry berry jam immediately into the prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any spills. Top with lids and tightly screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart. Let rest for 24 hours without moving the jars. Gently press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.

BLUEBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Smash blueberries. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until blueberry preserves have thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.

BLUEBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Rinse the blueberries in cold water without soaking them.
• Place blueberries in preserving pan with the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer.
• Pour simmering mixture into a ceramic (or glass) bowl. Cover with parchment round and transfer to refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, transfer mixture to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring gently.
• Continue to cook over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring and skimming as necessary.
• Check set (mixture should reach 221 degrees).
• Pour the jam into sterilized jars, filling to the fill line. Repeat process with remaining jars. Put lids and rings on jars and tighten; do not overtighten. At this point, jam may be kept refrigerated up to 1 month.

BLUEBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large stainless pot.
• Cook to the jell point or until desired thickness is reached.
• Stir frequently.
• Ladle into clean hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.
• Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath at altitudes up to 1000 feet.