One of the best things about summer is the huge amount of free fruit just sitting around waiting for someone to come and grab it, and no kind of fruit is more abundant in the wild than Blackberries.
Even though they work great in pies and cakes, one of the most universal and long lasting things you can make is jam, and the process couldn’t be easier. The first thing you’ll need to do is go out and gather some blackberries, they are very easy to find and normally appear round the edges of parks and pretty much any large natural outdoor area.
Things you’ll need:
A saucepan
Wooden stirring spoon
potato masher
3 empty jars with lids
1 pound of Blackberries (454 grams)
1 pound of Sugar (454 grams)
Optional
Splash of lemon juice
Butter
Step one
The first thing to do is clean your berries, as blackberries are often home to the larvae of flies and various other bugs. The best thing to do is soak the berries in salted water for at least 30 minutes to allow any bugs to come out. If you simply rinse them or soak them in cold water, anything living in them will just hold on like they do during rain, and probably end up dying inside the berry. The salt water makes any bugs actively try and escape away from the salt, meaning they can be safely rinsed away afterwards.
Step 2
After soaking the berries in salt water and rinsing thoroughly in fresh water, add them along with the sugar and lemon if you choose to use it to the saucepan. Mash the ingredients as best you can and bring the mixture to a boil, adding a little extra water if the berries don’t provide much juice.
Step 3
After the mixture reaches a boil turn the heat down slightly and simmer the mixture for about 10 to 12 minutes, folding the sugar in well along the way. When froth starts to form on the surface this is the best time to add any butter if your using it, which will help to break down the froth.
Step 4
After its been simmering for about 10 minutes remove it from the heat and place a tiny splodge on a plate and put it in the fridge. After about 5 minutes take it out and tilt the plate. If the surface of the jam has started to form a film and beings to crinkle as it tries to move then its ready, if not then heat it up again in 2 minute periods until it reaches the right consistency.
Step 5
Its now ready to add to the jars, but the most important thing about this part is to make sure the jars are completely clean, as any bacteria could see your jam go off really fast. Either use boiling water to sterilise or put the jars in the oven on about 100 Celsius for 10 minutes just to make sure. If kept sealed and in the fridge, your jam should last for several months.
Extra things to try
- If you want a very smooth jam, blend the berries after you’ve cleaned them
- To make larger quantites of jam, the general rule is to match the weight of your berries with the same weight in sugar.
- Dont heat up the mixture to fast, after its reached boiling temperature turn it down to a simmer. If you try and cook it to fast you can ruin the flavour and consistency.