Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Homemade Blueberry Jam Recipe
- Blueberry Jam Ingredients
- How to Make Blueberry Jam
- Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Blueberry Jam
- Tips for Testing and Achieving Desired Consistency
- Proper Preparation and Storage
- How to Use Blueberry Jam
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other Blueberry Recipes You May Enjoy
- Watch How to Make This Recipe
- Have I convinced you to make this recipe?
- Blueberry Jam (Pectin Method) Recipe
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Learn how to make delicious blueberry jam at home with this easy step-by-step guide. Impress your friends and family with your homemade jam skills!
Why I Love This Homemade Blueberry Jam Recipe
When blueberries are in season, you want every reason to enjoy them. I love to eat them fresh, freeze them to use later on in smoothies, and preserve them in jam form. I happen to live a few miles from an incredible blueberry farm that grows the most flavorful, big blueberries you’ve ever seen. It’s super easy to drive a short distance, pick a few buckets, and feel a keen sense of satisfaction at the harvest. But sometimes my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I end up with too many blueberries, even for my freezer. That’s where this super easy blueberry jam recipe using pectin comes into play! Simply heat up some blueberries and sugar, ladle the mixture into jars, and you have jam that you can enjoy for months to come. The best part is that this recipe can be made for shelf-stable storage or to go right into the freezer. Any way you want to use it, you’re going to love it!
Blueberry Jam Ingredients
The best part about this blueberry jam recipe with pectin is how easy it is to make and how few ingredients there are! Here are the four that you will need to make this recipe:
- Blueberries are an essential component of blueberry jam. With their slightly firm texture that bursts when eaten, they have just the right amount of sweet and tart flavor. Plus, they’re packed with antioxidants, so you get some added nutritional value when eating this jam.
- Pectin acts as a thickening agent in any jam recipe, giving it the perfect thickness but with a spreadable consistency. Just be aware that there are two types of the most common pectin on the market (Sure-Jell): low sugar and regular sugar. I like to use low-sugar pectin so that I can add a smaller amount of sugar to the jam. If you prefer to use regular-sugar pectin, just know that the amount of sugar added will differ. The recipe card below has both amounts for each type of pectin.
- Lemon zest adds a bit of brightness and additional citrus flavor to the jam. With natural pectin, it also helps to create the desired thickness.
- Granulated sugar acts as both a preservative and a thickening agent in this recipe. Plus, it adds just the right amount of sweetness to bring out the flavor of the blueberries.
- Butter helps to add delicious flavor to the jam while also working to minimize the foam. When cooking the blueberry mixture on the stove, foam is created, and butter helps to keep that in check. Bonus: it adds a bit of glossy shine to the finished jam, too.
Food safety tip: This recipe may not be approved by the USDA. To prevent the risk of botulism, always check with the USDA Canning Guide.
How to Make Blueberry Jam
There are three main steps to making this blueberry jam recipe:
- Break down the berries
- Cook the jam
- Can the jam
Step 1: Break down the berries. Using a food processor or potato masher, crush the fresh blueberries to a rough consistency. Make sure to measure out the proper amount so that you can be as precise as possible.
Step 2: Cook the jam. Place the blueberries in a heavy-bottomed large pot, very large saucepan, or jam pan. Add in the lemon zest, butter, and pectin. Place over medium heat and mix together, bringing the jam up to a rolling boil. Once it has reached a full rolling boil, add in the sugar. Bring the jam back to a rolling boil and cook for one minute. Remove from heat.
What is a rolling boil?
A rolling boil is a boil that cannot be stirred down. In most cases, stirring a mixture when it is boiling will cause the boil to temporarily subside. With a rolling boil, there is no stopping the boiling, no matter how much you stir it. The way to stop the boil would be to turn off the heat or remove the pot from the heat.
Step 3: Can the jam. Pour the jam into each sterilized jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rim with a paper towel dipped in warm water. Place on the prepared lids and screw on the rings until fingertip tightness, being sure not to overtighten them. Place into a boiling water bath, ensuring the jars are covered by at least one inch of water. Let sit in the water bath canner for 10 minutes, then remove using a jar lifter. Let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check the lids have inverted inwards and sealed before storing.
Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Blueberry Jam
- Sterilize the jars and prepare the water bath ahead of time. This will save time and allow you to immediately can the jam after it has cooked. As I always say, having everything ready when canning makes for a successful canning experience.
- Skim off any foam that forms on top of the jam while cooking. This airy substance cannot be canned safely, so it must be removed. The butter in the recipe helps to reduce this, but it does not always prevent it entirely.
- Wiping off the rims of the jars ensures that the jars seal because it removes any additional jam that could prevent the lid from adhering to the jar.
- Always remove your rings before you store your jam. This is when you check that the lid is sealed properly and that the ring is not creating a false seal.
Tips for Testing and Achieving Desired Consistency
The best thing about this pectin method for making blueberry jam is that it’s pretty easy to know when the jam is done cooking. With other methods that do not use pectin, such as my French-style blueberry jam, a frozen plate is needed to see if the jam has the correct consistency. Another common method is to use the back of a spoon to confirm the jam’s texture. But with the pectin in this method, you only need to cook the jam for the indicated time, which will result in the perfect consistency.
Just note that when the jam is hot, it will appear thin. As it cools, it will thicken. Trust this process for boxed pectin.
Proper Preparation and Storage
Canning method: When the jars are done processing in the water bath canner, make sure that all of the jars are actually sealed. You’ll know that they have if the lid is depressed. Make sure to also remove the rings as a way to double-check the seal. You do not want the ring to create a false seal, as this will not be a true seal and could make the contents unsafe to eat after sitting in storage. Once all of the jars have been sealed, store the jars in a dark, cool place. The jam should last for at least one year in storage. If a jar did not seal, and you have waited for 12 hours to see if it seals, place it in the fridge instead and eat it as though it were meant to be kept in the refrigerator.
Refrigerator method: If you do not want to can this jam in a water bath, it can be stored in the refrigerator instead. Note that this recipe makes about 9 jars, which is a decent amount to keep in the fridge. When kept at a cold temperature, the jam should last for 3 to 4 weeks.
Freezer method: If you want to freeze this jam, fill freezer-safe containers and store them in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. When ready to consume, simply remove the container from the freezer, place it in the refrigerator to defrost, and eat it within 3 to 4 weeks.
How to Use Blueberry Jam
The possibilities are endless when it comes to using this jam. Here are just a few suggestions of perfect ways to use it:
- Use it as a spread on top of toast (make sure to use my honey oat bread recipe!), a bagel, English muffin, biscuits, or any other bread-like item.
- Layer it in between layers of vanilla cake for a delicious summertime treat.
- Spoon it over vanilla ice cream to make it a sundae-like experience.
- Use it as a topping for waffles or pancakes rather than the traditional maple syrup. Add a bit of whipped cream to make it even more decadent!
- Dollop it on top of yogurt with some crunchy granola or as a bit of additional sweetness on oatmeal for the perfect breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
When stored in a cool, dark place, the shelf-stable canned jam should last for about one year.
No! This jam can be frozen or placed in the refrigerator. It can last about 3 to 4 months in the freezer and 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge.
No big deal! Simply put that jar in the refrigerator and enjoy it immediately, or put it in the freezer to keep for a few months.
No, you need to use the amount of sugar specified in the recipe, and that’s all because of how the fruit, sugar, and pectin work together. If you want to minimize the amount of sugar in the recipe, look for
Sort of. Each jam recipe has some variables because of the nuances surrounding each type of fruit. But the jam recipes will all be similar. For example, strawberry jam made using the pectin method is very similar, but it’s best to follow an exact recipe for it so that you have the desired result.
Other Blueberry Recipes You May Enjoy
- Blueberry muffins
- Easy blueberry galette
- No-bake triple berry cheesecake
- Overnight blueberry French toast
- Classic blueberry coffee cake
- How to can French-style blueberry jam
- Blueberry pie with streusel topping
- Blueberry lavender ice cream
- Grilled chicken berry salad
- Orange blueberry Irish soda bread scones
Watch How to Make This Recipe
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Blueberry Jam (Pectin Method)
Equipment
- 9 jam jars
Ingredients
- 6 ½ cups fresh blueberries
- 4 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 box (1.75 oz) Sure-Jell less sugar pectin (see notes)
- ½ tsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare the blueberries. Crush the blueberries with a masher until they are broken down. Avoid smashing the blueberries to the point where they are puréed. Have the sugar measured out into a separate bowl so it's ready when it's time to add to the mixture.
- Cook the blueberries. In a heavy-bottom kettle, add the blueberries, Sure-Jell, butter, and lemon zest. Heat the mixture while stirring to combine. Allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil, which is a boil that does not cease when stirring, 8-12 minutes.6 ½ cups fresh blueberries, 1 box (1.75 oz) Sure-Jell less sugar pectin (see notes), ½ tsp unsalted butter, 1 tsp lemon zest
- When the blueberry mixture is at a rolling boil, add in the sugar. Allow the mixture to come back up to a rolling boil and let it boil for exactly 1 minute.4 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Ladle the blueberry jam into sterilized jars. Clean off the rim of each jar to ensure none of the jam will interfere with the jar's sealing. Place a prepared lid and ring on each jar. Tighten to finger-tip tightness.
- Water bath the jars. Lower the jars into a prepared water bath canner fitted with a rack. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Then, remove the jars from the canner and set them on a cooling rack. The jars should seal quickly. Allow to cool for 12 hours before checking the seals.
