Blueberry Jam: Canning or Freezing Recipe
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This old-fashioned blueberry jam recipe is simple and easy to make in about an hour! Made without pectin, this recipe embraces the natural fruit flavor of summer berries. In this blueberry jam canning guide, you can learn how to capture the essence of summer in a jar by preserving blueberries to enjoy all winter long.
Best Blueberries for Jam
Use fresh, ripe blueberries without soft spots or any signs of rot.
It is also recommended to use some underripe blueberries for better set in your jam as they contain higher levels of natural pectin.
Don’t use overripe blueberries as it can lead to mushy, underset jam.
Canning Tips for Blueberry Jam
Use a wide, stainless steel or heavy bottomed pot to encourage even cooking and faster water evaporation.
Stir often and watch for bubbling over— jam foams quickly and can overflow! You can add butter to help reduce the amount of foam.
Before filling jars, skim off any foam for the clearest finish and to avoid any bacteria in your preserves.
Test for doneness using a cold plate (spoon the jam onto the plate and watch for it to wrinkle) or an instant read thermometer (220°F at sea level).
Canning Safety notes
Blueberry jam is safe for water bath canning due to its high natural acidity and sugar content.
Follow tested recipes and USDA guidelines to ensure safety.
Use new lids for canning. Most canning jar companies only recommend using lids once, in case that seals become damaged after storing food in a previous season. Using old lids can result in a false seal and spoiled food.
Assembly line can rather than batch canning. This means filling one jar at a time rather than filling all of the jars at once. This ensures that the jars stay hot, keeping them from going through temperature shock when being put into the water bath canner.
Use plastic utensils to prevent cracking your jars.
Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude as needed).
Always use new lids and clean jars to ensure a strong seal.
Canning supplies you’ll need
Canning Jars, New Lids, and Bands. I prefer to use Ball® jars, lids, and bands. You will need new canning lids to safely can your blueberry jam. Do not can with used lids, as the seals can potentially be damaged. For this recipe, you will need 4 oz or 8 oz jars.
Large Pot. You will definitely want a large sauce pot with a lid to cook down your strawberry jam. I prefer using enameled cast iron for cooking jam like this one or this one.
Jar Lifter. You will definitely want this tool to help lift the hot jars in and out of the canner!
Canning Funnel. A funnel can be nice to have to avoid spills. Use a nonmetallic funnel to avoid breakage.
Nonmetallic Spatula. Another tool that can be helpful to avoid breakage of your jars, and it can be great for removing air bubbles.
Headspace Measurer. This tool is made to easily measure the headspace of your food, which is necessary for low-acid canning to avoid siphoning! It can also double as an air bubble popper.
Instant Read Thermometer. Optional, to test for doneness.
Potato Masher or Immersion Blender. To mash the blueberries down before cooking.
gathering ingredients to make peach jam:
Before you begin making your homemade peach jam, you will need to gather a few key ingredients! This jam uses simple ingredients, making it an easy to achieve recipe. However, you will need quite a few peaches!
Blueberries. For this recipe, you will need 3 lbs (1,425 g) ripe blueberries. When shopping, I would suggest purchasing at least 1 to 1.5 lbs (454 to 680 g) more.
Sugar. Any granulated sugar will work for this recipe, and I would suggest using an organic cane sugar over brown sugar so that it does not alter the flavor and color of the jam. I would not suggest substituting with honey or other liquid sugars.
Butter. Butter is an optional ingredient in this recipe to prevent foaming.
how to make Blueberry jam:
Step One: Prepare your boiling water bath canner. Sanitize your jars, lids, and rings by gently simmering the jars in the canner until ready to fill and washing the lids and rings in warm, soapy water. For more information on setting up your canner, read this post.
Step Two: Prepare your blueberries by washing under cold water. Place the blueberries into a large heavy bottomed sauce pot. Then, with a potato masher, begin to crush them until they are slightly mushy.
Step Three: Place the pot over medium high heat and stir in the sugar. Bring the fruit mixture to a rolling boil. Lower the heat slightly and continue boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly so that the jam does not burn.
Step Four: If your jam begins to foam, and it most likely will, you may add up to 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter to help keep the foam down. You may also choose to wait and skim the foam at the end of cooking.
Step Five: The jam is ready once it reaches the gel stage, or about 220° F (104° C) at sea level. To check the temperature at your altitude, please refer to the USDA publications on jam making. You may also test the doneness of your jam by placing the jam on a chilled plate. If the jam gels up, it is ready. If it has liquid that runs around the outer edges, it needs to cook longer. Remove the jam from heat as soon as it hits the correct temperature. Skim off any foam and discard it.
Step Six: Ladle the hot jam into a hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) headspace. Poke around to remove air bubbles, wipe the rim of the jar clean with a damp towel, apply the lid and band to fingertip tight, and place the jar back into the canner. Then, repeat the process with the remaining jars filling them one at a time.
Step Seven: Close the canner lid and bring the pot up to a boil. Process the jars for 5 minutes at 0 to 1,000 ft elevation (0 to 304 m), 10 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 ft (304 to 1,830 m) elevation, or 15 minutes above 6,000 ft (1,830 m).
Step Eight: Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes. Then, move the jars to the countertop. Check the seals after 12 to 24 hours, storing the jars without the rings to prevent a false seal. These will store for 18 or more months in a dark spot like a cellar or pantry cabinet.
Alternate Preservation Methods
If you don’t wish to hot water bath can your homemade blueberry jam, you can make:
Refrigerator Jam: Make the jam according to the directions above. Store the finished jam in airtight containers, letting cool to room temperature before chilling. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Freezer Jam: Make the jam according to the directions above, letting cool to room temperature. Pour the cooled jam into freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1/2-inch headspace for expansion. Freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Pro Tip: Freezer jam often has a softer set and extra-fresh flavor compared to canned jam!
Storage Instructions
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months or longer.
Opened jars can be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.
Frozen jam lasts in the freezer up to 1 year and should be refrigerated once thawed.
Variations
Add a splash of vanilla extract for an extra depth of flavor after the boiling process has ended. Simply stir in the vanilla before ladling the finished jam into jars.
Make a warm spiced peach jam by adding a pinch or two of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or ginger.
For a spicy kick, add a some chili peppers like jalapeños, habaneros, or Hatch chilis.
For reduced sugar jam, use a low-sugar pectin and adjust to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Spread your homemade blueberry jam over warm buttermilk biscuits, drizzle over vanilla ice cream, or use it as a glaze for cakes and pastries. Try your delicious jam with these summer recipes:
Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Jam - swap the raspberry jam for peach!
Blueberry Jam: Canning or Freezing Recipe
Learn to make yummy blueberry jam with fresh summer berries to enjoy all winter long!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1,425 g) fresh blueberries
- 3 1/2 cups (712 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare your boiling water bath canner. Sanitize your jars, lids, and rings. Gently simmer the jars in the canner until ready to fill.
- Prepare your blueberries by washing under cold water. Place the blueberries into a large heavy bottomed sauce pot. Then, with a potato masher, begin to crush them until they are slightly mushy.
- Place the pot over medium high heat and stir in the sugar. Bring the fruit mixture to a rolling boil. Lower the heat slightly and continue boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly so that the jam does not burn.
- If your jam begins to foam, and it most likely will, you may add up to 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter to help keep the foam down. You may also choose to wait and skim the foam at the end of cooking.
- The jam is ready once it reaches the jam stage or about 220° F (104° C) at sea level. To check the temperature at your altitude, please refer to the USDA publications on jam making. You may also test the doneness of your jam by placing the jam on a chilled plate. If the jam gels up, it is ready. If it has liquid that runs around the outer edges, it needs to cook longer. Remove the jam from heat as soon as it hits the correct temperature. Skim off any foam and discard it.
- Ladle the hot jam into a hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) headspace. Poke around to remove air bubbles, wipe the rim of the jar clean with a damp towel, apply the lid and band to fingertip tight, and place the jar back into the canner. Then, repeat the process with the remaining jars filling them one at a time.
- Close the canner lid and bring the pot up to a boil. Process the jars for 5 minutes at 0 to 1,000 ft elevation (0 to 304 m), 10 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 ft (304 to 1,830 m) elevation, or 15 minutes above 6,000 ft (1,830 m).
- Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes. Then, move the jars to the countertop. Check the seals after 12 to 24 hours, storing the jars without the rings to prevent a false seal. These will store for 18 or more months in a dark spot like a cellar or pantry cabinet.
Notes
*Gel Stage: To test jam for doneness, it's best to use an instant read thermometer so that you can accurately measure the temperature. Jam reaches the gel stage at 220°F at sea level. You can lower the temperature by 2 degrees for every 1,000 ft above sea level. Other ways to test for doneness would be the cold plate test. Place a plate into the refrigerator until fully chilled. Pour a small amount of boiling jam onto the plate and place it back into the fridge for a few minutes. If the mixture gels and "wrinkles" when touched, it's ready.
**Skimming off Foam: To help reduce excessive foaming, especially if making your jam without pectin, you can safely add 1 teaspoon of butter to the jam, though this can alter the overall flavor over time.
Refrigerator Jam: Make the jam according to the directions above. Store the finished jam in airtight containers, letting cool to room temperature before chilling. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Freezer Jam: Make the jam according to the directions above, letting cool to room temperature. Pour the cooled jam into freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1/2-inch headspace for expansion. Freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
578Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
