This recipe is basically this strawberry jam with no pectin recipe but with blueberries! I love the versatility of this jam recipe. A simple fruit substitute to find your pantry lined with a few jars of homemade blueberry jam with no pectin.
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Where do I get blueberries?
If you do not have your own blueberry shrubs to harvest from yearly, then the second best thing to do is a locate and support a local grower.
Often times the benefits of doing so are very rewarding:
- Produce doesn’t have far to travel
- More bang for your buck
- Farmer often have too much yield and a lot goes to waste
- Produce isn’t sprayed (often not but always do ask!)
- It’s as fresh as it can get often being harvested by you or within 1-2 day by the farmer
The blueberry season isn’t a very long harvest season so when you locate those farmers who offer you their fruits, pencil in the dates on next year’s calendar too.
You’ll want to contact them to see if you can purchase their locally grown produce again next year. These local farms are often times hidden gems. And they’ll love you if you share their name with people! Word of mouth reference is the best way to support local growers.
My favorite local blueberry farm is found on Harris Road in Franklin, VA as an extension to Goose Hill Farms.
Can I use frozen blueberries for blueberry jam?
Yes, you sure can use frozen blueberries in this jam recipe. Just know you may have to cook them down a little longer than this recipe calls for due to higher water content.
Ways to enjoy your homemade blueberry jam
- on toast with homemade butter
- drizzle over vanilla ice cream
- in cheesecake
- in yogurt with granola
- on pancakes, skip the maple syrup!
Why should I make my own fruit jams?
Granted there are a few jams on the grocery store shelf that seem to be made with fewer additives and preservatives but they tend to be $6-8 for a pint.
That’s a whole lot of money for small jar of jam.
In about the time it takes someone to binge watch two episodes of a Netflix show, you can have made your own blueberry jam. And several jars at that!
All for a fraction of the cost and way less unnecessary, usually harmful ingredients.
Blueberry Jam with no pectin
On to the recipe!
Materials:
- 1 sauce pot
- 1 spatula
- 4 jars three 8 ounce, one 4 ounce
- 4 lids with rings
- 1 water bath canner
- 1 ladle
- 1 small plate for freezer test
Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh blueberries frozen okay but cook time is longer and you’ll need to add in thaw time too
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
Instructions:
- Put your blueberries in a large sauce pot and use a masher to smush your berries a little.
- Next, add sugar and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat, stirring often for about 5 mins, or until sugar is dissolved.
- Then crank up your heat to medium-high and bring to a rapid boil. At this stage, you will not want to leave your post as you will need to stir constantly or else your jam will stick to the pot. Continue to mash any chunky blueberries.
- Continue to stir until jam thickens and the top of your jam is completely covered in bubbles. This can take about 20 mins.
- When your blueberries are jammed up, turn off heat and ladle jam into sterilized jars.
- Water bathe 5 mins boiling then 5 mins in water with heat off to store long term. Seal to store in fridge for use within 2 weeks. Let cool for 24 hours to allow jam to set up and sealing of jars to occur before storing.
Recipe Notes:
I highly recommend putting a small plate in the freezer before you start your jam process. When you think the jam is ready, remove the jam pot from heat, get the plate from the freezer, and drizzle a little jam on it, about a quarter sized amount is good. Put the plate back in the freezer for about one minute. Remove the plate again and run your finger through the jam (be sure to taste test!). If the line you made fills back in with jam, you should cook the jam a little longer and test again. Maybe about 5 minutes or so. If the jam feels a little like gel or jelly, it is ready to jar. You can also use a thermometer to measure to 220 degrees F.
This recipe makes about three 8 ounce jars and one 4 ounce jars.
Do I have to water bath can this blueberry jam recipe?
No, you do not have to but you will need to add a lid and ring to the jar and allow the jarred jam to cool down before storing in the refrigerator.
You can store this jam in the refrigerator up to 6 months.
Do I need a water bath canner or pressure canner to can this jam?
Nope!
A large pot or a soup pot will work.
Water bath canning is simply boiling water canning. If you can fill a pot with enough water to cover the jar, you’ll water bath can just fine.
Since these jars are pint or half pint jars, not much water is needed; thus, a large pot is not needed.
Water bath or boiling water canning will allow this jam to be shelf stable for a year or more. It is recommended to consume it within a year of canning but your kitchen and family, your call.
Water bath can this jam for 5 minutes rolling boil then turn off heat and allow jars to sit for 5 more minutes for pint jars.
Homemade Blueberry Jam without Pectin
Equipment
- 1 sauce pot
- 1 spatula
- 4 jars three 8 ounce, one 4 ounce
- 4 lids with rings
- 1 water bath canner
- 1 ladle
- 1 small plate for freezer test
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh blueberries frozen okay but cook time is longer and you’ll need to add in thaw time too
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
Instructions
- Put your blueberries in a large sauce pot and use a masher to smush your berries a little.
- Next, add sugar and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat, stirring often for about 5 mins, or until sugar is dissolved.
- Then crank up your heat to medium-high and bring to a rapid boil. At this stage, you will not want to leave your post as you will need to stir constantly or else your jam will stick to the pot. Continue to mash any chunky blueberries.
- Continue to stir until jam thickens and the top of your jam is completely covered in bubbles. This can take about 20 mins.
- When your blueberries are jammed up, turn off heat and ladle jam into sterilized jars.
- Water bathe 5 mins boiling then 5 mins in water with heat off to store long term. Seal to store in fridge for use within 2 weeks. Let cool for 24 hours to allow jam to set up and sealing of jars to occur before storing.
Notes
If you liked this, you’ll love what’s next!
BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM MADE AT HOME recipe inside that link!
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