One of my favorite ways to preserve the harvest is by making blackberry jelly. It is a simple recipe with a rich, fresh blackberry flavor that is perfect on homemade biscuits, toast, or even as a glaze for meats.
If you have access to fresh blackberries, I hope you will give this homemade blackberry jelly recipe a try!
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
For years, I assumed all jelly recipes were basically the same since they all stress the importance of not changing the amounts of fruit juice, sugar, pectin, or other ingredients. I always relied on the trusted Ball Blue Book for my canning, but more recently I have started using the instructions included with Sure-Jell pectin. I like that they include smaller batch options, which are perfect for my needs and make it easy to preserve fresh blackberries without spending an entire day in the kitchen.
HOW TO MAKE BLACKBERRY JUICE
I like to keep canning as simple as possible, and that includes making the blackberry juice.
Start by washing the berries and placing them in a large pot. Add just enough water to cover them, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the berries have released all of their juice.
Next, place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and line it with cheesecloth or a clean tea towel. Carefully pour in the cooked berries and allow the juice to drip through. Once it has finished draining, gently press the berries to extract as much juice as possible.
That’s all there is to it.
If you plan to use the juice within a few days, store it in the refrigerator. For longer storage, pour it into freezer-safe containers or freezer bags and freeze until ready to use for jelly, lemonade, or other blackberry recipes.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 3/4 cups prepared blackberry juice (about 2 1/2 quarts fully ripe blackberries)
- 1 box Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin
- 4 1/2 cups sugar, measured separately
- Measure exactly 3 3/4 cups juice into a 6–8 quart saucepan.
- Stir in the pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Skim off foam if needed.
- Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe rims and apply lids.
- Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
FLAVOR VARIATIONS
Vanilla Blackberry Jelly
Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract after removing the jelly from heat. This adds a warm, slightly sweet flavor that pairs beautifully with biscuits and toast.
Blackberry Jalapeño Jelly
For a sweet and spicy version, add 2 to 4 seeded and finely chopped jalapeños to the juice before cooking. This jelly is delicious over cream cheese with crackers or brushed onto pork, chicken, or roast.
CANNING BLACKBERRY JELLY THE EASY WAY
- Measure exactly 3-3/4 cups juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepan.
- Stir pectin and butter into juice in pan. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Skim off any foam. (If you will let the jelly sit for a couple of minutes, it is easier to remove the foam). I carefully run my spoon over the top of the jelly and try to push it into a small area which makes it easy to remove.
- Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids.
- Process 10 min.
Vanilla Blackberry Jelly
Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract after removing the jelly from heat. This adds a warm, slightly sweet flavor that pairs beautifully with biscuits and toast.
Blackberry Jalapeño Jelly
For a sweet and spicy version, add 2 to 4 seeded and finely chopped jalapeños to the juice before cooking. This jelly is delicious over cream cheese with crackers or brushed onto pork, chicken, or roast.