What to do w Blueberries, Cherries & Strawberries? Make Jam!

I make jam with the blueberries that I manage to get, after the deer are through with my bushes, lol... The same goes for my strawberry plants, although for this shinny red fruit; it is the birds I have to watch.

In this jar I let each layer cool between applications. It has all three types of berries (Cherry, strawberry and blueberry) in three layers:

 I have planted apple, plum, and peach trees. I have yet to plant a cherry one, so I purchased a variety of three types of cherries from my grocery store to make this cherry jam.  

Recipe for Cherry Jam:

Cherry Jam Ingredients:
4 lbs pitted cherries
6 1/4 C's sugar
2 pouches pectin
1 teaspoon butter

Directions:
1. Sterilize jars:
Sterilize jars & lids in boiling water for 15 minutes.
I do the lids and jars separately; the jars take longer to come to a boil than the lids. It also makes it easier to grab the lids with the tongs.

Use jar lifting tongs to not burn your hands when putting jars into or when taking jars out of hot water. Place hot jars on paper towels to drain after you boil them.
2. Wash, drain and remove stem's and pit's of cherries. Rough chop.

I used my pitter to make it easier.

3. Combine Fruit and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. (A boil that does not stop when your stir it).
4. Add one teaspoon of butter, it will help to keep the foam down.

5. Add pectin quickly. Return to a full rolling boil for one minute.

Here is a pic of different kinds of pectin that you can find at the grocery:

 I strongly suggest using a kitchen timer as shown in the upper right corner of this picture:

6. Pour hot jam in "still warm" jars. Fill to within 1/4 of an inch from the  top of jar.

I use a funnel and a measuring cup for this:

7. Place lids on jars.

8. Place lids and screw on top. Replace filled jars into hot water bath with 1 to 2 inches of water covering the jars and boil for an additional 15 minutes. This will seal your jam so that you can keep it unrefrigerated until opening it; the shelf life is one year. After opened, it needs to be keep in the refrigerator.

Recipe for Strawberry Jam:

Strawberry Jam Ingredients:

4 C's of crushed strawberries

7 C's sugar

1 pouch of pectin

Directions:

1. Sterilize jars:
Sterilize jars & lids in boiling water for 15 minutes.

 Using Tongs to put the hot jars on paper towels to drain. (You must move fast because you want to keep the jars warm when you add the liquid jam).

 Lids are boiled separately to make it easier to grab them and they boil quicker than jars. I start jars first.

2. Wash, drain and remove stems from strawberries with a stem tool, or use a paring knife. Roughly chop. Then take a potato masher and mash one cup at a time.

3. Combine Fruit and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. (A boil that does not stop when your stir it).

4. Add one teaspoon of butter, it will help to keep the foam down.

Otherwise, skim off the foam with a large spoon. And be careful it does not boil over... can be messy if it does.

5. Add pectin quickly. Return to a full rolling boil for one minute.

6. Pour hot jam in "still warm" jars. Fill to within 1/4 of an inch from the top of jar.

I use a funnel and a measuring cup for this; adding jam quickly into warm jars:

7. Place lids on top of jars.

8. Place lids and screw on top. Replace filled jars into hot water bath with 1 to 2 inches of water covering the jars and boil for an additional 15 minutes.

This will seal your jam so that you can keep it unrefrigerated until opening it; the shelf life is one year. After opened, it needs to be keep in the refrigerator.

Recipe for Blueberry Jam:

Blueberry Jam Ingredients:
4 1/2 C's crushed blueberries
7 C's sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 pouch pectin
Directions:
1. Sterilize jars:
Sterilize jars & lids in boiling water for 15 minutes.
Using Tongs to put the hot jars on paper towels to drain. (You must move fast because you want to keep the jars warm when you add the liquid jam).

2. Wash, drain and discard stems. Roughly crush blueberries one cup at a time with potato masher.

3. Combine Fruit, lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. (A boil that does not stop when your stir it).  

4. Add one teaspoon of butter, it will help to keep the foam down.

Otherwise, skim off the foam with a large spoon. And be careful it does not boil over... can be messy if it does.

5. Add pectin quickly. Return to a full rolling boil for one minute.

6. Pour hot jam in "still warm" jars. Fill to within 1/4 of an inch from the top of jar. I use a funnel and a measuring cup for this; adding jam quickly into warm jars.

7. Place lids on jars.

8. Place lids and screw on top. Replace filled jars into hot water bath with 1 to 2 inches of water covering the jars and boil for an additional 15 minutes.

This will seal your jam so that you can keep it unrefrigerated until opening it; the shelf life is one year. After opened, it needs to be keep in the refrigerator.

For Pickles see: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/07/using-cukes-from-garden-how-to-make.html