Reduced Sugar Blueberry-Blackberry Jam With Pectin

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While jams are not exactly health foods, our reduced sugar blueberry-blackberry jam may just be an exception! Owing to their high antioxidant content, blueberries and blackberries are an excellent choices for a healthy diet. Antioxidants help protect the body from oxidative stress and may have various health benefits. As a result, making jam from blueberries and blackberries can be a great way to enjoy their goodness. What’s more, making jam at home allows you to control the ingredients and sugar content, making it a healthier option compared to store-bought jams that often contain high levels of added sugars.

Wild vs. cultivated blackberries

When we first arrived in Canada, we were amazed by the abundance of wild blackberry bushes growing everywhere. To our surprise, nobody seemed to be picking them. One day, as we leisurely gathered these delicious berries in our basket, a curious lady approached us and exclaimed, “You can’t possibly eat THAT!” Intrigued, we asked her why, and her reply left us flabbergasted. She believed that wild berries were poisonous and different from the blackberries sold in grocery stores. Determined to find out, we conducted a blind taste test, comparing store-bought blackberries to our foraged ones. To our satisfaction, they were virtually identical in taste, though wild blackberries tended to have larger seeds.

Berries used in this recipe

In this recipe, we used wild blackberries, but you can use cultivated ones with the same success. We used frozen blueberries as fresh blackberries were scarce. Whether you go fresh or frozen, the outcome remains similar if not the same.

Yield

These ingredients yielded three 8 oz (250 ml) Mason jars of jam. The number of jars required may vary based on the desired jam consistency.

Reduced Sugar Seedless Blackberry – Blueberry Jam with Pectin

Incorporating antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries and blackberries into your diet, whether through jam or other means, is a smart choice for promoting overall health. Not only will this jam satisfy your sweet cravings but it will also provide a healthier way to enjoy the fruity goodness.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting TimeResting time 8 hours hrs

Mason Jars 3 x 8.5 oz. jars

Equipment

• large pot - preferably with a heavy bottom
• potholders, oven mitts, trivets for hot dishes
• wooden spoon
• stainless steel colander or strainer

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs blueberries
• 2 lbs blackberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered pectin, any brand

Instructions

 

Prepare the berries:

• Thoroughly wash the blackberries. If you are using wild blackberries, soak them in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes to remove dirt and cobwebs, then dry them and place them in a heavy-bottomed pot you will use for making the jam.
• Wash blueberries and add them in the same pot. If using frozen blueberries, defrost them first.

Mix and Mash

• Add sugar and pectin to the pot with the blueberries and blackberries. Using a potato masher, gently squash the berries and mix everything thoroughly. Allow the mixture to rest for 2 hours to ensure the sugar dissolves, and the juices are released from the berries.

Boil, Simmer and Steep

• Place the pot over low heat and gently bring the berry mixture to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the berries cook for 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the berries steep for 6-8 hours.

Puree and Strain

• After steeping, transfer the berries to a food processor and puree.
• Using a mesh kitchen strainer or colander and a ladle or large metal spoon, press and rub the pureed berries against the mesh to extract the pulp and juices. This step will help remove blackberry seeds. If you don't mind the blackberry seeds, you can skip this step altogether.

Simmer and Prepare for Canning

• Return the pureed berries to the pot and slowly bring them to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Let the jam simmer for an additional 15 minutes for a runnier consistency and upwards to 25 minutes for a thicker jam. Make sure to stir regularly.

  (!) While the jam is cooking, begin preparing the Mason jars. It's important to have your jars ready at this point, because the next step, filling them with piping hot jam, must follow immediately.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this jam entirely from the frozen berries?

This jam is one of those jams that can be successfully made from either fresh or frozen berries. Make sure to thaw the berries in a fridge and never in a microwave. If thawed in the microwave, berries tend to make less juicy jams

Can I scale up this recipe?

Scaling up this recipe is quite straightforward. Basically, you need to scale up the ingredients while keeping the proportions the same. Additionally, keep in mind that you’ll also need a larger pot to accommodate the increased quantity of ingredients. Another key point is that the cooking time will be a bit longer due to the larger batch size.