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Real Canadian Huckleberry Jam Recipe

Our wild red huckleberry jam is bright, tart, and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Made with addition of pectin and a slow cold maceration for pure berry flavor, it’s an easy, reduced sugar jam that shines on toast, cheese boards, or as a homemade gift. Enjoy a taste of the forest in every spoonful!
Course: Jam
Keyword: blackberry jam recipe, fresh berry jam, healthy jam recipe, homemade jam recipe, Huckleberry jam, huckleberry jam reduced sugar, huckleberry jam with pectin, Mountain Berry jam, mountain huckleberry jam, Pacific North West wild berry jam, Red Bilberry Jam, red huckleberry jam recipe, wild berry jam
Servings: 3 x half-pint (8 oz. = 250 ml.) mason jars

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. fresh red huckleberries -900 g
  • 2 cups sugar -400 g
  • 1/8 cup pure maple syrup -30 ml
  • 1 teaspoon Pomona’s pectin powder -or other low-sugar pectin - follow package instructions

Instructions

  • In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the huckleberries with most of the sugar, saving about ½ cup to mix with the pectin later. (If you're using a different brand of pectin, be sure to check their instructions for when and how to add it.)
  • Gently mash the berries with sugar - just enough to help the sugar draw out juices from the berries.
  • Cover and let the berries macerate for at least 3 hours, but if you have time, overnight is even better. If you leave them overnight, pop the pot into the fridge or another cool spot.
  • You’ll know the maceration is done when you see a nice pool of ruby-red juice in the pot.
  • Next, use a handheld blender or potato masher to create a mostly smooth, jammy mixture.
  • Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce slightly and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often and skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
  • Add the maple syrup and cook for another 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, thoroughly mix the reserved ½ cup of sugar with the Pomona pectin powder.
  • Slowly stir in the sugar-pectin mix into the cooking huckleberry jam. Keep stirring for another 5 minutes
  • Do a chilled plate test: place a small spoonful of jam on a cold plate, let it sit for a minute, then push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, it’s ready. If not, continue boiling for 2–5 more minutes and test again.
  • Ladle hot jam into prepared jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, add lids, and screw on rings finger-tight. Process in a canner

Notes

Processing time guidelines for hot water bath or atmospheric steam canners

Style of Pack: Hot
  Process Time at Elevations of:
Jar Size 0 - 1,000 ft 1,001 – 6,000 ft Above 6,000 ft
1/2 Pint (8 oz, ~250 ml) 5 min 10 min 15 min