Pickin’ Blackberries and Makin’ Jam
Today, on the annual organic blueberry run to Richmond, I stopped to walk the pooch by the Fraser River and found some huge, ripe blackberries that practically leaped into a little beach pail that I picked up for the occasion. I always snicker a bit when I see blackberries on sale around here as they are pretty easy to get a hold of here in BC. But I guess many folks are too busy to get out and pick blackberries if they want them.
The Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus laciniatus) is an invasive intruder that can be found by the side of the roads nearly everywhere there is still green space. There are brambles of the arm-stabbing, leg-slicing, nasty ass blackberries all around my community garden, but I’m fairly cautious about what I get from there given the transient nature of the neighbourhood (I’m putting it lightly – there is quite a bit of prostitution and drug use at night). I’d much prefer to get out in the woods somewhere as I did today and for my efforts I went home with a pail and a half. Plus I had a great walk, very much enjoying the first rainy weekend we have had in about 5 weeks, even if I did have to pick around the local wildlife.
Once home, the blackberries were so ripe that really, the only way to keep a large amount is to preserve them. I call this Stupendously Simple Wild Blackberry Jam because it only has 3 ingredients. The whole experince was very entertaining so even though it took a whole day, it was a day well spent.
Stupendously Simple Wild Blackberry Jam
- 8 cups fresh wild blackberries
- 4 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Lightly rinse the berries and put into a large pot. Mash them up a bit with a potato masher or fork. Add sugar and lemon and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium low and keep it bubbling lightly until the liquid cooks down to the thickness you desire. I cooked mine for 3 hours, stirring occasionally, to get a really thick final product. This jam will sit piled up on a cracker if I want it too.
Ladle finished jam into 12 clean, sterilized 125ml canning jars or 6 x 250ml (I think these are called 1/2 pints across the border). Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes for the small jars and 15 minutes for the large jars. Store for up to a year in a cool, dark place.
Tags: blackberry, preserves
August 08 2010 08:09 pm | Canning and Harvest and Vancouver
meemsnyc on 08 Aug 2010 at 9:01 pm #
I just planted a blackberry plant in our garden. I can’t wait to try your jam recipe. Yummy.
Priscilla Prince on 08 Aug 2010 at 10:03 pm #
Looks yummy! I’d like to purchase a canner one day so I can do homemade jams!
Stevie on 08 Aug 2010 at 10:47 pm #
Priscilla – in the meantime – just use a large pot!
Patsy Bell Hobson on 08 Aug 2010 at 11:35 pm #
Love blackberries. You’ve sent me on a mission. I had no idea jam was this easy. Thank You!
Patsybell (Patsy Bell Hobson) on 08 Aug 2010 at 11:38 pm #
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melanie watts on 09 Aug 2010 at 8:21 am #
I envy you and your blackberries. They don’t grow up here in Northern BC. We have Saskatoons instead.
Michelle's Green Thumb on 09 Aug 2010 at 9:03 am #
I’m really hoping the blackberries will produce for us this year on the west side of Vancouver Island. It’s been a few years since we’ve had a good crop – the weather wreaks havoc with them – either there isn’t enough rain & they remain hard, little bullets or there is too much rain & they mold on the vine before they can be picked.
I’ve just noticed that the end berries are starting to ripen up, so we are about 3 weeks away from being able to harvest to any quantity & I really want to make blackberry jam this year for the Community Craft Fair later in the fall. Seems like not many people know how easy it is to make jams!
I’ve discovered the local wild trailing blackberry covering the berm beside our property – oh so tastey, but oh so small!! These are reserved for making a blackberry red wine vinegar that is then used in a berry vinegrette recipe for winter salads. I could never find enough to make a batch of jam…
Laura on 09 Aug 2010 at 9:58 am #
Your making me want to go Blackberry picking. I’ve been avoiding this as I’m sure it will lead to me chasing the toddler through thickets of prickles and pain, but that jam look near worth it. Hmmmmm, how can I ditch the kids ;)
michelle on 09 Aug 2010 at 12:36 pm #
Yum, that blackberry jam looks SO good. And I love the photo with the dragonfly.
Robin on 09 Aug 2010 at 2:21 pm #
Thanks for sharing your recipe…will try it soon!
Dan on 09 Aug 2010 at 4:51 pm #
Oh that looks tasty! Been canning myself lately. 5 batches of sour cherry jam & 4 batches of baby dill’s. The house has been steamy :-)
thyme2garden on 09 Aug 2010 at 6:56 pm #
Your blackberry jam looks sooo delicious, and that recipe looks so simple, too!
Deb Weyrich-Cody on 10 Aug 2010 at 10:28 am #
Wow Stevie, Your canning shelf must be looking like a collection of precious jewels by now! Don’t you just love the feeling of pride and satisfaction you get? There’s something about getting ready for the winter, stockpiling all of that yummy goodness, that nothing else can compare… ;) D.
Stevie on 10 Aug 2010 at 9:28 pm #
Thanks, everyone. I bet you could do this with raspberries or any other berries if you have lots. I appreciate the comments and would love to hear how your jam turns out!
Stevie on 10 Aug 2010 at 9:29 pm #
Michelle – that dragonfly must have been having a nap because he just sat there on the berries while I picked, then, when I noticed him, he stayed around for a bunch of photos. A good sport!
Stevie on 10 Aug 2010 at 9:30 pm #
Deb, I think I’m addicted to canning. I just can’t stop myself these days. I must be part squirrel.
Black and Blue Berry Jam Recipe | garden therapy on 11 Oct 2011 at 1:21 pm #
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