TexasMadness
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Location: Austin, Texas
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Blackberry jam!
We FINALLY have a good crop of blackberries this year. We planted 3 years ago I think and the first year, we got a handful from the new starts. Then last year, a late frost wiped out what looked like it was going to be a big harvest. And this year, the plants bloomed and set fruit early again. I steeled myself for disappointment, but the late frost never came and the bushes are DRIPPING with berries.
I spent last night at out at the farm with Willa. Her pawpaw usually picks her up on Wednesdays at our house for her farm day, but I figured every now and then I could go and stay Tuesday night out there since I haven't been able to spend as much time on the farm as I'd like.
So this morning, I set to the business of making some jam! I'd never done blackberry jam before and tried a recipe with no pectin. It didn't seem to be gelling like it should, but I went ahead and canned anyway. Worst case, it's blackberry syrup! Here's what I did:
Gather 4.5 lbs of blackberries, 6.75 cups of sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice:
Dust off the canning equipment (been since last year!). I forget to add the wide mouth funnel. It's a MUST!
Mush the berries in a 2 gallon stainless steel pot. The farm is somehow missing a potato masher so I used a pastry cutter. Worked like a charm!
Add in the sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
Cook for about 15 minutes or until a drop forms a mound on a cool plate. The recipe really warned about over-cooking so after 20 minutes and still no mounding, I went ahead and just called it done. I've not much practice with jams/jellies with no pectin so I figure this is a learning process! I filled sterilized half pint jars using the much-important wide mouth funnel:
Then loaded up the canner and processed for 10 minutes!
I had to race to town right after taking them out of the bath though, so I haven't even gotten to see the results. Several jars will come home with Willa tonight though. It should take a week or so for it to firm up...hopefully we can wait that long to try it!
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5/9/2012, 7:42 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Blackberry jam!
Blackberries!
This makes me realize how far south Texas is. Blackberries are just starting to grow here, as plants. They tend to flower in July and we can pick the berries in August.
Your jelly looks great!
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5/10/2012, 12:28 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Blackberry jam!
Yup, May is Texas blackberry season. By August, the plants are all huddled down, just hoping not to spontaneously combust!
Unfortunately, all the wonderful rain we've been having has caused the berries to start to MOLD on the bushes! I'll be picking some fairly unripe ones this weekend to do a second batch of jam that will have more natural pectin. Honestly, this first batch was so sticky sweet, I could use some more tart berries in the mix!
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5/10/2012, 5:23 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Blackberry jam!
YUMMMMMMMYYYYYY!!!! I LOVE homemade jams and jellies, and that looks really good!
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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5/11/2012, 3:00 am
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TexasMadness
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Re: Blackberry jam!
I forgot to post the pic of the first tasting! We didn't wait the full week but I'm pretty sure it's not going to thicken up much. Ah well! We had it on homemade cream scones with local cream cheese. Sooo good!
I've also since put it on pancakes as syrup. I'm loving this stuff!
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5/15/2012, 2:17 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Blackberry jam!
Ooooh! You're making me hungry! Yummy. *drool*
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5/15/2012, 2:56 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Blackberry jam!
I did make them. I don't recall if it was the Martha Stewart cream scones or the one in the Cooks Illustrated book. They were both very similar, but not quite "perfect". I froze the extras from both batches in the same container!
I'm still playing with scone recipes. I'll post one pretty soon - I've got another I'm going to try this weekend!
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5/15/2012, 3:43 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Blackberry jam!
Sounds good to me. Just wish Mom could remember the recipe she used to use.
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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5/15/2012, 4:24 pm
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Rebecca Wraenna
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Registered: 02-2012
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Re: Blackberry jam!
I should have known better than to read this post on an empty stomach! Looks great!
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5/18/2012, 6:33 pm
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