Thursday, July 17, 2008

Something New: Freezer Jam

I've done a bit of hot water bath canning in my time - - pickles, lemon curd, chutney, jellies, and such. However, I've not been brave enough to do it again since having kids (except when I made some cherry jam a couple of years ago during one of Griffin's naps...not a good idea - - he woke up early), because you really need uninterrupted time to do it right. That being said, my friend Joy has six kids and still cans like crazy every year. So, perhaps I am just lazy! Then, my friend Kate made strawberry jam the other day, and I really got the itch. This time, though, I really wanted to try my hand at making freezer jam. I'd read that this is a great way to make jam because since you do not cook the berries, the jam maintains a very fresh flavor. Off to the farmer's market I went... I purchased six pints of these lovely boysenberries from a delightful berry farmer, who tells me he'll soon have raspberries and blackberries, too. Turning these beauties into freezer jam was so incredibly simple that I am almost embarrassed to tell you about it.

First, I washed the berries:

Next, I put them in a batter bowl and mashed them up with a potato masher (enough berries to equal 4 cups, which was exactly three pints):

Next, I mixed the freezer pectin with 1 1/2 cups of sugar:

Then, I added the sugar/pectin to the crushed berries and stirred for 4 minutes. Next, I ladled the jam into some Ball Plastic Freezer Jars, screwed on the tops, let them sit for 30 minutes, and then put them into the freezer, where they will keep for up to a year.

I kept one in the refrigerator, and it is half gone already. The result: sweet, delicious, fresh boysenberry jam, and my little guys love it.

My tomatoes are finally beginning to ripen, so I think I will also try my hand at freezer salsa in the coming weeks.

8 comments:

Jen said...

Send jam now please!!

My mom used to do strawberry jam every year. I should try it too!

Kate D. said...

I have never heard of freezer jam but I will be trying it now. Seems so much easier that what I did.

Anonymous said...

Never heard of freezer jam before-will definitely try some. Thanks for sharing the receipe. Imagine how great the jam will taste this winter....

kirsten said...

That looks easy enough that i might be able to do it! So you don't have to sterilize anything for this kind of jam? That's somewhat intimidated me in the past to try making it.
loving your blog!

Joy said...

Very nice. I use those little jars for my pesto. Everything else I can, except corn which should always be frozen. :)

It looks SO yummy! All this talk of canning has given me the itch. I have to wait til I get back from Oregon next week and then I'll blog about my canning days.

Heather said...

Kirsten - - you don't have to sterilize anything - - just wash the jars beforehand as you normally would. It is soooo easy, and so good!

Jean said...

We're lucky in receiving several jars of freezer jam, made from wild raspberries, at the end of each summer. My friend picks the berries near Moosehead, Maine, and makes dozens of jars of jam. It is really delicious.

Heather said...

Mmmm...that sounds so good, Aunt Jean. The boys and I just visited a local fruit orchard yesterday, where we can pick raspberries for $3.00 per pound. I want to go pick some so badly! I'm just trying to psyche myself up to do it with the boys in tow!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin