Blueberry Jam

Julian and I played soccer in the evening, and working out gave me a burst of energy so strong, that at one in the morning, I decided I was going to tackle making Blueberry Jam. It's currently 2:57, everything is done, most of the washing up has been completed (by me), and the jam is delicious. I WIN!

Photo credits http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/slideshows/8-superfoods-and-their-alternatives/2 (7/26/2013)

I wish I took more pictures, but more importantly, my notes:

I riffed off my favorite pick your own website and the jamming instructions that come with every packet of sure-jell pectin. Riffed because fearful as I am of botulism and inadvertantly giving someone food poisoning, I cannot, and will not, consume deathly sweet jam. It's just insane to cover up the delicious taste of fruit with so much sugar. I know I know, it's dangerous to reduce the amount of sugar in each recipe. It f-s up the jelling, it would not set, the food will not be preserved properly.. Yes, yes, but taste just matters more. Well, at least to me. So, I fiddled with the proportions and here's where things stand right now*:

From 5pints= 5 pounds of blueberries, after gobbling many and treating Poppy and picking out the mushy ones (and saving some as a snack tomorrow), I chopped up the rest in my blender and ended up with 6 cups of blueberries, which is 1/2 cup less than Ball, and significantly more than pickyourown. I also used 5 tbs of lemon juice (from the plastic lemon.. yes yes, i did not use fresh lemon juice, THE ABOMINATION!!) which is much more than the 1/4 cup = 4 tbs by pickyourown and suggested 2 tbs by Ball, 3.5 cups of sugar instead of the 4.5 that both recipes called for, 1 packet pectin, which is consistent with Ball and less than pickyourown, and instead of 1/2 cup of water as suggested by both, I felt dangerous and dribbled in less than that.

HA! I'm a rebel!

Yeah, I feel so badass! Except that I don't have that piercing, and umm, I'm not a boy. I also have ears, fyi.

So, taste test: I couldnt help but eat some, hot and unjelled. Top notes of true-blue blueberries and floral elements, middle notes of the countryside, and bottom notes of sugary sweetness. Still too sweet, damn it! But hey, I had stressed out about reducing the sugar and the whole batch not jelling, but that worked, so all's not lost?

So I guess my experiment showed me that my judgement about the sugar content is correct-- it should be reduced. But by how much? Well, only multiple experiments will tell. Until I get more canning jars and blueberries go on sale again, this is all i've got.

I seriously think that 2.75 cups of sugar could do it. Eh, maybe 3 cups next time. There is genuinely nothing sadder than your jam not setting. Wait, sorry, correction. No, I was very, very sad when one of my glass jars broke after I set it in the hot water. It just upped and died. I shouldn't have waited to put it in. Let that be a warning to all ye who make this jam! Place it in your hot water bath asap. If you can't fit all your jam jars into one pot, set another one up. And don't plonk it in. Ease it in gently like a newborn babe. Not that you would drop a baby into a pot of boiling water.. Would you?


Pictures in the morning! It's 3:22am you assholes, and I need to sleep.



EDIT: 

Pictures are in! Sorry, some of the shittiest photos I've ever taken. BUT! The jams are a beautiful, jewel-toned delight. They jelled well, and the result is a thick, fruity jam. I am glad I processed the fruit coarsely-- lots of delicious chunks that spread evenly enough without it feeling like a jelly. Very rustic and comforting-- check out the closeup of the jam in the pyrex.

 

  Chunky, luscious jam. I didn't bother canning this one because I was going to eat it the next morning and consume it within a week. 

 Just look at how it spreads.. Deep, rich color, studded with fruit pieces. Not too sweet.. Perfect even without butter. 


Surprisingly, not to sweet, even when eaten straight with a spoon. Perhaps 3.5 cups is truly a good balance. Any sweeter and it would have tasted store-bought. Well done, Michelle. And yes, I am gifting that quart jar to Pan's mom in return for afternoon teas. I am so looking forward to scones, cream and this gorgeous blueberry jam!


 


* I followed the cooked jam instructions that come with each packet of sure-jell pectin for less or no sugar (pink box).  I've never ever followed any recipe directly when canning, and I've only had successes the three times I've made jams and jellies (Pomegranate jelly, apple jelly, and this jam), so I'm sticking with it.