How to Make and Preserve Blueberry Jam

Nothing tastes better than homemade! If you like blueberries, you'll enjoy this tasty jam. The great thing is, you can control the sweetness, and calorie content. Blueberry Jam can be preserved through the canning process, and can be safely stored for 2 years! For everybody that preserves food to save money, here's another idea to add to your list!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 quarts of fresh blueberries
• 6 3/4 cups of sugar (you may replace this with Splenda or Sweet-n-Low)
• 1/2 bottle of liquid pectin
• canning jars, lids, and bands
• large pot
• water
• masher
• large bowl

1. Wash and examine the blueberries. If any berries have stems, you'll want to remove the stem. Making jam does require cooking the berries, and doing so will kill bacteria, however, you still want to wash the berries. This steps helps with those little leaves that sometimes appear out of nowhere!

2. In a large bowl, crush the fruit. Using a potato masher helps greatly with this. You can have chunks, as jam is made from the fruit chunks. Measure out 4 cups. If necessary, you can fill the last cup with some water to equal it out.

3. In a large pot, add the 4 cups of crushed blueberries, and the sugar. (or Substitute) Mix well. Now you want to heat the mixture to a full, rolling boil. Continue this hard boil for about 90 seconds..Stir constantly. Do not stop stirring or you may scorch and burn the berries.

4. Remove from heat, and stir in the liquid pectin. Skim the top, and stir again. If needed, repeat again.

5. 
   Freshly canned Blueberry Jam

   Pour and seal in hot, sterile canning jars. Process 20 minutes in Water Bath Canner, or 15 minutes in Pressure Cooker. Makes 8 half pint jars, or if you want to use pint jars, it'll make 4.