Blackberry Jelly Recipe

How To Make Blackberry Jelly – Blackberry Recipe

Do you remember picking fresh blackberries as a kid?  Mom would then make a homemade Blackberry Pie and some homemade blackberry jelly.  So good!

I have learned from experience to wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves to prevent all those scratches when pick blackberries.

Lots of small jars of Blackberry Jelly

Blackberry Jelly Recipe:
Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Blackberry Jelly Recipe
Servings: 5 to 6 (6-ounce) jars
Ingredients
  • 10 cups fresh blackberries
  • 1 (1 3/4-ounce) package dry pectin*
  • 5 cups granulated sugar
Equipment Needed:
  • Large boiling water canning pot with rack
  • 6 to 8- quart non-reactive saucepan
  • Canning jars
  • Lids with rings**
  • Jar Grabber
  • Jar Funnel
  • Large spoon and ladle
  • Jelly Bag or cheesecloth-lined sieve
Instructions
  1. Preparing the equipment:  Before you start preparing your blackberry jelly, place canner rack in the bottom of a boiling water canner.  Fill the canner half full with clean warm water for a canner load of pint jars.  For other sizes and numbers of jars, you will need to adjust the amount of water so it will be 1 to 2 inches over the top of the filled jars.  Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water.

  2. Sanitize the jars, lids, and rings. Never plunge room temperature jars into rapid boiling water or they may crack. Place the jars in a large pot. Add 1-inch of water to the bottom, cover securely, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Keep the jars, lids, and rings in the hot water until they are ready to by used.

  3. Preparing the blackberries:  Gently wash, stem, and drain the blackberries (removing any stems, cores, dried-up berries, and leaves).  Crush the blackberries with a potato masher, food mill, or use a food processor (If using a food processor, pulse to very fine chop) to lightly crush them.  For best results, crush 1 cup at a time. Drip through jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined sieve to equal 3 1/2 cups blackberry juice.

  4. Add dry pectin and sugar. Stirring to mix well.  NOTE: Reducing sugar or using sugar substitutes will result in failure for the jelly setting up. To use less sugar, you must purchase and use the Pectin for Less Sugar or No Sugar.  Stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil and boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute (a rolling boil cannot be stirred down).  If you bring it back to a full boil fairly slowly (on medium heat rather than high) that will help reduce foaming.  Remove from heat and quickly skim of any excessive foam/bubbles.

  5. Ladle jelly into hot, sterilized containers, one at a time.  Fill to within 1/8 inch of top if using self-sealing lids.  Wipe rim of jar or glass with a clean damp cloth.  Immediately place a hot lid and ring on top of the jar; tightly screw the ring on the jar.


  6. Processing the jelly:  Place jars on the elevated canner rack.  Lower rack into the canner with the hot water.  Add more boiling water, if needed, so the water level is at least 1 inch above the jar tops.  Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them.  Cover the canner with a lid.  Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start time when the water returns to a boil).
     

  7. Altitude Adjustment for Boiling Water Bath Canner:

  8. 1,001 to 3,000 feet - Increase processing time 5 minutes

  9. 3,001 to 6,000 feet - Increase processing time 10 minutes

  10. 6,001 to 8,000 feet - Increase processing time 15 minutes

  11. 8,001 to 10,000 feet - Increase processing time to 20 minutes

  12. After 10 minutes, remove jars with a jar lifter and place jars upright on a towel or cooling rack to cool completely. L eave at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling.  Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft.  Let the jars sit undisturbed while they cool, from 12 to 24 hours.  Do not tighten ring bands on the lids or push down on the center of the flat metal lid until the jar is completely cooled.

  13. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with your finger (if lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary).  Put any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use first.

  14. Label jars and store the sealed jars in a a cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year.  Refrigerate any open jars up to 3 weeks.

  15. Yields 5 to 6 (6-ounce) jars.

  16.  

Recipe Notes

* Pectin is a natural substance found in fruit that enables fruit juice to set up and form a gel. Pectin is available at grocery stores, especially during the canning season of spring through late summer.

** Rings are metal bands that secure the lids to the jars.  The rings may be reused many times, but the lids only once.

There are a number of circumstances that affect whether or how well your jam sets:

Pectins are somewhat sugar amount specific.  Also liquid pectins don’t set up as well as powdered.  Use only the type of pectin called for in your recipe.  Powdered pectin and liquid pectin are not interchangeable in recipes.  The preserving books seem to confirm that the reason liquid and powdered pectin may not be interchangeable is that the liquid version is always added after boiling but most types of powdered are added to the raw fruit or juice.

Never EVER double a jelly or jam recipe.  For some reason, this effects the setting.

If your jam does not set, chances are it contains too little pectin.

An imbalance between the pectin and the acid in your jelly.  Adding a little lemon juice helps the pectin, and also helps create an environment hostile to bacteria.

High humidity in the kitchen can cause problems with jam and jelly.

Finally, you can defeat the whole purpose of adding pectin if you boil the mixture too long — overcooking causes the pectin to break down and lose its thickening capacity.

Comments and Reviews

One Response to “Blackberry Jelly Recipe”

  1. carolyn c hames

    Help me please. I made this yesterday and it has not set up. I just noticed the pectin has an expiration date of 18 months ago!!! How stupid of me not to have looked at this before I made the jelly. Can I save it? Perhaps just reheat and add new pectin as instructed in your recipe? Thanks for any help you can give me.

    Reply

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