How to Make Delicious Blackberry Jelly

Blackberry jelly is a delicious, sweet and fruity spread that can be enjoyed on toast, scones, or even added to desserts. Making your own blackberry jelly is a fun and simple process that anyone can enjoy. With just a few ingredients and some basic kitchen equipment, you can whip up a batch of delicious blackberry jelly in no time.

To make blackberry jelly, you will need freshly picked blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and pectin. Pectin is a natural fruit-based thickener that helps give the jelly its signature texture. Once you have gathered your ingredients, the process of making blackberry jelly involves boiling the blackberries, straining the juice, adding the remaining ingredients, and boiling the mixture one more time until it thickens. The result is a sweet and tangy homemade jelly that is sure to impress your family and friends.

Ingredients for Blackberry Jelly

Before you start making blackberry jelly, you need to gather all the necessary ingredients. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 5 cups blackberries
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 package powdered pectin
• 1 tablespoon butter

Prepare the Equipment for Making Blackberry Jelly

Make sure you have all the necessary equipment before making blackberry jelly:

• A large pot
• A strainer
• A jelly bag
• A canning funnel
• Clean canning jars and lids
• A ladle
• A timer

Preparing the Blackberries for Jelly

Wash the blackberries and crush them in a large pot. Don’t use a food processor or blender as it can affect the flavor and texture of the jelly. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Straining the Blackberry Juice

Pour the blackberry mixture into a strainer lined with a jelly bag. Let the juice drain into a bowl for 2-3 hours or until it stops dripping. Press the pulp with a spoon to obtain more juice. Discard the pulp and jelly bag.

Cooking the Blackberry Juice

In a large pot, add the blackberry juice, powdered pectin, and butter. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar, then bring it to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Filling the Canning Jars with Blackberry Jelly

Place a canning funnel on top of a clean canning jar, ladle the hot blackberry jelly into the jar, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Top the jar with a clean lid and screw the band on until it’s tight.

Processing the Canning Jars of Blackberry Jelly

Place the jars of blackberry jelly in a boiling water canner, making sure the jars are completely submerged with water. Boil for 10 minutes, then remove the jars with a jar lifter and place them on a towel. Let the jars cool for 24 hours before checking the seals and storing them in a cool, dry place.

Testing the Gel Point of Blackberry Jelly

To test if the blackberry jelly has reached the gel point, put a spoonful of hot jelly on a chilled plate. Tilt the plate, and if the mixture slides slowly, it’s not ready yet. But if it moves slowly or not at all, it has reached the gel point.

Storing and Enjoying Your Blackberry Jelly

Once you’ve stored your blackberry jelly, it can last for up to a year in the pantry. Enjoy your homemade blackberry jelly with toast, crackers, biscuits, or even as a topping for ice cream.

Final Words

This is an easy recipe for making blackberry jelly. You’ll be able to create something that’s delicious and will last for a long time. Follow these steps carefully to ensure that your jelly is perfect and ready to enjoy.

Preparing the Ingredients for Blackberry Jelly

Making homemade blackberry jelly is a great way to enjoy the flavors of summer all year round. When making blackberry jelly, it’s important that you use fresh, ripe blackberries. Here are some steps to help prepare for making blackberry jelly:

1. Picking the blackberries

Choose berries that are plump, juicy, and fully ripe. When picking blackberries, be aware of pests and avoid picking berries that are damaged. Do not wash the berries before using them in the jelly.

2. Measuring the blackberries

For a good quality blackberry jelly, you’ll need to use 3 1/2 cups of prepared juice from freshly squeezed blackberries, which is about 5 cups of crushed berries.

3. Gathering the necessary materials

You’ll need a large pot, a strainer, a jelly bag, a candy thermometer, a ladle and jars to prepare and store the jelly.

4. Sterilizing the jars

To ensure that the jars you use for your blackberry jelly are clean and free from any bacteria, they need to be sterilized. Place the jars and their lids in boiling water for 10-15 minutes and then leave them to dry.

5. Preparing the juice

To extract juice from blackberries, crush them using a potato masher or pulse them in a food processor. Then, put the crushed berries in a pot and add water to cover them. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low, simmering for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer.

6. Setting up the jelly bag

Once you’ve extracted the juice from the blackberries, line a strainer with a jelly bag and place it over a bowl. Pour the juice through the jelly bag, and leave it to sit and drip overnight. Do not squeeze the bag or hurry the process, as this could make the jelly cloudy.

7. Testing the pectin

Before making the blackberry jelly, it’s important to test for pectin, which is a natural thickening agent in fruit. One way to do this is to mix 1 tablespoon of 75% rubbing alcohol with 1 teaspoon of cooked juice. If the mixture forms a jelly-like ball, then you know the pectin is present in the juice.

8. Cooking the blackberry jelly

In a large pot, combine the blackberry juice, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring this to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook the jelly for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use the candy thermometer to ensure that the temperature reaches 220°F (105°C), which is the gelling point.

9. Skimming the foam

As the jelly boils, some foam will form on the surface. Remove this foam using a spoon or skimmer and discard it.

10. Filling the jars

When the jelly is ready, use a ladle to transfer it into sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space at the top. Close the jars tightly, and turn them upside down for several minutes. This process will help create a vacuum that ensures the jelly is sealed. Place the jars in a cool, dark place and leave to cool completely before serving the delicious blackberry jelly!

Step-By-Step Guide to Making Blackberry Jelly

Blackberry jelly is a delicious spread that can be enjoyed on toast, biscuits, or scones. It’s a great way to use up a bumper crop of blackberries and is relatively easy to make. Here is an easy-to-follow guide to making blackberry jelly from scratch.

Ingredients

Before embarking on the journey of making jelly, it’s important to gather all the ingredients. For blackberry jelly, you will need:

Preparation

Now that all the ingredients are gathered, the next step is to clean the blackberries. Rinse the berries using a colander and drain them well. Once clean, place the berries in a large pot and crush them using a potato masher or a fork.

Add water to the pot, just enough to cover the blackberries. Place the pot on medium heat and let the berries simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the berries are soft and tender.

Once the berries are soft, remove the pot from the heat and pour the mixture over a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Extract as much juice as possible and discard the solids.

Cooking and Jarring

Add the extracted juice, sugar, lemon juice, and pectin to a large pot and place on medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar and pectin are dissolved.

Once dissolved, turn the heat to high and let the mixture come to a boil. Boil for about a minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.

Take a clean canning jar and ladle the jelly into the jar, making sure to leave about 1/4 inch of room at the top. Secure the jar with a lid and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Once the processing time is complete, remove the jars from the canner and leave them to cool.

Testing for Set

After cooling for about 12-24 hours, test the jelly for set. To test, gently press the center of the lid. If the lid doesn’t give and no liquid seeps out, the jelly has set.

If there is seepage, return the jar to the water bath and process again. Alternatively, new lids can be used and the jar reprocessed.

Enjoying Your Homemade Blackberry Jelly

Congratulations on making your homemade blackberry jelly! It’s now ready to be enjoyed. Use it to add some flavor to your everyday meals or put it in a stylish jar and gift to your friends and family. The possibilities are endless.

Store the jars in a cool and dry place for up to a year or so, ensuring that the jars are vacuum sealed before use. Blackberry jelly is a perfect addition to your pantry and is sure to make your taste buds dance in excitement.

Time to Enjoy Your Blackberry Jelly!

And there you have it! Making blackberry jelly is a fun and rewarding process, and the end result is a delicious treat that can be enjoyed on toast, biscuits, or straight from the jar. Thanks for joining me on this journey of berry picking, boiling, and jelly making. I hope you have enjoyed this recipe as much as I have. Feel free to come back and check out our other recipes in the future. Cheers to happy jelly making!