Cooking with Chef Jo: Triple Berry Delight Jam

On Sunday, I mentioned my Triple Berry Delight jam. I got emails for the recipe. If you haven't watched our YouTube video of this, I'll include it at the bottom like I did before. Even if you've watched the video and wanted a written recipe for Mel's favorite jam, here it is. Mel doesn't like strawberries. I never heard of such a thing, but she doesn't so I created this recipe for her. By the way, I LOVE all things strawberry. Such is our odd couple housemate relationship. I provide for her needs and mine with my gardening and canning.

Triple Berry Delight Jam (no pectin recipe)
5 1/2 half pint jars or 3 pint jars

What you'll need
4 cups blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, equal amounts slightly mashed to release the juices
1 TBS lemon juice, use bottled not fresh squeezed
6 cup sugar
1 tsp butter, if needed

Putting it all together

•  Since the berries ripen at different times, I wash and freeze the harvested berries until I have enough for two or three batches of jam before I start this recipe.
• Thaw the berries reserving the juices.
• Slightly mash the juices to get more liquid to equal four cups. I don't know about you, but I like chunks of fruit in my jam.
• Pour fruit and juices into a heavy bottomed saucepan.
• Add the sugar and lemon juice.
• Stir well until sugar is dissolved and turn on cook top to medium low. Scrap the sides well.
• Continue to cook stirring occasionally to keep jam from burning on the bottom.
• Check for jelly stage. The fruit mixture will have reduced by half.
• Water bath can for 10 minutes. Cool and store for later

 I usually double or triple this recipe depending on the harvest or foraging results for a year. This is the way my grandmother made jams and jellies. It takes more sugar than pectin assisted jams to get the right consistency and quadruple the amount of cooking time. But, if you ain't got pectin or a thermometer, it's a sure fire way to make jams and jellies.

Y'all enjoy.

Y'all have a blessed day!

Cockeyed Jo