BLUEBERRY SYRUP and JAM Preserves

 Blueberry is one of my favorite berries. It tastes great, it is versatile in terms of ways of using it in different recipes, it is easy to work with and it gives great yields - most all of the fruit volume can be used without waste.

Usually, aside from freezing the fresh fruit, I make blueberry syrup and jam preserves, so we can enjoy the flavor throughout the year. Both are done at the same time. They are simple to make and last in jars for several years.

INGREDIENTS:

6 lb - fresh blueberries
6 lb - granulated cane sugar
96 oz - water
2 tbsp - lemon juice

EQUIPMENT:

Clean jars or bottles (4x 8 oz jars for jam and 9x 16 oz bottles or jars for the syrup),
Funnel,
2 large (24 Qts), non reactive pots (enamel or stainless steel).

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse the berries well and place in a big (at least 24 Qt), non reactive (enamel or stainless steel) pot. Add water and sugar, bring to boil and slowly cook for 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Berries will change color and release the juice. Juice and sugar will create the syrup.

2. Strain the syrup through the strainer to a separate pot. Bring back to boil and carefully pour hot syrup to jars or bottles. I leave the small burner on under the pot to maintain the hot temperature of the syrup. Pour until ~½” from the top of the jar/bottle and close the lid tightly. The jars and bottles will be hot. Use gloves or towels to keep from getting burned.

3. Place the fruits remaining in the strainer to a smaller pot and bring to boil. Add lemon juice. Keep low heat burner on under the pot to maintain the hot temperature of the jam. Place jam in jars ½” from the top and close the lids tight. The jars will be hot… use gloves of towels.

Note there are no preservatives added. The hot temperature is the key to making preserves without adding chemical preservatives. Cooling contents in the jars/bottles will create vacuum and assure freshness of the contents for several years. Store in cool room.                                                                                                     

Syrup can be mixed: 1 part of syrup to 3 parts of water to make a delicious juice beverage or jelly (with added gelatin). It can be also added to tea or poured on ice cream.