This summer’s huckleberry crop was extra-fruitful with plenty of berries for making jam, pies, and huckleberry frozen yogurt. It takes time and patience, but berry picking is a delightful way to commune with nature, and while away the hours under the summer skies. The whole berries freeze really well, so you can store them away and come back to make your jam any time you feel like it! There seems to be a shortage of canning jars in the grocery stores this year, maybe due to the pandemic, but you can order them online from Amazon if your store is out!
One other note, we added finely diced jalapenos to one of our jam batches and used it with grilled steak. It was delish!
Whole Berry Huckleberry Jam
Whole huckleberry jam
Equipment
- Large soup pot For sterilizing and sealing the jars
Ingredients
Whole Berry Huckleberry Jam
- 3 cups wild huckleberries stems and leaves removed and washed and patted dry
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 6 eight-ounce canning jars rings, and lids
Instructions
- Combine berries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium-large pot. Bring to a boil.
- Add lemon juice and reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Cook until thickened and the temperature reads 220 F on a candy thermometer.
- While the jam is cooking, prepare jars by placing them along with the lids and rings, in a boiling hot water bath.
- When ready to pour the jam into jars, drain jars of any water and fill to within a 1/4=inch of the top of the jar.
- Place lid and ring on jar and tighten.
- Place jars back in a hot water bath for another 5 minutes or so.
- Remove from bath and place upside down on a cooling rack. Leave for 24 hours.
- Jars should seal in this amount of time. You will know they are sealed in the lid is slighted indented towards the jam. If they don’t seal properly, then you need to reheat the jam and start the canning process over again, or refrigerate and use right away!
Notes
for a fun option, add 1 finely diced jalapeno for a delicious meat or poultry condiment, but don’t mistake it in the morning when you’re getting your toast ready for breakfast!
