Homemade jams are one of my favorite ways to use summer fruit all year round. Blueberry jam is one of the best ways to make the most of delicious blueberries when they’re in season. Perfect for all kinds of recipes!
From June through September (depending on where you live), locally grown blueberries are widely available, and that’s the perfect excuse to make homemade blueberry jam.
Since blueberries are naturally sweet, I chose to use pectin with granulated sugar which has extra setting power, so the jam doesn’t turn out overly sweet. This way you can store the blueberries for up to a year.
And if you’re located in The Netherlands: use ‘geleisuiker speciaal’, which is a sugar which already has pectin in it.
Making blueberry jam is quite easy to do. Start by sterilizing the jars in a large pot of water. Bring to a full rolling boil and let it cook for a few minutes. Remove the jars using thongs or a jar lifter and let it dry on a clean kitchen towel.
Now make the jam by first pureeing the blueberries with a stick blender. You can also mash them with a potato masher to get a different consistency.
Place blueberries, pectin and the sugar into a large deep pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let it simmer for a few minutes while you keep stirring.
Pour into the jars and screw the lids on immediately. Turn the jars upside down so the air gets pushed out. This will make sure the jam can be stored longer. After 5 minutes turn them back upright and allow to cool completely.
This blueberry jam will keep for up to a year if stored in sterilized jars.
Once you’ve filled the jars with jam and they’ve cooled, wipe them clean and add a label with the preparation date. I often use a label printer, but a sharpie works too.
Stored in a cool, dark place, sealed jars will keep for up to a year. Once opened, it’s best to keep blueberry jam in the refrigerator, where it will stay good for several months thanks to the high sugar content.
This also depends on how hygienically you work (always use a clean knife or spoon in the jar), so keep an eye out for mold.
If you choose to freeze blueberry jam, plan on a maximum shelf life of about three months. However, jam keeps much longer when stored in sterilized jars.
Freezing can be a good option if you want to use as little sugar as possible. Freeze the jam in small portions to avoid keeping it too long in the fridge after thawing.
Blueberries are fantastic for baking, and these recipe ideas will keep you busy for a while:
I don’t recommend it, because fruit needs pectin to turn into jam. Pectin occurs naturally in fruit, but amounts vary. Lemons are high in pectin, but blueberries are not. That’s why you need additional pectin to help the cooked berries set.
If you need a jam with no added sugar at all, use gelling powder, optionally combined with a sweetener. I haven’t tried this myself, so follow the instructions on the back of the package.
Keep in mind that sugar acts as a preservative, so sugar-free jam won’t keep as long. Freezing it in small portions works well in that case.
There are many delicious combinations, including herbs or other fruits. A few ideas:
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