Blackberry Jam With Port

Submitted by xtine

"This is a delicious, elegant jam which can be used in many ways - I like to heat a bit up and serve it over peaches or poached pears; you can use it as a glaze for meats (it is especially nice with duck or quail), or you can just eat it on biscuits with butter. I used Pomona's Universal Pectin with this - you can usually get it at Whole Foods or health food stores. If you can't find it you could use a 1.75 ounce package of regular powdered pectin, but boost the sugar amount by one extra cup. This recipe will make 7 half pints with a little left over - just keep it in a container in the fridge, it will be gone soon enough ;) PLEASE NOTE that there are two sets of instructions below - one for making with Pomona's Universal Pectin, and one for making with regular powdered pectin. Choose which pectin you are using and stick with those instrucions, otherwise the jam probably won't set up."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 7 half pints

ingredients

• 5 pints blackberries, washed & picked over
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 6 cups sugar
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons calcium water (comes with pomona's pectin)
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons pomona's universal pectin
• 1⁄2 cup good port wine

directions

1. Put the blackberries in a blender and blend until they are pureed. You may need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your blender.
2. Strain the blackberry puree through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds - stir and press on the puree while it is in the strainer, you want to get as much puree as you can.

3. Directions for making with Pomona's Pectin:

4. Measure out 5 cups of the seedless blackberry puree into a preserving pan.
5. Add the lemon juice and the calcium water and bring to a boil.
6. Mix the 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of Pomona's Pectin into 2 cups of the sugar. Add to the boiling fruit mixture and stir well for 2 minutes, keeping the fruit at a low boil.
7. Add the remaining 4 cups of sugar and the port and stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Return to the boil and remove from the heat.
8. Place into prepared jars,leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

9. Directions for making with regular pectin:

10. Measure out 5 cups of the seedless blackberry puree into a preserving pan.
11. Add the lemon juice and the pectin and stir to combine well.
12. bring to a boil over high heat, stirring all the while.
13. Add the sugar to the fruit mixture (REMEMBER - you will need a total of 7 cups of sugar if you are making this with regular pectin! Otherwise it may not set) and stir well. Return to a hard boil, stirring constantly.
14. Add the port and continue boiling & stirring for 1 minute.
15. Remove from the heat and place into prepared jars,leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.