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11 Comments
Ashley
May 11, 2018
Hi. I have a ton of frozen wild blueberries. Is there a way I could use them for the jam?
lisina
July 24, 2013
if i were to reduce the amount of sugar, would that interfere with how well the jam keeps? (sorry if that's a dumb question--i'm new to canning!)
MrsWheelbarrow
July 24, 2013
Altering canning recipes is never recommended. The ratio of sugar to fruit, as well as the use of lemon juice, all contribute to achieving the correct set. Less sugar will surely play with the set and certainly will affect shelf stability. Look for low sugar recipes as an alternative. Low sugar pectin is available at most grocery stores - check out the recipes included in the box.
lisina
July 24, 2013
ok, so it's not as if you could just jar anything of jammy consistency that you cook on the stove? the balance of preservatives (natural or otherwise) really comes into play?
Kelsey B.
September 4, 2009
I went to college in Maine and can still taste the blueberries I enjoyed there. I love canning and can't wait to try this recipe - I give away homemade jam as my Christmas gifts, too!
Sandy S.
September 1, 2009
Blueberry jam from fresh wild Maine blueberries . . . now that's a present that says "I love you"! My all-time favorite jam!
MrsWheelbarrow
September 1, 2009
I agree with Ellen. I always remove the bands before storing. Several reasons - first, it's the perfect time/way to check the seals. Also, if you have pickles or tomatoes, especially, go bad, the jars won't explode, the lids will just lift off and the mess will pour down the sides. Much better than picking pieces of glass out of the carpet. If this sounds like the voice of experience....
Ellen
September 1, 2009
New bands each time you can? I buy new lids, natch, but reuse bands until they appear to have any rust or are bent, or otherwise damaged. My tip for preserving the bands is to remove them from the filled hars before storing the food, so they don't get all rusty.
Merrill S.
September 2, 2009
Sorry, yes, I meant new lids but not new bands. Thanks for catching that!
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