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Blackberry jam (with pectin) — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 6 cups crushed blackberries (about 3 quart boxes berries)
- 1 package powdered pectin
- 8 1/2 cups sugar
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
- 1 Jelly or candy thermometer
Directions
- Sterilize canning jars and prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer s directions. To prepare fruit. Sort and wash fully ripe berries; remove any stems or caps. Crush berries. If they are very seedy, put part or all of them through a sieve or food mill. To make jam.
- Measure crushed berries into a kettle. Add pectin and stir well. Place on high heat and, stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full boil with bubbles over the entire surface. Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full bubbling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat; skim. Fill hot jam immediately into hot, sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner .
- Processing: Process Hot, Half-pints or Pints, boiling-water canner, 0 - 1,000 ft - 5 minutes.
- Altitude-adjusted processing table: Table 1. Recommended process time for Blackberry Jam in a boiling water canner. / Process Time at Elevations of / Style of Pack - Jar Size - 0 - 1,000 ft - 1,001 - 6,000 ft - Above 6,000 ft / Hot - Half-pints / / or Pints - 5 min - 10 - 15
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Share your results how it turned out.Safety classification
Tested NCHFP home-canning recipe.
Processing details
Method: Boiling water bath. Hot pack; half-pint or pint jars; 1/4-inch headspace; about 11–12 half-pints.
Tested source
Preparation timeline
Crush and measure berries; stir in powdered pectin; bring to a full boil; add sugar and boil hard 1 minute; fill sterile jars; process.
Equipment
Boiling-water canner, half-pint or pint jars, jar lifter, funnel, preserving kettle, and stirring utensils.
Visual method guide
- Prepare and measure ingredients exactly.
- Cook to the source’s boil or set endpoint.
- Fill, process by elevation, and cool undisturbed.
Safety essentials
Use the specified powdered pectin and exact fruit-to-sugar ratio. Do not substitute low- or no-sugar pectin unless following its own tested formula.
About this recipe
A full-sugar blackberry jam using regular powdered pectin for a reliable set.
Before you begin
Sterilize jars because the base process is 5 minutes. If desired, sieve some crushed berries to reduce seeds before measuring.
Altitude/pressure schedule
| Elevation | Half-pints or pints |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 5 min |
| 1,001–6,000 ft | 10 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 15 min |
Serving suggestions
Use on toast, biscuits, yogurt, pastries, or as a glaze.
FAQ
Can low-sugar pectin replace regular powdered pectin? No; use a separate tested low-sugar recipe.
Recipe context and comparison
This jam retains crushed fruit, unlike clear blackberry jelly, and uses powdered rather than liquid pectin.
Troubleshooting
A weak set can result from changing pectin type, fruit, sugar, or the one-minute hard boil.
Source and provenance
Safety-critical values remain tied to the original NCHFP source.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
8–15 lb of blackberries per person per year
This is an annual planning range that includes preserving and typical fresh use. Plant, row-foot, and square-foot estimates are shown only when compatible cited yield or spacing data is available.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.

