Easy Recipe for Canning Homemade Blueberry Preserves

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This is a small batch recipe with simple ingredients to preserve the flavors of summer! Don’t make the mistake of leaving the season’s bounty without taking some with you into the winter months. This isn’t your regular grocery store preserves. Whether you use fresh blueberries or frozen, this easy blueberry preserves canning recipe will make a wonderful addition to toast and tea, ice cream or even a great Christmas gift.

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The Difference Between Jam And Preserves

You may be wondering what the difference is between a batch of homemade blueberry jam and blueberry preserves. The difference lies in the way you choose to process it. Preserves are a way to simply “preserve” berries, meaning the results will contain fruit chunks. In a homemade jam, the fruit has generally been blended to create a smooth spread.

Preserves can easily be considered a type of jam, so you will often read it as a blueberry jam recipe in this post.

The biggest takeaway should be that you can choose how you want your jam to turn out. If you want it to be more like preserves, just forgo the step of blending your fruit before heating as I do in this recipe. If you want a smooth jam, take out that blender and blend those berries up!

Equipment You’ll Need

If you are just beginning, the Farmer’s Almanac is a great resource. No matter what tools you may or may not have, here are the ones you’ll need.

Canning Rack

This is important whether or not you are using a true canner or just a large pot. Having a rack on the bottom of the pot allows the heat from the water to flow under the jars and not just on the sides and tops of them.

Jars, Lids and Bands

This recipe is made for half-pint jars. Make sure you are using brand new canning lids without any defect to help assure a good seal. Bands should be free of rust to screw on properly.

A Funnel with a Large Opening

Although not required, a canning funnel is very helpful and will make filling the jars MUCH easier and cleaner.

A Jar Lifter

There was one time I forgot to bring a jar lifter when canning outside my home and it was VERY difficult to get the jars out! In the end I did it, but I will say a canning jar lifter works much better than tongs.

Clean Towels

I use about two to three towels laid next to my stove to both dry wet jars, lids and bands, as well as hold the finished hot jars.

A large pot or canner

This can absolutely be a large pot but it needs to fulfill a few requirements as said below.

Hot Water Bath Canning without a Canner

You do NOT need a special water bath canner for this recipe. Isn’t that great news! The beauty of hot water bath canning is that you can do it with simple supplies. A large lid and pot that will hold enough water to cover the jars by 2 inches will act as your canner.

Though you don’t need a special “canner,” you do need to have a canning rack for the bottom of your pot. This allows hot water to surround the entire jar and not just the tops and sides. This is important for safety and proper canning. For more information on canning safety and guidelines check out the USDA Canning website here.

Ingredients

• 6 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
• 1/4 Cup plus 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice Concentrate (Not fresh from a lemon)
• 2 Cups Sugar ( I use sucanat)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

In a large pot or large saucepan, pour in blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Heat to low-medium heat while stirring to avoid any burning.

Heat for approximately 25-35 minutes or until thickened. I like to use a potato masher while stirring to help combine the jam.

Fill your canner or canning pot with 3-4 inches of water and turn on low heat to warm as you prepare the jars and lids.

Prepare your jars, lids and bands by washing with hot soapy water. Keep the canning jars warm for filling. I like to keep the lids and bands in a small bowl with water and dry them off as I use them.

At this point, if you don’t have extra time, you can just freeze the preserves or store it as refrigerator jam. Otherwise, continue on to can this into jars of blueberry jam.

Using your funnel, drop your blueberry jam into the jar to 1/4 inch headspace. Run a knife around the inside edge of the jar to make sure no air bubbles remain. Dry a lid and band and screw bands on until finger tight.

Gently place jars into the canner in a single layer (don’t stack) and fill water to two inches above the top of the jar lids. Cover the pot with a lid and turn heat up. Bring to a rolling boil.

As soon as your pot reaches a full rolling boil set the timer for 10 minutes, keeping the boiling water going until the time is up. When 10 minutes is up, turn the stove off and wait five minutes before taking out your hot jam and gently setting the jars on a towel.

Wait 12 hours before removing bands and checking the seal. Then you may store in a cool dry place at room temperature for up to 18 months. If a jar doesn’t seal properly, store in the refrigerator and use right away. If the jar looses it’s seal during it’s shelf life, dispose of immediately.

How to Use Your Preserves

This recipe makes a great Christmas gift and a wonderful pantry item. I love to use it with my Einkorn Farmhouse Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe as well as my Split Second Cookies.

No matter how you use your preserves, be sure to write the date of canning on your lids.

Other Recipes You May Like

Apple Pie Filling Canning Recipe Without Clear Gel

How to Find Time to Preserve with Kids

All About Einkorn Flour: What You Need to Know

Overnight Sourdough Bagels with Einkorn

From the Hilltop,

Krista