Jam!

[Kell]

Unbeknownst to my sister, there's a large clump of blackcurrant bushes on her property. Of course I spotted them and promptly ased her to bring me a large tub with a lid. I quickly filled it with 2lbs of fruit and arranged to come back the next day (which was yesterday) to pick more. I reckon I picked about 4 or 5 lbs.

 

Also, the first 2lbs had been soaked overnight, so I made my first ever jam yesterday afternoon!

 

The second lot of blackcurrants have been soaking overnight and I wil lmake them into jam today too.

 

On top of this, she has blackberry bushes on the property which have squillions of flowers on them now, so I can hardly wait till the betrries are ripe as blackbery jam and bvlackberrycrumble are two of my aboslute favourites!

 

And if that wasn't enough, a friend of my hubby mentioned that he knows where there are cherry plums growing wild and almost ready, so guess what? I'll be making more jam!

 

Hubby is bringing me some sticky labels today so I shall be designing my own "Kitchen Witch" labels for the jars of jam!

 

Some of the blackcurrants were almost as large as grapes!

 

This is the second day's pickings - the square pot is the one I filled the day before as well:

 

 

And here are my first ever jars of homemade jam!

 

We were litarally just reaching in and stripping off handfuls of blackcurrants, they were that thick! Of course, we couldn't and wouldn't pcik them all - there's a huge feast left for the birds and animals too. Next year we'll be prepared to start picking as soon as they appear (I hadn't been to her house in ages and she hadn't realised they were blackcurrants - she was under the impression they were gooseberry bushes and was waiting for the berries to turn green - LOL!).

 

Anyway, the very simple recipe I used for the first batch of blackcurrant jam is:

 

INGREDIENTS:

2lbs blackcurrants

3lbs sugar

1.5 pints of water.

 

METHOD:

1. Wash the blackcurrants and destalk them

2. Put blackcurrants into a pan and pour on 1.5 pints of water, then bring to a boil and simmer for around 45 minutes till fruit is soft.

3. Add sugar and stir to dissolve.

4. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and test viscosity on a chilled saucer

5. Pour hot into still-hot sterilised jars and seal immediately to create air-tight seal.

 

I find this jam very thick, sticky and sweet, but it is delicious. However, I think I might tweak the recipe slightly with the second batch today...

[Chrissy]

OK, I only have the one word to use, and I think I just invented it ~ Yummajammalicious!

[poppy]

Well done Kell. That looks delicious Did you see my suggestion of an easy way to sterilise jars in the oven?

[Kell]

I did, Poppy, but my oven doesn't heat properly so we don't use it except as a grill and I was afraid it mightn't sterilise the jars properly. Sop I had to stick with the boiling of the jars incstead - LOL!

 

Made my 2nd batch of 4 jars, this time reducing the amount of sugar by 1lb and adding 2tbsp lemon juice. I've had a little taste and I think this batch tastes better, so the third batch will be made to this recipe this afternoon.

[poppy]

I did, Poppy, but my oven doesn't heat properly so we don't use it except as a grill and I was afraid it mightn't sterilise the jars properly. Sop I had to stick with the boiling of the jars incstead - LOL!

 

Made my 2nd batch of 4 jars, this time reducing the amount of sugar by 1lb and adding 2tbsp lemon juice. I've had a little taste and I think this batch tastes better, so the third batch will be made to this recipe this afternoon.

 

I know they say sterilise the jars and they definitely need to be clean but I think the main reason you need to get them hot is that the jars will crack if you pour boiling hot liquid into cold jars. Sometimes I just let the jam cool and pour it into clean jars, though they would have just been through the dishwasher. Lol, I'm lazy and always find the easiest ways to do things

[Kell]

This is where I wish I had a dishwasher too...

[Sofia]

mmmmmmmmmmm.....jam!!!!!!