Blueberry Lemon Freezer Jam

Are you riding the canning wave? If you intimidated by canning, don't be. I finally tackled the canning process this summer and it's left me wondering why it took me so long to start! With all the delicious things to can using fresh summer produce, it's not to late to try. A couple weeks ago I went blueberry picking and I knew making jam would be in my future. This Blueberry Lemon Freezer Jam is a super easy introduction to canning and the best part? It's a cinch to make. Plump fresh blueberries are crushed and combined with lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and pectin to create this luscious fruit spread that's great on pretty much everything...

Who knew you could make a simple jam without cooking?! I brought in some of the fresh blueberries to share at work not too long ago. My friend Jill liked the blueberries so much that she suggested I make some into a jam. A freezer jam. What? What's that all about? So I researched freezer jams a bit and soon found myself with this sweet and slightly tart deliciousness. You could apply the same process with other fruit such as strawberries, raspberries and even blackberries! I enjoy this over some toast, pancakes, waffles, and my niece especially liked it over homemade doughnuts.

Blueberry Lemon Freezer Jam
recipe adapted from Ball

3 cups crushed fresh blueberries (about 2 1/2 lbs)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
6 Tbsp Ball® Real Fruit™ Classic Pectin
6 Ball® Plastic (8 oz) Freezer Jars or 8 oz half pint glass jars with lids and bands

 
Combine the crushed blueberries with lemon juice and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add sugar, mixing thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes.

Combine water and pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir.

Add the cooked pectin mixture to fruit mixture and stir for 3 minutes.

Ladle jam into clean Ball® freezer jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply caps and let jam stand in refrigerator until set, but no longer than 24 hours. Serve immediately, refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.