Blackberry preserves are a delicious, easy way to enjoy summer's bounty. This recipe is simple and straightforward, with just a few ingredients. The results are a sweet and tart preserve with a bright flavor that's perfect on toast, cornbread muffins, or Matcha scones.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This blackberry preserves recipe is fast and easy to make, but it is also lower in sugar than most jams, jellies, or preserve recipes. Berries are naturally higher in pectin, which reacts with acid and heat to create the thick jam or jelly 'jel'.
Blackberry preserves are delicious on breakfast toast, topped on ice cream or yogurt, and so much more! Use it as a filling between layers of a cake, or as a sweet accompaniment with your next meat & cheese platter.
Jump to:
Ingredients needed
Making Blackberry Preserves is easy, and only a few ingredients will be required. I picked my berries fresh off nearby blackberry bushes, as they grow rampant in the Pacific North West where I live.
You will need fresh picked, fresh store bought, or frozen blackberries. Also, white granulated sugar, powdered pectin, and lemon juice. The lemon juice can be fresh, frozen, or bottled, whichever is easiest for you.
- Blackberries - fresh picked, store bought fresh, or frozen.
- Sugar - use the white granulated sugar. Since this is a low sugar preserve recipe, it will use a ratio of 2:1 berries to sugar ratio.
- Pectin - Use the powdered pectin, this way you can blend it first with the sugar and it will cook into the berries without lumps.
- Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed, frozen, or bottled lemon juice is fine.
- Ball canning jars - or any type of jar that you can store these blackberry preserves. If you use the Ball Canning jars though, not only can you store in the refrigerator, you can also hot water process can the jars for safe pantry storage and gift giving.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Blackberry Preserves
The first step is to prepare the containers you will store your homemade blackberry preserves in. This recipe makes approximately four half pints of preserves.
Wash the berries right before using them. Unwashed berries last longer than washed ones, so wait until you are ready to make the preserves before washing them.
If the fresh berries are longer than 1 ½" you should cut them in half so they cook properly.
Step 1. Prepare the Jars & Ingredients
Wash and clean the jars, making sure there are no nicks or chips on the jar rims.
Measure the blackberries, sugar, pectin, and lemon juice. Mix the pectin into the sugar.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 2. Mix in the Sugar & Pectin Mixture
Place the measured blackberries into a large pot. Add the sugar & pectin mixture.
Cook on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir gently so you don't break the berries too much.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 3. Cook to Jel Stage
Bring to a boil and stir constantly to stir down any foam. Add the lemon juice. Lower heat and simmer.
The preserves will thicken as they react to the lemon, pectin, sugar, and heat. The hot preserves will 'sheet' off the flat side of the spoon.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 4. Pour into Jars
Use a jar filling funnel to keep the jar rims clean, filling each jar up to 1" from the top rim. Wipe the rims clean.
Place the seals on the jars, then tighten the jar bands. Water Bath Can for long term pantry storage.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade Blackberry preserves make the best housewarming gifts. They are beautiful with their jewel tones and a ribbon tied around the band. They're also divine on our Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins or Matcha Scones!
Add a tablespoon to your plain yogurt to transform it! We have a terrific Lactose Free Yogurt Tutorial, but you can use regular milk also to make it.
If you like making your own jams and condiments, be sure to see our Fig Preserves and Pumpkin Butter recipes.
Substitutions
If you substitute frozen blackberries, you will need to let them drain before measuring out the amount for the recipe.
Equipment
Storage
Store your blackberry preserves in your refrigerator for up to 6 months, covered. If you want to store outside of the refrigerator, use the Ball Water Bath Canning Method to process your jars of blackberry preserves.
Top Tips
- Be careful not to over cook your preserves, as then it will be too tight and thick to spread on toast or cornbread muffins.
- Mix the powdered pectin into the dry sugar before adding to the berries.
- Start the kettle on medium until the juice from the berries allows the sugar to dissolve. Then, increase the heat until you get the rolling boil.
- Stir constantly during the boiling stage, so the preserves do not stick or scald.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jam is made with crushed fruit and cooks up as a blended fruit texture. Preserves are made with small whole fruits, or larger fruit cut into larger chunks and cooks up preserving more of the fruit chunks and texture.
Yes, but unless they are made for handling a hot water bath canning process you can only store them in the refrigerator.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts.
📖 Recipe
Blackberry Preserves
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 cups fresh blackberries about 3 lbs
- 3 cups white granulated sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoon Powdered Pectin mix into the sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
Instructions
- Prepare the jars first. Wash and sanitize. You can use the dishwasher on the hot wash and hot dry session to sanitize. Set aside on a towel to dry.
- Measure out the berries and wash them. Put them in a large stainless steel pot.7 cups fresh blackberries
- Mix the sugar and the dry pectin together, then add to the pot of berries. Heat on medium low until the berries juice up and dissolve the sugar, stirring the pot to make sure nothing sticks. Add the lemon juice.3 cups white granulated sugar, 3 ½ tablespoon Powdered Pectin, ½ cup lemon juice
- After sugar is dissolved, turn the heat to medium high and bring the pot to a rolling boil. If foam develops, either scoop it off and discard, or stir it down. You will cook on the boil for 8 minutes. Then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently for another 12 minutes.
- The preserves should fall off the flat of a wooden spoon slowly, with a drip in two places on the spoon, not just one drip in the middle. If not quite ready, cook up to 3 more minutes, checking for jell in 1 minute intervals. Remove pot from heat and ladle into prepared jars.
- Wipe the jar rims with a damp cloth, seal with the disc lids, and tighten the bands.
- Let the jars sit on the counter to cool. You will hear little pop sounds as the sealing discs are sucked in with a vacuum seal. You can store in your refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- If you want to store in your pantry, use the Ball Hot Water Canning Method to hot water bath process them. See the notes for the link to the instruction guide. They should process for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Wait until you are ready to make preserves, because washed berries spoil quickly in a refrigerator.
- Don't cook past the two point drip off the spoon. If you over cook the preserves can get too thick and sticky to easily spread. Use a wide wooden spoon, and watch for the preserves to coat it rather than just swoosh off.
- Start the kettle on medium until the juice from the berries allows the sugar to dissolve. Then, increase the heat until you get the rolling boil.
- Stir constantly during the boiling stage, so the preserves do not stick or scald.
Nutrition
Like this recipe? Be sure to share it, pin it, or add it to your collection!
Leave a Reply