Nancy Hopkins spent her summer making jamweek after week until she ran out of fruit.
Heres what she learned.
If you give a moose a muffin, hell want some jam to go with it.
Simply Recipes / Nancy Hopkins
So youll bring out some of your mothers homemade blackberry jam.
And on and on it goes.
And not just one batch of jam; shell make jam week after week all summer long.
It was velvety, intensely flavorful and surprisingly salty.
My house is still littered with over a hundred small jars of homemade jam.
I prefer to make jam with just fresh fruit, lemon, and sugar.
Jam made without pectin is a little softer and looser than jam made with it.
Instead, adding a finely chopped granny smith apple could be a helpful thickener.
Underripe green apples supposedly have the highest natural pectin levels.
Think Before Cutting Down on Sugar
You may be tempted to cut down on the sugar in a recipe.
But sugar is tricky!
Have You Tried Freezer Jam?
I prefer making freezer jam!
It is easierless intimidating than going through the process of water bath canning.
After the jam cools, I simply transfer it into clear freezer jam jars.
I usefive-ounce glass baby food jars.
Freezer jam can be kept in the freezer for up to 12 months.
Its not shelf stable and must be frozen or refrigerated.
To serve, thaw the frozen jam in the refrigerator.
Once opened, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about three weeks.
I know I’m more likely to get better quality fruit that tastes better.
For example, I make jam with wine berries that grow in the Appalachian Mountains nearby fromThor Mountain Bristol.
They are tiny, but can do big things!
I am also working on a version using tart green June apples from an old roadside apple tree.
