I've been a die hard fan of fruit preserves from childhood. I especially loved a huge dollop of raspberry preserves in my farina hot cereal (very typical breakfast back in Russia). I must say that there are quite a few very good fruit preserves (not to be confused with spreads and jams) out there but really nothing tastes quite like home-made :) On my husbands recent trip to visit his grandmother in Russia last year he brought back a small bottle of wild blueberry preserves made by his grandma....i died and went to heaven the moment I tried it, yes it was that good. Why I only thought of making my own preserves a year after that is beyond me, but I finally gave it a shot and I must say I am never going back to store bought preserves again. You wouldn't believe how ridiculously easy it is to make it on your own! So here goes my recipe for success:
Supplies:
A glass jar with a twist on lid (from any previous store bought preserves or jams is fine)
A large pot to accommodate the above mentioned glass jar and lid with metal/ heat resistant tongs and ladle.
A smaller cooking pot to accommodate the amount of berries you have.
Ingredients:
A pound (to a 1 1/2) of frozen or fresh organic wild blueberries
A cup of sugar ( i use raw sugar)
juice of half a lemon
In a bowl combine the blueberries with the sugar and let stand at least an hour to have them let out some juice ( the frozen ones will have a lot more juice :) Then transfer to your small cooking pot and bring to a boil, mix gently, reduce heat, add the lemon juice and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes more while mixing gently through out. If you are using fresh berries some may fall apart during the cooking process (this is normal) I found that the smaller wild frozen berries tend to keep their shape longer through the cooking process.
While the berries are cooking wash your glass jar, lid tongs and ladle in hot soapy water. Fill the large pot with water, deposit all the above supplies into it and bring to a boil. This will keep your container and utensils sterile. You can keep this pot at a slight simmer once it has boiled while your preserves are cooking.
Once you are ready make sure to use precautions when handling the hot items...as they will be very hot. Remove your glass jar from the water with your tongs (use an insulated glove or towel for the tongs) shake off any excess water from within the jar and place on the counter (on a heat resistant pad first) then using your sterile ladle fill the jar with the made preserves almost to the top. Then with your sterile tongs (make sure to keep them in the hot water when not using and do not lay on the counter or elsewhere it is not sterile) remove your sterile lid from the hot water, shake off any excess water and place the lid on your jar. Then twist your jar shut ( I have my hubby do this step) just cause the jar is hot not because it is hard to twist it close, although he does have more oomph in his arm :). As it cools the residual heat will suck in the lid more creating a barrier. Once the jar is cooled you can run your finger over the top of the lid and notice that the center is sucked in and not popping up like on an already previously opened jar.
The preserves can be stored on the shelf for quite sometime, I dare say 6 months to a year when done right. Once you've opened them just make sure to refrigerate them and they should keep in the fridge for a few months too. Honestly they won't even last a month in your home if you are a preserves lover like I am :)
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