My Blueberry Freezer Jam is a great way to use up fresh berries. The dark purple color makes it perfect for Halloween! Good for up to 1 year in the freezer.
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The holiday season is fast upon us, and I’m not very happy about it. I’m a huge fan of Autumn, but once November comes into town, I feel that everyone gets all crazed about turkeys and stuffing, and presents and Santa. Now don’t get me wrong – I do love the togetherness that comes from the holiday season – I just don’t like the frantic pace that comes with it.
So, I’m protesting. I’m going to kick back and enjoy the final few days of fall. I’m going to wear my Halloween costume more than once and continue to jump in the leaves as long as I can. Even though my kids have started making their Christmas lists, I’m not going to start shopping until Thanksgiving has come and gone. I’m going to savor each month and all of the splendors that come with it.
So what does all of this mean? I have no idea. All I know is that I’m not ready to go from Halloween to Christmas at mock speed. I want to sit on my butt and chill by the fireplace. On the weekends, I want to take walks in the woods with my kids and make acorn people. And, I want to watch movies on Sundays while snuggling with my kids.
With this spirit of relaxation in mind, I set off to make more jam…because as you all know, I’m a jam making fool. I don’t even care what kind of jam it is anymore – I just really like making jam. In this go-round, I found a bunch of beautiful blueberries and a smidgen of strawberries leftover in our freezer and since I don’t really eat blueberries unless they’re cooked in something, I decided to make some jam with them. (Tip: I freeze mounds of berries while they’re in season so I can enjoy them at whim in the off season!)
If you’ve made my recipes before, you’ll also know that I like to add something zany to my jams to keep them interesting. My secret ingredient for this freezer-style jam was Bolthouse Farms Blue Goodness Smoothie. It’s my daughter’s favorite – and with a unique blend of blueberries, blackberries, and blackcurrants, it adds the perfect zing to an otherwise simple jam.
The slightly tart pairing of this blueberry freezer jam goes very well with just about any type of bread. As you can see in this post, I first sampled it on some raisin bread and then moved on to some English muffins with the second jar. I also had it with greek yogurt, and straight out of the jar worked for me too. (Yep, it’s that good.) And because I’m refusing to give in to all of the hustle and bustle, I’m going with its moody coloring and calling it Boo Berry Jam…because it’s not even Halloween yet and some of you need to stop thinking about turkey so soon!
Blueberry Freezer Jam (Halloween Boo Berry Jam)
Yield: 2, 8-ounce jars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen strawberries and blueberries (I used a 2:1 ratio of blueberries to strawberries to keep it Boo–tiful!)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup Bolthouse Farms Blue Goodness Smoothie
- 2 tablespoons powdered pectin
Directions:
Step 1: Using a large pot, heat the berries, white sugar and pectin over medium-high heat. Stirring often, cook for approximately 10 minutes, then smash fruit with a potato masher. (If you like your jam more smooth-textured than chunky, remove some of the heated fruit at this point and chop it up in a blender. But be careful. To make sure you don’t get burned, cover the blender lid with a towel. The heated fruit and steam can pop the lid off.)
Step 2: Add the Bolthouse Farms Blue Goodness Smoothie and pectin; stir constantly. Also, at this point, place a small plate in the freezer while you’re cooking the jam. Cook for approximately 5 more minutes.
Step 3: At the 15-minute mark, place a small dollop of jam onto the frozen plate and return it back to the freezer for 3 minutes. Remove the plate and run your finger through the jam. If the line “holds”, your jam is good to go. It will also thicken up some more in the fridge.
Step 4: You can store the jam in any kind of clean, sterilized, freezer-safe container. I prefer to use Ball Plastic Freezer Jars because they don’t break if they fall out of the freezer, but you can also use Ball Glass Jam Jars or even simple glass containers (like Pyrex). When filling, make sure to leave ½-inch of room at the top for expansion upon freezing. Leave jam sitting out at room temperature for 1-2 hours to let it cool down before putting it in the freezer. Or, refrigerator if you plan on eating it asap.
Notes: This blueberry freezer jam must be thawed out in the fridge and should be eaten within 3-4 weeks after thawing. It will stay fresh for up to 1 year in the freezer.
Happy canning,
Denine
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I always say I’m going to make some jam every year and I never do. This year I said it again as the kids picked off the blackberries across the street thinking I had more time. And now it’s the week
What a clever name. I have noticed when I make something with a fun name my kids will eat more of it!
I have everything I’d need to make this! We just discovered the Bolthouse smoothies and I bought four of these! My daughter loves them and I had frozen a couple and she took them to school. I’m going to have to hide one so I can make the jam!
I agree that the pacing can get a little overwhelming. I already feel my blood pressure rising! But having some Boo Berry Jam & a cup of coffee will slow things right down for me. Can’t wait to try it!
Wow, talk about incredible. I can’t wait to show this to our son. He LOVES stuff like this. thank you for sharing.
My kids love jam!! I will have to try this.
I’ve never made my own jam, but it looks easy enough! And I’d make this just because it’s got a great name!
Wow, that looks absolutely delicious! I’ve never attempted to make my own jam, but I will now! Your pictures are amazing by the way!
I have never made jam before and now I want to run to the store to get the ingredients, this looks amazing so of course I pinned it. Now I need to find your other recipes!
Wow! I am going to have to try that. I haven’t really tried making jam much – just some strawberry freezer stuff. I think it is cool that you used Bolthouse juice.
Yum! I don’t make jam often enough.. I even got a bread machine with a jam function, but… Yes, I agree that once Halloween is here I will be wishing everyone a “Happy New Year” before I have a chance to rest and catch my breath. It is crazy fast the older I get.
I would have never thought about adding smoothie to a jam recipe for more flavor. Brilliant idea. I know what to do with all that frozen fruit in my freezer now. Thanks.
I’m pretty positive I need that in my life soon. It looks incredible and the name is too cute!
Oh I love your secret ingredient in your boo berry jam!! Sounds absolutely delicious! I like the name too! So “Halloween-ish’!!!
I have had a few Bolthouse Farms smoothies and every one was delicious. I am usually not a fan of jam, but I wonder if I’d like a homemade version better. I happily eat all of the ingredients in your Boo Berry Jam, so I am going to give it a shot!
You make this sound so easy. Is it really? I’ve never made jam before but this looks good. I want to try it. I would love this on some fresh, hot biscuits.
I bought some pectin a while back thinking that I would make jam with our raspberries, but then the plants died and I never used it. I didn’t realize how easy it could be to create some jam with that smoothie and the other ingredients. I’m looking forward to trying this!