This recipe is an amalgamation of a few different blueberry jam recipes and I’m happy with the consistency enough to repeat it. The lemon zest gives a nice lemony note to a predominantly blueberry flavor.

This recipe yields roughly 6 half-pint jars if you’re making a bunch for gifts, or you can make a third-sized batch to create about a pint of jam if you just want a smaller amount.

Larger version:
6 cups blueberries (3 pints) / 1 pint
6 cups sugar / 2 c
1/2 cup lemon juice / 2 tbsp + 2 tsp
Zest from 3 lemons / 1 lemon
2 tablespoons powdered pectin / 2 tsp

Smaller version:
2 cups blueberries (1 pints)
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp + 2 tsp cup lemon juice
Zest from 1 lemons
2 tsp. powdered pectin

Rinse the fruit and remove any stems. Put the blueberries in the pot and macerate them a bit with a potato masher.

Add the sugar, lemon juice, and zest to the pot and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Add the pectin and keep stirring constantly for a few more minutes. Try to get it to cook down a bit and skim off the excess foam (this can be saved and spread on something tasty).

Turn off the heat and see if the jam has thickened up a bit. It will still be runny, but how runny is it? If it feels too watery, put the heat back on for a while longer. Don’t cook too long — it’s possible to overcook it and end up with really thick, tough jam.

If you are canning, follow these canning tips to sterilize and seal the jars.