This vibrant Triple Berry Jam is the go-to recipe of Catherine Barr, Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets. Each summer, when the stalls overflow with ripe berries, Catherine turns the season’s bounty into jars of jewel-toned jam. The blend of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries creates the perfect harmony of sweetness and tang, while a touch of lemon juice brightens the flavor and helps preserve the color. It’s a simple, classic recipe that captures the taste of summer in every spoonful — delicious spread on morning toast, spooned over yogurt, or gifted to friends.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups fresh blueberries
3 cups fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
2 packages (1.75 ounces each) dry fruit pectin (like Sure-Jell)
7 cups sugar
METHOD:
Wash and sterilize jars and lids in hot, soapy water or a dishwasher cycle. Keep jars hot until ready to fill. Prepare a boiling-water canner or large stockpot fitted with a rack, ensuring enough water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring water to a simmer while you make the jam.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and lemon juice. Using a potato masher, gently crush the berries to release their juices — you want a mix of mashed and whole fruit for texture.
Stir in the pectin and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Add all the sugar at once, stirring until completely dissolved. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove the pot from heat and skim off any foam from the surface. Carefully ladle the hot jam into the prepared jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe rims with a clean, damp cloth and secure lids and rings until fingertip-tight.
Place the jars in the boiling-water bath, ensuring they are fully submerged with at least 1 inch of water overhead. Process for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed).
Remove jars to a wire rack or towel-lined counter. Allow to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check seals before storing — sealed jars can be kept in a cool, dark place for up to a year; refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within 3 weeks.
YIELD: 9 pints and 1 half-pint.
