Blueberry Orange Jam

I just realized something.

Anyone that knows me in real life is finding out all of their Christmas gifts early if they read the blog!

Oops.

I just can’t keep these recipes a secret.

It’s the end of berry season here, which means I’m still in the “buy or pick as much as I can so I’ll have enough to eat, freeze, and can” phase.

Last year was my first time to ever try canning or making jam at home, and I’m officially hooked. If you couldn’t tell .

Sure, it takes time and makes my feet hurt. But I also get a free steam facial when I take the lid off the canner, a workout when we’re picking the berries, and then I’m left with homemade jam.

I didn’t want to post the recipe I made last summer until I knew if it actually worked and tasted good.

Thankfully, it was great! The blueberry agave jam I made for Christmas gifts last year was especially good on homemade biscuits. Not too sweet and full of fresh blueberry flavor.

This year, I knew I wanted to make more blueberry jam, but I had to do a little twist on the recipe.

I stuck with the same measurements for the berries, agave, and pectin, but added in a little bit of orange juice for a punch of bright citrus flavor.

These jars aren’t set yet, and I won’t open one for a while, but the jam smelled pretty incredible while it was cooking so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it tastes good, too.

Blueberry Orange Jam

Makes: 6 half pints

Ingredients:

• 2.5 pounds fresh blueberries (about 4 cups), washed
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1.5 cups agave syrup
• 3 Tbsp low sugar pectin

Directions:

1. Place the berries, orange juice, agave, and pectin in a large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Cook on medium, stirring, keeping the heat up enough so the fruit mixture stays at a low, rolling boil.
3. While the fruit mixture is heating, place jar lids in a small pan of water and simmer. Get your jars and lids ready for canning and have a large pot of water heating on the stove top.
4. Once the berries have mostly broken down and the mixture is thickened slightly, remove from the heat.
5. Fill each jar and leave 1/2 inch headspace, place a lid on the jar and secure the ring.
6. Process in a water-bath canner for 12 minutes.
7. Remove from canner and let the jars sit, unmoved, for a few hours until they have cooled and the lids have popped.