Blackberry Jam

2.25 kg blackberries
2.25 kg sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Since we picked WILD blackberries we had to soak them to eliminate the wildlife.

1. Cover the berries with water in a large bowl.  
2. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of salt.  This will kill the caterpillars and other bugs hiding in the berries.
3. After allowing the berries to soak for a few hours, carefully scoop out the bugs floating on the top.  Gently stir and scoop out the bugs as they surface.
4. Rinse the berries to wash off the salt water.
5. Drain.

Now we are ready to make the jam.

1. Mix the sugar into the washed berries and allow it to sit for a few hours or over night.  This helps to draw the juices out of the berries.
2. Heat the mixture gently until the berries are soft enough to squash.  
3. I tried to mash them with a potato masher, but gave up and blended them quickly with a stick blender.  Blackberry seeds are very hard and I wanted to remove them before making the jam.
4. Push the blended mixture through a sieve to separate the seeds from the pulp.  Discard the seeds.
5. Put the pulp back in the pot and add the lemon juice.
6. Bring to the boil and test the jam after 15 minutes. 
7. Continue to heat the jam until it reaches the setting point.
8. Pour into sterilized jars and seal the lids.  Makes 5 300 ml jars. 
9. Label and store.

**To test for the setting point of jam take a tsp of jam and drop it onto a cold plate and put the plate into the fridge or freezer.  Wait a few minutes and then draw your finger through the jam.  If it tracks back together it is not ready.  If the track remains open it is ready to bottle.**

~Lorna