How to Can Homemade Blackberry Apple Jam

Article and recipe courtesy of Rachel Heller of Rachel’s Ruminations. Thanks, Rachel!

Home Canning Blackberry Apple Jam

Canning blackberry apple jam at home is a simple, satisfying way to preserve late-summer fruit. When blackberries and apples are abundant, making a batch of jam turns that fleeting harvest into a spread you can enjoy and give away throughout the year.

Preserving fruit used to be essential for survival—canning and storing summer produce helped families make it through the winter. Today, with year-round grocery access, home canning is more about flavor, tradition and reducing waste. It’s also a pleasant kitchen project that yields a thoughtful, homemade gift.

Every August and September, I pick blackberries from a nearby lot and gather apples from our trees. Some years the harvests overlap; this year they did, so I made blackberry jam, blackberry-apple jam, applesauce and apple-pear-raisin compote. I enjoy the process: prepping fruit, filling jars, and hearing lids pop as they seal.

There’s a little nostalgia and a lot of practicality in it. Homemade jam tastes fresh and bright—different from anything store-bought—and it’s satisfying to know exactly what went into each jar. I give many jars away to friends and family, and I hate to see ripe blackberries go to waste when no one picks them.

The recipe below makes a generous quantity and uses straightforward pantry spices. If you’ve never canned before, follow safe canning practices: sterilize jars, process finished jars in a boiling water bath for the recommended time, and check seals once cooled. If a lid does not seal, refrigerate and use that jar first.

Blackberry Apple Jam Recipe

Yield: about 10 jars

Ingredients:

2 pounds blackberries
½ pound apples, peeled, cored and chopped
A splash of water
Juice of one lemon
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Prepare the apples: peel, core and cut them into small pieces. Place the apples in a very large pot with just enough water to cover the bottom so the fruit won’t burn. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the apples are soft—about 15–20 minutes depending on the variety.
2. While the apples cook, sterilize your jars and lids by placing empty mason jars upright in a boiling water bath. Keep them hot until ready to fill.
3. Add the blackberries to the softened apples, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.
4. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the sugar until it dissolves completely.
5. Stir in the lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
6. Bring the jam back to a vigorous boil and let it simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for about 20 minutes. Stay nearby and monitor the heat.
7. Test for doneness by chilling a small plate in the freezer at the start of your cooking. When ready, spoon a small amount of jam onto the cold plate, return it to the freezer for 30 seconds, then run a finger through the surface. If it wrinkles, the jam is set; if not, simmer another 5–10 minutes and test again.
8. Using a jar lifter, remove a hot sterilized jar from the water and ladle the jam into the jar, leaving about 1 cm (roughly 1/3 inch) of headspace. Wipe the rim with a clean cloth, center the lid, and screw on the band snugly.
9. Place the filled jars back into the boiling water bath, ensuring they are covered by at least an inch of water, and process for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed.
10. After cooling, check that each lid is concave and sealed. Any jars that did not seal should be refrigerated and used soon. Label jars with the date and contents.