blueberry marmalade

No matter how many different preserves I stock in the pantry, I always run out of my marmalades first. Blueberry is no exception. It is the sweet and sour combination on the palate that draws morning southern biscuit eaters to the marmalade pot like flies to light. The deep dark blue of the preserve accented with the yellows and oranges of the rind give a most attractive presentation even on a formal breakfast table.

CANING NOTES

• This is a hot pack, acid recipe.

• pH is not an issue. No testing is required.

• This recipe makes 6 pints or 13 half pints.

• The recipe can be halved but not doubled. If

halved, add all the sugar at once.

INGREDIENTS

5 cups blueberries, rinsed and stems removed

3 thin-skinned oranges, thin sliced, seeded and quartered

2 lemons, thin sliced, seeded and quartered

1 cup water

½ tablespoon butter

2 packs pectin or 2/3 cups bulk pectin

11 cups sugar

Prepare and place all ingredients in a pot except the sugar.

Over high heat, stirring often, bring to a rolling boil. Add half the sugar, mix well and stir until ingredients show signs of boiling. Add balance of sugar and bring to a full, rolling boil.

Stirring continuously, time rolling boil for up to 3 minutes.

Take pot off heat and hot pack by ladling marmalade into sterilized jars according to the safe canning practices .

NOTE 1: Blueberries have lots of natural pectin, so jelling comes faster than with other fruits. After the first minute of timing, begin testing for jelling.

NOTE 2: Stir the ingredients well as you ladle into jars so each jar gets a portion of whole fruit. Once in the jars, the chunks of fruit float to the top. After the 2-minute inverted requirement, right the jars and over the next 30 minutes or so, periodically check. Shake the jars to disperse the particulates uniformly until jelling sets the fruit.