If you are not sure what to do with garden huckleberries, make some jam to enjoy through the winter months. Homemade jam has no chemical preservatives, making it a better option than the store-bought varieties. The right mix of berries, acid from lemon juice, pectin and sugar creates a gel consistency that spreads nicely on toast, sandwiches or crackers. One batch of jam makes 5 to 6 half-pints or 2 to 3 pints.
Step 1
Wash your huckleberries with water, and place them in a colander to drip-dry.
Step 2
Pick through the berries and remove stems, debris and berries that appear rotten.
Step 3
Place a 1-inch layer of berries in a large mixing bowl, and crush them with a potato masher. Pour the mashed berries into a large saucepan and repeat until you crush them all.
Step 4
Add the lemon juice and water to your saucepan, and stir to combine. Pour the pectin into your berries while stirring.
Step 5
Place the saucepan onto your stove, and turn the heat to high. Stir continuously while bringing the mixture to a boil.
Step 6
Pour the sugar into your saucepan, and stir to combine while bringing the mixture back to a boil. Boil for one minute -- stirring continuously to prevent burning or foaming out of the pan -- and remove from heat.
Step 7
Skim the foam off the top of the mixture with a mesh or slotted spoon and discard.
Step 8
Scoop or pour the huckleberry mixture into pint or half-pint sterilized canning jars to 1/4-inch from the rim. Place a boiled canning lid on top of the jars, and secure with jar rings.
Step 9
Process the jars in a hot-water bath canner for five minutes for shelf storage or place in a freezer for up two months. Process the jam 10 minutes for altitudes over 1,000 feet.
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