Mixed Berry Jam

Everyone in my generation in Zimbabwe has a sweet memory of Sun Jam. Its a sweet, red, mixed fruit jam that you usually got at Christmas breakfast. It would come in rusero – a woven winnowing basket, the bread all sliced up and smothered in the bright red jam and the tea that day will be made mostly of milk and lots of sugar. Oh good times! This is what motivated me to make this jam, different but the color is the same.

Here is how I made it

Ingredients
3 cups crushed berries, mix and match your favorites such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries
Juice of 1 lemon – I could not find pectin so I used this instead
2 cups sugar
Crystal Jelly Jars with lids and bands (I used the ones from Ball’s and recycled another one)

Directions:

1.) Prepare boiling water canner (I dont have a canner so I use my regular pots). Wash jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Heat jars
and in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set lids and bands aside.
2.) Wash your fruit and remove the core from strawberries. Cut them up into small pieces. Mash them with a potato masher – you could blend them but I like to see the small pieces of fruits. Put it in a saucepan. Gradually stir in lemon juice. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

3.) Add entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary.

4.) Ladle hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

5.) Place filled jars in canner ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water, as you can see my “canner” was not big enough but I make do with what I have, :-). Place lid on canner. Bring water to gentle, steady boil.

6.) Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid and let jars stand for 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lids should
not flex up and down when center is pressed.

I love seeing all those seeds and I must tell you this jam is SO GOOD! You can taste all the berries, you have to try this.