Home Grown
Blackberries
Blackberries are extremely seasonal. Eckert’s
blackberries ripen between the first part to the
middle of July. Blackberries are made up of clusters
of tiny juice sacs. Blackberries taste best when the
glossy shine turns slightly dull and fruit is
purplish-black. Blackberries and raspberries are
called bramble berries because they grow on bushes.
Buying and Storing
Choose berries that are firm without mold, soft spots
or discoloration. Check the bottom of the container
for crushed berries and avoid purchasing.
Refrigerate unwashed to prevent molding. Handle
gently to avoid bruising. Do not heap blackberries on
top of each other, this increases the risk of
bruising. Rinse in cool running water when you are
ready to eat the berries. Gently pat dry with paper
towels. Do not soak berries in water. Blackberries can
be stored in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days.
Blackberry Jam
2 cups fresh blackberries (about 1 qt berries)
4 cups granulated sugar
1 package powdered pectin
1 cup water
Sort and wash fully ripe berries. Drain. Place berries
in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add
sugar to mashed berries and allow to stand for 20
minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve pectin in
water and boil for 1 minute. Add pectin solution to
berry and sugar mixture; stir for 2 minutes. Pour
about 1 cup of berry mixture into pint-size freezer
containers (makes about 5 cups) leaving 1/2 inch of
headspace. Cover with a lid and let stand at room
temperature for 24 hours.
Store the jam in the refrigerator or freezer. Jam will
last about 3 weeks in the refrigerator and up to a year
in the freezer. Once the container is opened, the jam
should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a
few days. Do not store at room temperature after the
initial 24 hour “setting-up” stage.
Nutrition
Blackberries are an excellent source of vitamin
C, vitamin K, and fiber. Blackberries top the
nutrition chart for antioxidants, compounds that
are thought to reduce some cancers and heart
disease. All this nutrition is found in 1 cup fresh
blackberries with only 60 calories.
Freezing Blackberries
Since blackberries are so seasonal, freezing is an
easy way to lengthen the time you get to enjoy
these berries. Three suggestions for freezing
include: dry-pack, sugar-pack or syrup pack.
To dry pack:
Wash and gently pat berries dry with paper
towels. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in
single layer. Freeze about 6-8 hours or until the
berries are solidly frozen. Place frozen berries in
an airtight containers or plastic zipper freezer
bags. Label with date.
To sugar-pack:
Before freezing berries, mix 3/4 cup of
granulated sugar with 1 quart of berries. Gently
stir to coat the berries and to prevent bruising.
To medium syrup-pack blackberries:
Dissolve 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar into 4 cups
almost boiling water. Chill syrup. Place berries
in lidded freezer containers. Use just enough
cold syrup to cover the cleaned fruit. To keep
the fruit under the syrup, crumple a small piece
of waxed paper on top and press the fruit down
into the syrup before placing the lid. Allow 1/2
inch head space because freezing expanses. Use
frozen blackberries within 4-6 months. In home
refrigerator freezers prepare small batches so the
berries freeze quickly.