Blackberry Jalapeno Jam

Blackberry jalapeno jam is a deep purple, glossy jam with ripe blackberry flavor up front and a warm jalapeno kick at the end. It is made with crushed fresh blackberries, finely chopped jalapenos, apple cider vinegar and powdered pectin, then water bath canned so the jars keep for a year.

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Spoon it over cream cheese with crackers, brush it on grilled pork or chicken, or stir it into barbecue sauce. One batch makes about 7 half pints, enough to keep a few jars and give the rest away.

What goes into blackberry jalapeno jam

• 2 quarts ripe blackberries (to make 4 cups crushed)
• 1/3 cup very finely chopped jalapenos
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered fruit pectin
• 6 cups granulated sugar, measured into a separate bowl

Use fully ripe, dark blackberries. Underripe berries are sour and red at the stem end, and they make a duller jam. Frozen blackberries work too: thaw them in a bowl and use the berries together with their juice when you measure.

Check the vinegar label for 5% acidity. It is part of what makes the jam safe on the shelf, so a homemade or unlabeled vinegar is a poor swap here.

How to make it

• Crush the blackberries one layer at a time and measure exactly 4 cups into a large heavy pot. Wear gloves for the jalapenos.

• Stir in the jalapenos, vinegar and pectin and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Add all the sugar at once, return to a full rolling boil and boil hard exactly 1 minute. Remove from the heat and skim.

• Ladle into hot half pint jars with 1/4 inch headspace, wipe the rims and add lids and bands.

• Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (add 5 minutes above 1,000 feet). Sealed jars keep 1 year; refrigerate opened jars up to 1 month.

Tips for a jam that sets every time

Crush in layers and measure exactly

Crush the blackberries one layer at a time with a potato masher. If you put them all in at once, the berries at the bottom turn to juice while the ones on top stay whole. You want a mix of juice and small pieces of fruit.

Then measure exactly 4 cups. Pectin jams depend on the right balance of fruit, sugar and pectin, and guessing the amount is the most common reason a batch does not set.

Know what a rolling boil looks like

The pectin goes in with the fruit, jalapenos and vinegar and needs a full rolling boil before the sugar is added. A full rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Having the 6 cups of sugar waiting in a separate bowl lets you add it all at once, bring the pot straight back to that hard boil and start a timer for exactly 1 minute. Skim the foam with a metal spoon afterward so the jars look clean and glossy.

Handle the jalapenos with care

Wear gloves when you cut the peppers and keep your hands away from your eyes until you have washed them. Chop the jalapenos very finely, close to the size of the blackberry seeds, so the heat spreads evenly through every spoonful.

On the savory side of the jam shelf, our black pepper bacon onion jam is made for burgers.

If you like this one, try our Spiced Christmas Blackberry Orange Jam too.

Ways to change the heat and texture

Milder or hotter: For a milder jam, remove the seeds and white ribs. For more heat, leave some of them in, but keep the total at 1/3 cup so the jam still sets.

Fewer seeds: Blackberries have a lot of seeds. For a smoother jam, press about half of the crushed berries through a fine sieve, then top up with more crushed berries until you are back at the full 4 cups.

Less sugar: Keep the sugar as written in this recipe. It helps the jam set and keeps it safe on the shelf. For a lower sugar version, use a pectin made for low or no sugar recipes and follow its instructions.

Letting the jars set and keeping them

Keep the jars hot until you fill them, and screw the bands on finger tight. After processing, let the jars rest on a towel without tilting them. Give the jam 24 hours to set before you judge it, then check that each lid is sealed and does not flex when you press the center.

Sealed jars keep for 1 year. Once you open a jar, keep it in the refrigerator and use it within 1 month. Any jar whose lid still flexes after resting has not sealed, so put it in the fridge and open that one first.

If sweet and savory jars are your thing, our bourbon maple bacon jam and balsamic caramelized onion jam sit nicely next to this one on a cheese board, the pineapple ginger jam brings a brighter kind of warmth, and leftover berries can go into a blackberry velvet cake .

Questions about blackberry jalapeno jam

Why didn’t my jam set?

Usually the fruit was not measured exactly, the boil was not fully rolling, or it boiled less than 1 minute after the sugar went in. Wait the full 24 hours before deciding.

Can I double the batch?

No. Make one batch at a time for a reliable set. A larger volume of fruit and sugar heats differently and often comes out runny.

Is it very spicy?

With seeded jalapenos it is mild and warm. The sweet blackberries soften the heat a lot, so most people who avoid hot food still enjoy it over cream cheese.

Do I have to water bath can it?

Processing is what makes the jars keep for a year at room temperature. If you skip it, treat the jam as a refrigerator jam and store every jar in the fridge.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us