It's July and here in Virginia the first of the blackberries will be ripe very shortly (they are delayed this year due to an unseasonably cool spring). I pick gallons of these each year and make preserves from them, they are delicious and make great Mustachian gifts. Here is my recipe if you want to give canning a try, it's ridiculously easy. I learned on my own four years ago in my forties, so I'm no natural. If I can do this, you can too.
1) Get a basic Ball canning tool set if you don't have one (magnet and tongs for handling everything, plus funnel to transfer preserves to jars, plus measuring device, about $10) and 64 ounces of jars in whatever denomination you prefer, I usually use 8 ounce jars but pints are a good choice too. You will also need 4 and a half cups of sugar and fruit pectin from the store.
2) Now go pick and thoroughly rinse some ripe blackberries. This is the most fun part IMO. You will need 5 (corrected 7-6-13) cups of crushed berries (use a potato masher to crush), so you will need a gallon of loose berries for this.
3) Put the jars, lids, tongs, magnet, and caps in the dishwasher before you get started. Then, when you are ready to make preserves, heat your oven to 225 degrees and place a clean cookie sheet in it. Transfer everything (except tongs and magnet) to a cookie sheet and then cut off the heat so they will be further sterilized. I have made hundreds of jars and haven't had one go bad yet. Then have a cutting board or something similar that can withstand some heat ready to transfer these to.
4) Put your blackberries in a large pot and add the pectin per the directions on the label. Powdered or liquid is fine, it's just a thickening agent. I use powdered. In a second large pot, bring enough water almost to a boil that will completely cover these jars when they are added later (remember, just like you in a bathtub, the jars will displace some water)
5) Bring blackberries to a rolling boil (the blackberries will get very foamy on top) for one minute. Then add sugar, return to a rolling boil for one minute (foam again), and remove from the heat.
6) Now open the oven and transfer the 64 ounces of jars (with the tongs!) to the cutting board. Using the funnel, add blackberries to the jars so that there is about 1/8 of an inch of space between the very top of the jar and the blackberries, one notch on the measuring device.
7) Using the magnet, transfer the lids to the jars. Transfer the sealing rings next. Using an oven mitt, hold the jar with one protected hand while you screw all the lids down tight.
8) Using the tongs, transfer all the jars to your water bath and boil for ten minutes. Put your cutting board in a place that will be out of the way.
9) After ten minutes, transfer the jars back to the cutting board and allow the jars to rest for 24 hours. If you have sealed the jars properly you will hear them begin to pop in an hour or two after transferring. If a jar doesn't seal (and all of mine always have), no worries, just put that jar in the fridge and begin using immediately. It's preserves, they'll keep for months in the fridge.
That's it! Congratulations, you now know how to can preserves!
