Homemade Blueberry Currant Jam Recipe

What better way to savor the flavor of summer berries than to capture the essence of blueberries and currants at their mid summer peak. Blueberry currant jam is sweet and tart and tangy all at the same time, and both blueberries and currants are nutritionally dynamic foods that should be a part of a well balanced diet. This easy jam recipe will ensure that you have the fresh picked flavor of summer at your fingertips all year long.

As I mentioned in a previous recipe for Raspberry Currant Jam, adding currants to a jam recipe means that you don't need to add any additional pectin to get the jam to set properly. Currants are chock full of natural pectin and the jam will set magnificently with no added pectin, using only the naturally occurring amount in the currants. Currants also have high levels of Vitamin C (four times more than oranges), are rich in anti-oxidants, and add a great tart flavor to compliment the blueberries.
Here is your ingredient line up:
It doesn't matter what color of currants or blueberries you use, the combination of both red currants/blueberries, or black currants/blueberries looks especially visually striking, with a deep, dark jam. Whatever color of berry you choose to use it will still taste great.

Cooking Directions:
  • Wash currants (you don't need to de-stem) and place in sauce pan with water.
  • Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Press through chinois or other strainer to get just currant juice and pulp.
  • Add the currant juice/pulp, blueberries and sugar to a large stock pot.
  • Stirring continuously, slowly bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Keep at a full rolling boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the jam reaches the gel stage.  This may take a little more time depending on the ripeness of your berries.  Take a small amount of the liquid, drip it onto a saucer and see if it sets in a few minutes, if it does great.  But if it’s still runny, continue cooking down the liquid. 
  • Remove from the heat and ladle into sterilized canning jars.
  • Seal jars and boil in a water bath for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from water bath and allow to come to room temperature.
This recipe can take just an hour to an hour and half to complete, it's pretty simple. In no time at all you can have jars of deep, richly red colored blueberry currant jam. There's no better way to alleviate those winter blues than by cracking open a jar of delicious blueberry currant jam to add to your favorite bread, scone, or peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 
If you’re looking for additional jam recipes, check out How to Make Raspberry Currant Jam. And for more DIY ideas, check out How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract and a recipe for Pickled Beets.

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