Blackberry Preserves

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe blackberries
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Instructions

1. 1

   Sterilize jars and lids and prepare a hot water bath.

2. 2

   Wash and sort though berries, picking off any stems or leaves and removing any that are not firm and fresh.

3. 3

   Add half of the berries to a large pot and add half the sugar.

4. 4

   Very lightly crush with a masher, top with remaining berries and sugar, toss and lightly crush again. Add the lemon zest and juice, stir and let rest for 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Place pot over medium heat, and bring slowly to a boil, stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved.

6. 6

   Increase heat and cook quickly until berries reach the jelling point at about 220-221 degrees F on a thermometer, roughly 30 to 40 minutes.

7. 7

   Skim off any accumulated foam from the top and ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

8. 8

   Wipe rims, add lids and rings and process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

9. 9

   Turn off heat and let rest in the canner for 5 minutes before using tongs to remove.

10. 10

    Place onto a thick towel to rest for 12 hours. Any that do not seal, refrigerate and consume first.