Raspberries are in full-swing in British Columbia and now is the best time to take advantage of the great summer harvest by preserving them into tasty jam. Here’s a great recipe that comes from Bernardin. The key to making jam is not to double batch the recipe – it never works and your jam won’t turn out.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups mashed raspberries
  • 1 package of Bernardin liquid pectin
  • 6 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ tbsp butter

Sterilize 6, 250ml jars. Place snap lids into hot water (not boiling). Keep jars and lids hot until ready to use.

Using a deep, stainless steel pot, stir together raspberries, sugar and butter. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Add liquid pectin. Return to full boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Pour the hot jam into the prepared jars, leaving a ¼” head room from the top of the jar. Wipe off the jar rim and remove any food residue. Place the hot lid onto the jar and screw on a jar ring, finger tight.

Place in a hot water bath canner. Bring canner to full rolling boil. Boil filled jars for 10 minutes (adjust accordingly to your altitude).

When the processing is complete, turn off the stove and remove the canner lid. Wait five minutes and then remove the jars, placing them on a towel away from drafts. Let the jars sit for 24 hours.

Remove the rings and wash jars and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry jars. For easy removal of rings and to dress up your jars, place a piece of fabric over the jar and then screw the ring back onto the jar.

Store jars in a cool, dry and dark location. Don’t forget to label the jars, including the date canned.

For best quality, use within one year.