picked, jammed and jarred in 90 minutes!!
After much stirring and skimming of foam (30 minutes or so), we decided to test our jam with the old ‘icy plate in the freezer’ trick. It was a bit runny but we didn’t want to cook the berries much longer since the jam would become more solid than we like (our favorite style is more compote-like).
I sterilized the jars in boiling water and started canning – 15 4-oz jars in about twenty minutes. Voila!
It’s now 5:30pm and Chez Besser’s second batch of olallieberry jam is setting. If you happen to read my blog (and you know me and live nearby), send me an email if you want to join my next jam-making session.
Postscript: The above photo features a stunt jar. No way could they cool down fast enough for the labels to stick!
When I make jam it does not have butter in it and we process after canning as well. It takes a while but I know it will last. How long is the jam good for without the process after putting in jars and with the butter in it? This was so quick I want to try it!
Hi Cara,I made some raspberry jam with my friend, Nancy, yesterday and she didn’t have any butter so we went ahead without it. I didn’t notice extra foam this way so am going to omit butter for future batches (just skim more, if necessary). We like our jam more tart and really loose – if you want a firmer jam, just cook it about 20 or so minutes more. I think the jam with butter keeps fine (unopened, on the shelf); we made a deliberate decision to can in 4-oz jars to avoid any spoiling (in the fridge) once the jam is opened. I’ve noticed non-pectin jams have a shorter life once opened; ours now get eaten so fast, they are ok. Does that help?Let me know how yours comes out! Our berries are ripening so fast, I have to make more today.kathy
I have never heard of olallieberries, so I googled them and they are supposed to be most widely cultivated along the West Coast?! I grew up in Bandon and that is about as west coast as you can get. lol Now I have to search some of these babies out
I am now in Southern Oregon any ideas where I can get my hands on some?
I always use a pat of butter in my fruit that foams. Doesn’t affect the shelf life at all.
Brooke, any nursery should be able to order them for you (bare root plants are typically available just before spring). We got many of our plants from my parents’ yard about 12 years ago. My dad says they originally came from Oregon so I expect you’ll find a number of places locally to get plants.Ours are now so prolific, we are giving new canes (shoots that will bear next year) to friends and family. We have berries on all three fences in our backyard and my husband still wants more if you can believe it. This is why I’m canning and freezing like a madwoman, in addition to inviting our friends over to pick. It’s crazy berry time Chez Besser!
Cathie, thanks for chiming on with your experience. I’ve only used the butter in my first two batches, which are only a week or two old. I’m glad to hear it doesn’t affect the shelf life long term!
Kathryn, funny thing is we are in the Nursery business and I have lived in Oregon my entire life! lol I do see our grower has them listed underblackberry. Think I had better get some for the nursery for next season so I can have some in my garden! Woot Woot!!
Brooke… yes, definitely!! I think olallieberries are WAY better than any other type. You’ve inspired me to do a giveaway this week so tune in tomorrow, ok? I will be giving one of my homemade olallieberry jam jars plus a copy of my book to one winner.
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19046"></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-FAMILY: Berylium; COLOR: #004080; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" id=role_body bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 rightMargin=7 topMargin=7><FONT id=role_document color=#004080 size=4 face=Berylium> <DIV><FONT size=4>oh yummy~ </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 6/13/2011 11:53:01 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,</DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>
yummy