Huckleberry Lime Jam ~ Low Sugar!

1.   Wash 5 half-pint jars and keep them warm. Fill water bath canner with a rack half full of water. Place canner on a large burner, cover, and begin heating to 180°F (82°C). Place a tea kettle or saucepan of water on another burner and keep it on low heat to provide a reserve of boiling water in case it is needed during the canning process.

2.    Prepare the jam:

A.   Place 1 to 2 cups of berries at a time in a pie plate or medium bowl and mash with a potato masher. Alternatively, you can briefly pulse the berries in a food processor. Make sure not to puree them. Measure 4 cups of mashed berries and add to a medium-size, heavy-bottom pot. Zest the lime and add 1 teaspoon of lime zest to pot. Juice the lime and add ¼ cup lime juice to pot. You may need to use the second lime to get enough juice. Add calcium water to pot and stir well.

B.   Measure sugar into a separate bowl. Thoroughly stir pectin powder into sugar.

C.   Bring berry mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

D.   Add sugar-pectin mixture and stir vigorously 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve pectin while mixture returns to a full boil. Remove from heat.

3.  Place drained jars near the preserving pot. Use a canning funnel and a ladle to fill jars to within ¼-inch (1.5 cm) of the top. Use a bubble releaser or a clean chopstick to release bubbles trapped in the jam. Check the headspace and adjust if needed.

4.   Wipe rims of jars with a clean, damp cloth. Add lids and rings. Tighten rings securely. (If you are a petite person who is not strong, tighten them very firmly; if you are especially strong, avoid tightening the jars too hard.)

5.   Load filled jars into the canner rack, keeping jars upright. If you have a shaped wire rack that has handles to hold it above the water in the canner, you can load jars onto the rack in the raised position and then use the handles to lower the rack with jars into the water. Add hot water from the tea kettle if needed so that the water level is 1 to 2 inches (5-10 cm) above the tops of the jars.

6.   Place lid on canner and raise the temperature to high heat. When the water boils vigorously, set the timer for 10 minutes. (Add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level.) Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle, steady boil. 

7.  When the timer dings, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars to allow the contents of the jars to settle and to avoid siphoning. 

8.  Using a jar lifter, remove the jars one at a time, being careful not to tilt the jars. Carefully place them on a towel or wire cooling rack, leaving at least one inch of space between the jars.

9.  Let the jars sit undisturbed while they cool, from 12 to 24 hours.  You will hear the “ping” of jar lids as they vacuum seal themselves. Do not tighten the rings or push down on the center of the flat metal lid until the jar is completely cooled.

10.  To check the seals, press each lid with your finger: a sealed lid will feel firm, while an unsealed lid will flex under pressure and make a small popping sound. Remove rings from sealed jars. Put any unsealed jars in the fridge and use first. 

11.  Wash jars under lukewarm water to remove all residues. Dry them with a clean dish towel or allow them to air dry.

12.  Label each jar with the date and name of product. If you keep a preserving journal, add the info to the page. Store your preserves in a cool, dry, dark place and plan to use within a year or two. Once the jar is opened, refrigerate any unused portion.