Best Huckleberry Preserves Recipes

HUCKLEBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Prepare the mason jars by placing them into a heavy bottom pot. Add water to the jars and the pot until it reaches over the top of the jars. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water until ready to use.
• Remove the stems from the berries and discard any rotted or crushed berries. Rinse berries well to remove the dirt and debris until the waters runs clear. Transfer the berries to a large pot and cover with water 1 inch above the berries.
• Add the baking soda and boil on high for 2 minutes to remove the bitterness of the berries. Drain and rinse berries before transferring them back into the pot.
• Add lemon juice and crush berries with a potato masher until most of the berries are broken and chunky.
• Lower the heat to medium, stir in the sugar and pectin, and bring to a low boil for 8 minutes stirring often.
• Remove one jar from the canner at a time pouring hot water back into the canner. Place the jar on a soft towel or cutting board. Ladle the jam into the hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch headspace between the top of the jar and the jam. Using a damp paper towel, wipe the jar rim to remove any jam or residue around the lid. Repeat until all jars are filled.
• Place the flat, round portion of the two-piece closure - in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat to sterilize the lids. Do not boil. Keep lids hot until you are ready to use them.
• Carefully remove a lid from the hot water and place it on the jar. Place screw band on the jar. With your fingers, screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. Do not screw on tight.
• Return the jar to the hot water-filled pot. Repeat lidding steps util all jars are in the canner. Adjust the water level in the pot so water is 1-inch above jars and bring water to a full rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling hard and continuously, begin the timing process of 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the water for 5 minutes before removing. Remove the jars, lifting them out of the hot water and transferring to the towel or cutting board to cool. Once cooled, tighten the screw band, label and store in a cool dark place for up to 2 years.

HUCKLEBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Put 2 1/2 cups huckleberries and 1/3 cup water in a blender with the lemon zest. Blend until pureed. Add balance of huckleberries and 1/3 cup water and puree.
• In large stockpot, add pureed huckleberries,pectin,lemon juice and water.
• Stir constantly. Bring to a rolling boil. A boil that cannot be stirred down.
• Stir in Sugar. Stir until dissolved. Bring a full rolling boil. One that cannot be stirred down. Boil 1 minute exactly.
• Stir in margarine.
• Take off heat and skim any foam.
• Pour in hot sterilized jars.
• Wipe rims with a hot cloth and seal and band.
• Put in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
• Take out on a toweled counter. Keep away from drafts until they seal.

MCP® HUCKLEBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.
• Crush huckleberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Place in saucepan. Add water and bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred). Remove from heat. Place three layers of damp cheesecloth or jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. Measure exactly 4-1/2 cups juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Add lemon juice.
• Stir pectin into juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 2 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

HUCKLEBERRY STREUSEL BARS

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of a straight-sided 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with foil.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt. Whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour to make a stiff dough. Transfer about 2 cups of the dough to the prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes (or if short on time, freeze for 5-7 minutes). Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bake the dough until crust begins to set but does not brown on the edges, about 20 minutes (center will not be firm yet). While crust bakes, prepare the streusel.
• With your fingers, combine the remaining sugar with the reserved dough until crumbly. Mixture should hold together when pressed, but readily break into smaller pieces.
• Spread the huckleberry preserves evenly over the hot crust. Scatter the streusel over the preserves, careful not to break it up too much. Set oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake bars near top of oven until top is golden, about 25 minutes. Once cooled, cut bars into 1 3/4 inch squares.