Originally posted July 20, 2006
How could I pass up the opportunity to pick black currants right outside my door and turn them into jam? Turns out I couldn't pass it up!
The recipe I used is adapted from the Fox Moor Farm recipe. I didn't have the time (or the patience!) to pick five cups worth of berries, so my recipe was based on three cups. If you decide to make this jam, leave yourself plenty of time to cut the blossom ends off each individual berry. It would be a great thing to do with a group of three or four friends and you could move through the berries quickly...but on your own it gets tiring!
Black Currant Jam
3 cups black currants
2.5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Wash & remove stems and blossom ends from currants. Place fruit in heavy saucepan with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring to break down pulp. Cook 10 minutes until soft.
Add sugar and lemon juice and over low heat, stir until sugar dissolves. Raise heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 10 minutes and check for jam stage. Cook longer if needed and test again.
How could I pass up the opportunity to pick black currants right outside my door and turn them into jam? Turns out I couldn't pass it up!
Let stand 5 minutes and skim off any foam with a metal spoon. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.
(Easy jam stage test: The plate test; use a cold plate from freezer, pour a small amount of boiling mixture onto it. Return to freezer; wait 1 min, and check for gelling.)
Yield: three 6 oz. jars
I'm really happy with the way my jam turned out...it's tart but sweet at the same time. The color is beautiful! The consistency of the jam is thicker than I am used to, but that may be due to the lack of experience I have testing for the jam stage. Overall, I am happy with the end result - but I wouldn't like all that blossom-end picking again!
I think this jam is perfect for scones, wheaten bread or soda bread and would make a nice accompaniment to pork or turkey and will be sure to try that soon.
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