Prefer blackberry flavour without the seeds? This Sure-Jell blackberry jelly recipe starts with strained juice, giving you a smooth spread for toast, scones and biscuits.
On Fnbbuzz, I want the useful details close to the recipe: what to measure, which box to use and when to start the timer. Read the full method before heating your pot.
Recipe basis: The quantities and core method below follow Sure-Jell’s blackberry jelly recipe. This is an independently researched guide, not a claim of kitchen testing by Fnbbuzz. The earlier version has been corrected to remove inconsistent measurements.
Jump to the recipe · Canning times · Common questions
Jelly begins with juice
Do not measure crushed berries and call that the juice quantity. Prepare the berries, strain them and then fill the measuring jug. If you are short, extract more blackberry juice rather than inventing a water top-up.
Ingredients and method
Yield: about 6 cups. Use half-pint canning jars and have an extra jar ready. Pectin: Original. Measurements are US cups and spoons.
- 3¾ cups strained blackberry juice (buy about 2½ quarts ripe blackberries)
- 4½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 box Sure-Jell Original Premium Fruit Pectin
- ½ teaspoon butter or margarine (optional, to reduce foam)
Get your jars and equipment ready
You will need a large deep saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, a timer, ladle, canning funnel, jar lifter and a boiling-water canner with a rack. Use sound jars and suitable lids; prepare lids according to the current package directions.
For the 5-minute low-altitude process, pre-sterilize empty jars before filling: boil them for 10 minutes below 1,000 feet, adding 1 minute per extra 1,000 feet. Keep them hot. Read the jar-sterilization guidance.
- Wash and crush blackberries a layer at a time. Drain through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth; the manufacturer permits gentle pressing. Measure 3¾ cups strained juice.
- Combine the prepared fruit or juice with any lemon juice, vinegar or water specified for the cooking stage. Stir in the pectin. Add the butter if using.
- Stir over high heat until the mixture boils vigorously and keeps bubbling while you stir. Add all the measured sugar. Return to that rolling boil; stir continuously for exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim foam.
- Immediately ladle into prepared hot half-pint canning jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims and fit lids and bands according to their manufacturer’s instructions.
- Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes at 0–1,000 feet, using the longer time in the altitude table below when needed. Start timing once the water returns to a boil. Keep jars covered by 1–2 inches of boiling water; use 2 inches when processing exceeds 30 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, uncover and wait 5 minutes. Lift jars upright onto a towel and leave undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals after cooling; refrigerate any unsealed jars promptly.
Water-bath processing times
These are the recipe’s base time plus the adjustments in the Sure-Jell product insert. For elevations above 10,000 feet, obtain local extension guidance before proceeding.
| Elevation | Processing time |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 feet | 5 minutes |
| 1,001–3,000 feet | 10 minutes |
| 3,001–6,000 feet | 15 minutes |
| 6,001–8,000 feet | 20 minutes |
| 8,001–10,000 feet | 25 minutes |
If the canner stops boiling, bring it back to a boil and restart the full processing time. See the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s water-bath instructions for the complete equipment and handling method.
Cooling, storage and setting
Label properly processed, sealed jars and store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3 weeks, following the manufacturer’s storage guidance. A seal alone does not make an unprocessed jar shelf-stable.
Let the jelly cool before judging its texture. Do not extend the one-minute pectin boil simply because the hot mixture still looks liquid.
Common questions
Is blackberry jelly the same as blackberry jam?
No. Jelly uses strained juice; jam keeps crushed fruit. Their measurements are different, so a jam formula cannot be substituted at the juice-measuring stage.
Can I change the sugar or swap the pectin?
Keep this formula and its specified pectin together. Do not reduce sugar, exchange powdered pectin for liquid pectin or double the batch. For a different sweetness level, begin with a complete recipe designed for that product.
Simple ways to serve it
Try it on buttered toast or use a small spoonful in a peanut-butter sandwich. Its smooth texture is useful when you want the berry flavour without seeds.
More preserving help
Use the Fnbbuzz Sure-Jell recipe guide to compare Original, reduced-sugar and freezer methods before choosing your next batch.
