Blueberry Jalabanero-Cilantro Jam

1Wash and sterilize jars and keep them hot until jam is ready. Place boiling water canner with jar rack insert on burner with enough water to cover your jars once they are filled. Turn burner on high and begin boiling. (I always have extra water ready to boil in case I need it to cover the jars.) Also, place lids and rings in water and boil, and then reduce heat to keep them hot and sterile without melting the rubber seals. Just before jam is done (about 5 minutes before), remove jars from boiling water, and place on CLEAN towel to drain.

If you are a beginner or need complete instructions with pictures, please see Margarita Jelly (& jelly canning picture-tutorial)

Note: to prevent cloudy mineral discoloration of jars, you may place two teaspoons of white vinegar in your canner water and in the water you are using to boil your jars.

2In large pan, (I use a large dutch oven sized pan to prevent boiling over), Use liquid measuring cup, to measure 6 cups of the fresh blueberries. Add the raw sugar and stir to coat the blueberries. Allow to set while you prepare the lemons and peppers.

3Using a zester, zest three lemons (grating only the outer yellow layer and not any of the white pith). You should have more than 1/4 cup of zest.

Juice enough lemons to yield 1/2 cup of juice (after seeds and pulp are strained out).

Add juice and lemon zest to the blueberres and sugar in pan. Stir well.

4Mash the blueberries with a potato masher. The mixture will be soupy and the blueberries will all look well-mashed.

5Add toasted cinnamon stick. (You may toast it in a skillet, browning it on all sides, or you may hold it over an open flame, turning it to brown it on all sides to release the flavor.)

(Be sure to use gloves to work with peppers.) Add all of the minced peppers and salt and then mix well.

6Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring; then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes. Jam will get thick and will split when stirred (about 218 degrees F). I could feel the difference and how the mixture didn't immediately fill in the crack when stirred. You could also use the fork tines test on the following link by Karla Everett: Jelly / Jam Making Tips

7Add cilantro and whole blueberries. Taste for flavor and make adjustments. Remove cinnamon stick. Bring to boil for 1-2 minutes.

8When done, remove from heat. Have jars ready. Place them in a kitchen sink lined with a clean dish towel. Using a canning funnel, scoop jam into jars within 1/2 and 3/4 inch of rim.

Remove jars one or two at a time from sink, and place on a towel covered counter. Using a CLEAN wet towel or paper towel, wash off the rim of each jar. (If any jam gets on the rim, it will not seal.) Then dry rim.

Take sterilized lids and rings out of the pan of hot water with the tines of a fork or tongs, and cap each jar and screw on ring.

Using the tongs, place each capped jar into the boiling water canner (on top of rack). Once all jars are loaded, check the water level. If additional water is needed to cover the jars with at least an inch or two of water, pour boiling water in.

9Once the water in the canner is at a rolling boil (meaning you can't stir the boiling water down) time the boil for at least ten minutes. Never use larger jars than pints for canning jelly or jam as one cannot ensure that the internal temperature reached is sufficient in the water bath method.

Once time is up, turn off heat, and carefully use canning tongs to remove each jar (keeping each upright) and place the jars on a dish towel covered counter. Leave a little space between each jar. If you want to lay a paper towel over them to dry up the water on the lids that's fine, but don't touch the lids. Allow them to seal on their own.
You will begin to hear them pop. Some take longer than others, but be patient. Any which don't seal should go into the refrigerator and be used within a couple of weeks. Sometimes, I touch the seal at this point and it seals, but my mom says only trust them if they seal on their own.

10Notes regarding changes & differences: Localkitchenblog.com said that the batch yielded 4 half pints, but my batch yielded almost 7 half pints.

The original only used the zest and juice of 2 lemons, but I couldn't get 1/2 cup of juice until I used 7 lemons. I added the zest of one more lemon also because I love the zest.

The original only used 2 small jalapeno peppers and 1/2 habanero pepper, but my three large one jalapenos and 1 whole habanero didn't really make for a very hot jam. (My in-laws who hate hot peppers loved it. I will add some seeds and ribs next time for my own tastes.)

The original also only called for 2 tbsp. of cilantro, but I could barely taste it, so I increased the cilantro.

The blog got the recipe from Homegrown: Pure and Simple by Michel Nischan.