I don't think you're ready for this jelly...

     Although the apple tree was mercilessly massacred a few years ago, along with the demise of the strawberry patch, the blueberry bush has somehow made it out unscaved by the over-active pruners in our clan. The first harvest was yesterday! The berries themselves were medium sized, hazy blue, and pretty tart. Some people thought they were disgustingly sour. All I can say is, if you can't handle the pucker, get yurself better big-girl panties. Since the yield was so small (about 1/2 lb) I decided to make a small batch of jam. Here we go.

Blueberry Brown Sugar Jam

Select blueberries that are plump and uniform in color. Discard any twigs or critters. A spider flew out of my berries and I almost dropped these little gems. 

Even if you grew your own berries, it's a good idea to give them a lil rinse to dislodge any dirt and remove any other undesirable elements. I normally don't wash things we grow if people aren't home. Dirt don't hurt.

Add your blooberries to a small pot and add the honey, sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Cook for 20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened a good bit. The naturally high percentage of pectin in blueberries will help them set even more in the fridge. This seems like a lot of added sweetener, but we must recall that these little guys were sour patch kids. You will have to adjust the amount of sugar slightly based on the sweetness of your berries.

I would show you what the cooked down berries ended up looking like, but my pot literally exploded, making for an ugly frame. ***PSA*** Never walk away from a pot on the stove unless you have a grandpa to tell you your "berries are everywhere."

Once your jam has cooled, you can store it in a jar. I would say you could use plastic, but I think glass works best for this. Poor Coyotito, he wants jam too.

You can put this jam on nearly anything, from ice cream to pork chops. My favorite application is to spread it on toasty, buttered bread. Butter is key. For those of you who say you don't like butter, do everyone else a favor and stop lying. It's unpatriotic. 

Randog has upgraded from a sock to a shirt! Dog allergies are the #1 ailment of all domestic dogs in America.

Recipe

1/2 lb blueberries

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c honey 

pinch of salt

juice of 1/4 a lemon

(Refrigerate after cooled)