Blackberry Grapefruit Jam

Spectacularly Delicious.  Not the blog — I’m talking about this Blackberry Grapefruit Jam. From out of the blue this recipe takes its place in the highest tier of favorite jam combos.

Its winning characteristics: A juicy, ripe fruit flavor with the berries and grapefruit working in harmony.  Both are tamed somewhat, with half of the blackberry mash getting sieved for seeds and the grapefruit rinds subdued into softness with advance parboiling.

These black beauties came from Long Island’s North Fork, just one bay (Peconic) and one island (Shelter) north of East Hampton.  The blues were left for others, a small consolation for snapping up all the blacks.

One last reason to add this to your recipe collection: You won’t see this flavor combo crowding the next parish potluck or county fair!

BLACKBERRY GRAPEFRUIT JAM
Recipe

2 qts. fresh blackberries
2 ruby red grapefruits
1 c. sugar
1 c. honey
4 T. Sure-Jell No Sugar Needed fruit pectin

Note: 2 quarts of blackberries mash down to 4 cups of pulp.  Sieving takes some of the volume out; the rinds add some back in. Net/net: Recipe calls for 4 c. prepared fruit, 1 c. sugar, 1.c honey recipe and 4 T. No Sugar Needed Pectin. 

Wash and drain the blackberries. In a flat bottomed bowl or pot (or XL Pyrex measuring cup, which is far more useful than one might expect) use a potato masher to crush the berries. Add one layer of berries at a time and don’t be lazy. When you think you’ve crushed them enough, do a little more.

Sieve half of the berry mash using a fine-mesh metal sieve and rubber spatula. A food mill with a fine disk will also work well. Sieve the seeds out of out half of the berry mash. The mixture is very thick so take care to scrape up any errant blobs and drips. 

Peel the grapefruit. Put the fruit aside for some other use, it’s not needed here.

Place the rind pieces in a sauce pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and simmer the rinds for 5 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to cool them, drain well. Slice the rinds into strips, then chop in small, coarse chunks.  ater, then drain again. Put the rind pieces into a food processor and pulse until the rinds are reduced to small shards. Not too small.

Remove 1/2 c. of the berry mash and mix the 4 T. pectin into it. Stir well until the pectin is well dispersed.  It won’t dissolve totally but do break up any big lumps.

The the remaining blackberry mash into a large heavy pot. Stir in the pectin mixture and the grapefruit rind pieces.  Bring up to a boil, over medium heat, stirring as you go. Bring the fruit up a consistent boil that doesn’t stop while stirring and cook at this level for 2 minutes.

Add the sugar and honey to the pot, and stir, stir, stir.  Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat a bit, and cook for 5 minutes.  Stirring all the while!

Pour into sterilized jars, seal, and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

This jam makes more than five but not quite six half pint jars. So fill up five jars nicely and save the rest for tomorrow’s breakfast.