I have limited canning experience. I have canned blackberries before. Using just sugar and lemon juice. And a ‘dry’ sterilization method, using the oven. Really liked that.
My blackberry jam tasted wonderful. But was very thick.
I believe I cooked it too long. Kept trying to get it to the right temp.
I use the oven for sterilizing my jars, too. I love it - they’re out of the way & stay clean/hot until you need them.
I will give you links to my favorite canning recipes - favorites because they’re not too complicated and most of all, because they get “rave” reviews & I’m not exaggerating.
#1 - Jalapeno Pepper Jelly & you already have it.
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#2 - Blackberry Merlot Wine Jelly
https://highlandsranchfoodie.com/blackberry-merlot-jelly-recipe-holiday-gifts-from-the-kitchen/
Notes: instead of ‘one package of certo’, I use one package of Sure-Jell low sugar pectin. This is the pink box of Sure-Jell. The ‘original’, which you use for the Jalapeno Pepper Jelly is in a yellow box.
If you use the boxed Sure-Jell rather than the liquid, follow the same directions as I gave you on the jalapeno pepper jelly. She’s added the alternate dry pectin instructions at the bottom of the blog post since I first started making this, too. No problems with my jelly setting up.
I buy blackberries in season in 1-2lb amounts. Pick through & wash the berries, then blot dry with a paper towel. I put them on a cookie tray & freeze whole, than vacuum pack them in 4 oz packages (use a kitchen scale to weigh) & keep in the freezer. When they thaw, they’re basically “mush” which works well for this recipe! If you have your own blackberry patch, so much the better.
Wine - I use “Oak Leaf” Merlot found at Walmart. It’s $3 for 750 ml & $6 for 1.5L. Unfortunately, with the 750 bottle, you cannot get 2 batches - it’s 1/2 cup short. If you get the larger bottle, you can get 2 batches & have a couple of glasses left for “sipping” while you’re canning :-) This merlot comes through nicely with a bit of a wine taste in the jelly - I’ve had people ask what wine I use & they’re surprised it’s the “cheap stuff” from Walmart. If you have your own favorite wine, that’s fine, but I’d definitely not use an expensive bottle.
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#3 - Wonderful Salsa
http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/wonderful-salsa/
The guys in my family would dive headfirst into this salsa if the bowl were big enough - they love it.
The only change I make to the recipe is the peppers. Instead of the banana peppers, I use jalapenos. I have a “One Jalapeno” (aka 1JP noted on jar) or a “Two Jalapeno” (2JP on jar). It’s exactly what it looks like, but I use my food processor and after taking off the stem end & cutting a whole jalapeno into slices, I grind it up in the food processor .... seeds, membranes, and all - the whole thing is added to the salsa. Same if I’m using 2 jalapenos. This adds nice, but not overwhelming “heat” to the salsa. All of my batches this year are 2JP - the majority of folks like more heat. You’ll have to experiment with what you like .... or use the banana peppers as called for in the recipe.
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Those are the BIG 3 at my house. I have also canned tomatoes with good success, but I’ve cut down on my tomato plants this past year so I only had enough for salsa. If you’re interested in canning tomatoes, this is a great method (no water bath!) & a good video (where I found out about using the stove to sterilize jars, too). Be sure & read her notes on the video since they concern food safety using this method:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kmTH_q1usI
.... and I’m off to the Holiday Bake Sale with my Ho Ho Ho Happy Jalapeno Pepper Jelly!
I just use sugar and some lemon juice, no pectin. Using a large non stick skillet is the best for me. I put a glass lid on it for awhile and then smash the fruit, add sugar and lemon juice and then cook uncovered, stirring frequently. I cook it til it just hangs on the spoon, no more drips, then it is done. When it cools it will be the perfect consistency. I do a water bath on the jars, 5 minutes for pints, 10 minutes for half pints.