Blackberry Juice

5 from 1 vote

Canning blackberry juice is an easy way to preserve ripe berries as a versatile pantry staple you can drink, mix into drinks, or turn into jelly later. This method uses a short simmer for extraction, a slow drip strain for clarity, and a quick water bath process for shelf-stable jars.

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Canning Time8

Total Time1 18

Course: juice

Cuisine: American

Keyword: blackberry canning recipes

Servings: servings, makes 2 pints

Equipment

Ingredients

16 cups blackberries about 4 to 5 pounds
2 cups water
sugar optional, to taste

Instructions

Prepare a boiling water canner, along with jars and lids.
Add blackberries and water to a large stainless-steel saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat, cover loosely, and simmer gently 5 to 10 minutes, stirring and crushing occasionally, just until berries are softened.
Transfer the hot berry mixture to a dampened jelly bag or a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a deep bowl. Let drip undisturbed until it stops dripping. Most sources suggest 2 hours or overnight, but I've found that it's given all it's going to give after about 15 minutes. Do not squeeze if you want clear juice, but go ahead and squeeze if you want the best yield.
Optional for clearer juice: refrigerate strained juice overnight to let sediment settle. Carefully pour off the clear juice and discard sediment.
Pour juice into a saucepan. Add sugar to taste if desired. Bring juice to a gentle simmer.
Ladle hot juice into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids, and tighten bands to fingertip tight.
Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation.
Turn off heat, remove canner lid, and let jars rest 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12 to 24 hours, then check seals.

Notes

Blackberries are roughly 3 cups to a pound. It takes about 4 cups of blackberries (1 quart) to make about 1 cup of blackberry juice, depending on your fruit (as some is much juicier than others).

The goal is just enough water to prevent scorching. A good rule of thumb is about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water for every 4 cups of berries, adjusting as needed based on how juicy your berries are.

Sugar is optional. If you want a ready-to-drink juice, sweeten lightly before canning. For the most versatile pantry staple, can it unsweetened and sweeten when serving.

Nutrition