Hey there! I can’t wait to share this blueberry lime jam recipe with you. This jam is so much better than anything store-bought. Homemade blueberry jam with lime is a citrusy twist on the classic.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my blueberry blackberry freezer jam and blueberry bourbon jam recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my jam recipes in one place.
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Why you need to make this blueberry lime jam recipe
Blueberry lime jam is sweet and bright with a bit of citrus. I had fresh juice left from making a key lime pie, so I wanted to incorporate it into this jam. Blueberry jam is excellent as is, but with the addition of lime, it becomes something really special.
Blueberry jams or pie fillings tend to be sugary sweet and don’t always have a ton of blueberry flavor. The addition of lime juice and zest really makes the blueberry flavor pop. It brings balance to the jam and brightens the flavor.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this homemade jam recipe are very simple and straightforward – blueberries, limes, sugar and pectin.
Make sure you pick through your fresh blueberries to get rid of any fruit that is moldy or starting to go bad. This can ruin an entire batch of jam and we don’t don’t want all of our work to be for nothing.
How to make it
If you are new to making jam, or to canning, it can be a little daunting. But, with a bit of practice, you’ll be a jam-making pro in no time.
- The first step is to sterilize jam jars and lids. Submerge them in simmering water and let them stay in the water until the jam is almost ready. You want the jars to be hot when the jam goes in.
- Then, crush the berries with a potato masher. Add pectin to crushed blueberries and stir to combine.
- Add the lime juice and sugar, stir to combine and bring to a full boil. Boil jam until thickened and do gel test.
- Add zest, stir to combine and ladle jam into jars. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes, then cool on kitchen towel.
Testing jam for gel stage
Once your jam has cooked down and is thickened, test it for the gel stage. To do this, you’ll put a teaspoon or two of jam on a plate that you’ve put in the freezer.
Gently push the surface of the jam – if it wrinkles on top, that’s a good sign. If your finger runs right through it, it’s not there yet.
Another way to test for doneness is to put a spoonful of blueberry lime jam on the frozen dish and put it back into the freezer for one minute. Swipe a finger through it to see if it runs back together. If it doesn’t come back together, the jam is ready.
Tools and equipment
Below is a list of helpful equipment for making homemade jam. Some of it is canning specific, but some of it is not and you probably have most of it already.
- half pint jars
- new lids and rings (reused lids increase the chances of a bad seal)
- long handled wooden spoon or non-reactive spoon
- a large stock pot with rack
- canning tongs (jar lifter)
- canning funnel
- potato masher
- oven mitts
- non-reactive ladle
Blueberry lime jam Q & A
Yes! To use frozen berries, don’t thaw them. Just proceed with the recipe as is.
Yep. Jams made without pectin are generally softer, looser jams. You can absolutely make this without pectin – just expect a softer set jam. It also may take a bit longer to cook down and get to the “gel stage”.
Nope. If you want to store all of the jars in the refrigerator, you do not have to process them. I’ve heard that across the pond, they don’t always process jam, they just let it cool on the counter and seal overnight. Because I’m EXTRA cautious, I always process mine for safety.
While making this jam, I had a jar not seal properly for the very first time in my life. No worries, it is still completely edible. If this happens to you, put that jar in the fridge and eat it first, while the other jars can be stored in the cabinet.
Variations
You could swap out the limes for lemon and still have a citrusy zing to the jam. Or, swap out the blueberries to make strawberry lime jam.
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Blueberry lime jam
Blueberry lime jam is a citrusy twist on a classic flavor.
Ingredients
- 5 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup lime juice (about 3 limes)
- 2 tbsp. lime zest (about 3 limes)
- 1/4 cup powdered pectin
Instructions
- Place 4 half pint (8 oz.) mason jars in a large stock pot/canning pot. Add enough water to cover the jars and bring to simmer.
- Place the lids into a small saucepan and simmer those in a bit of water as well. No need to warm the rings, just the lids. (Make sure you are using new lids, it's best not to reuse them.)
- Put a small plate in the freezer to test doneness for jam.
- Add blueberries to a large pot and crush with potato masher. Add pectin to crushed blueberries and stir to combine.
- Add sugar and lime juice to mixture, stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Bring jam to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and test jam for gel stage by putting a teaspoon of jam on the plate from the freezer. Place plate in freezer for one minute and swipe your finger through the jam. If it stays separated, jam is ready. If not, boil an additional minute and test again. (It's better to undercook than overcook.)
- Using canning tongs (or regular tongs with a dish towel wrapped around them) remove the jars from the water, pour the water out and set a wide mouth funnel inside of one jar.
- Using a ladle or measuring cup, scoop jam and pour into warm jar leaving 1/4" of space at the top. Repeat until all 4 jars are filled, then wipe the rim of the jar with a damp towel, making sure the thread of the jar is clean.
- Remove the lids from the simmering water, screw on the rings but do not tighten all the way. Enough to secure the lid, but not completely tightened. Repeat with remaining jars.
- Place jars into a canning rack if you have one and lower into water in canning/stock pot. If not, use tongs and lower the jars one by one (fairly quickly) into the water. Make sure water covers the jars by at least two inches.
- Bring water to a full boil. Boil for 10 - 12 minutes, then remove from water. (I always place my hot jars on top of a dishtowel on the counter so nothing slides around.)
- Leave jars for 24 hours, you will hopefully hear that beautiful "PING" sound fairly soon after they've come out of the water, but it may take a little while.
- To make sure the jar has sealed properly - press on the lid. If it has ANY give whatsoever, it has to go in the fridge. Otherwise, your jam is good to go! Remove rings, if desired. You don't need them anymore.
Notes
Jam may take up to a few days to completely set. DON'T PANIC if your jam doesn't set right away. Usually, it will set within 24 hours.
If it doesn't set, you can still eat it! Use it for pancakes, ice cream or your morning yogurt!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
32Serving Size:
2 tbsp.Amount Per Serving: Calories: 94Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 0g
Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
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