Boysenberries got their start in growth by the family well known for Knotts Berry Farm jellies and jams. Walter Knott was the first to grow the berry successfully. Since then Knotts Berry farm has popularized boysenberry jam which is now sold as a gourmet jam on many food shopping web sites. For a fresh version of the popular condiment, continue reading to learn how to make boysenberry jam.

The boysenberry is a cross between a blackberry, a raspberry, and a loganberry. Jam recipes for berries of any type can be used to make a boysenberry jam. Most fruit jams are made from simple recipes which include only berries and sugar as ingredients. In some cases a pectin or jelling agent may be included or if berries are not tart enough lemon juice may be added. Some cooks making their own jelly and jam choose to use a commercial product like Sure Jell. Homemade jam recipes have been passed from generation to generation and are found in many church cookbooks.

Fruit jams, jams, jellies and preserves make excellent holiday gifts, or additions to gift baskets. Boysenberry jam can be preserved in a jar with a decorated lid, have a ribbon attached with a recipe copy, and packaged with a fresh baked bread or batch of biscuits to deliver to a sick neighbor. Package the jam with a batch of mini muffins for a teacher gift basket, or serve the jam with fruit bread at a breakfast potluck. http://www.knotts.com/public/news/history/index.cfm?litemode=yes http://www.blunham.demon.co.uk/Yorksgen/Recipes/PreservesandJams/index.html

Ingredients

• 9 cups crushed boysenberries
• 6 cups sugar
• 4 pint size glass jars

Directions:

1. Combine berries and sugar and bring slowly to a boil
2. Stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Boil until the mixture starts to gel
4. Stir constantly while thickening so berry pieces do not stick to the pan
5. Drop a spoonful of jam on a plate to be sure it holds its thickness, continue to boil if not jelled.
6. Boil enough water to place in jars for heating
7. Empty water from jars
8. Pour boiling jam into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch space at top
9. Add caps and process
10. Pour, boiling hot, into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps
11. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath.
12. Listen for the plink sound of lids sealing.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups boysenberries, crushed
• 5 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 box fruit pectin (Sure Jell or other brand)

Directions:

1. Stir sugar into berries and let stand 10 minutes.
2. Mix water and pectin in small saucepan.
3. Boil pectin mix for 1 minute
4. Stir constantly until end of the 1 minute and immediately pour over fruit.
5. Stir for 3 to 4 minutes and pour into jars leaving 1/2 inch space at top
6. Clean jar and close with lid.
7. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours and then store in freezer up to 1 year

1. Kraft Recipes offers remake directions for jams and jellies that do not set.
2. If berries are not tart, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to the recipe. Remove the same amount of berry juice to insure the jelling process is not affected. http://www.kraftrecipes.com/kf/recipes/certo-boysenberry-jelly-60864.aspx
3. If less seeds are preferred in the jam crush the berries and heat until soft. Press them through a fine colander or sieve to remove them
4. Recommended use of commercially packaged boysenberry jam is within 2 years of purchase. http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16606
5. For homemade jelly or jams, recommended use is within one year. Although the jam may change colors, it should still be safe for use if no signs of mold are seen. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/questions/FAQ_jellied.html#7
6. Pectin is used to thicken freezer jam. http://allrecipes.com/howto/freezer-jam/detail.aspx