Berry Potpourri Preserves

I had some strawberries left from making the other jam. I decided since I have other frozen berries I needed to use up, to make a mixed berry combo this time. I added frozen raspberries, blueberries and blackberries that I picked last summer from my woods here. It turned out heavenly.

 Berry Potpourri Preserves Makes 5 pt. jars

2 qts. mixed berries (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry or whatever you have on hand) frozen can be used too
Juice of 1 lemon if you use blueberries
1/2c. of Marion berry balsamic vinegar or plain balsamic*
6 Tb. low sugar pectin
2c. organic sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

You can use any mix of berries you like. My mix for this recipe was about half strawberries (washed and hulled) to use up the flat I bought and the rest was from blackberries, raspberries and blueberries I had frozen in my freezer. If you use blueberries tho they are low acid so I added the lemon juice just to be sure. I do not cut these up. Strawberries are hulled but otherwise fruit is whole.

Put fruit in a lg. pot and turn heat on high. Add lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and stir. Add cinnamon and stir.  Add pectin and blend well. Bring to hard boil. A hard boil is one that cannot be stirred down. Watch carefully and keep stirring so berries don't burn. If some berries are still very lg. after the first boil you can break them apart with the spoon if you like.

 Add sugar and stir in well. Bring to a hard boil and let boil for 1min. Add vanilla and cook 1 min. more. Remove from heat, fill jars and can in water bath canner for 10min.

I wash all my jars and put the lids in a pot of boiling water. To keep jars warm while making jam, I heat my oven to 200 degrees. Jars get put on sheet pans and put in oven. You want warm jars with hot food or the jars may break. When all is ready fill jars to within a half in. of rim. Wipe edges well to get a good seal and top with lids. Put in water bath canner.

Water should be boiling, start timing from point of boil, 10 min. Shut heat off and let jars sit in canner 5min. This helps create a good seal. Remove and let cool.

*I have found at a local farmers market, someone who makes fruit flavored balsamic vinegars. I am madly in love with Marion berries since I moved here. This vendor has a Marion berry balsamic that Ive been dying to use somewhere. I thought it would add one more berry flavor to the mix. But I could see a fig balsamic or any other kind you may like adding another flavor to this too. But even a plain balsamic would be nice.