Blueberry Basil Preserves

I made a small batch of these blueberry basil preserves last week.  

It is quite tasty and a little goes a long way on wheat toast.  

Next time I might reduce the sugar by that last 1/4 cup.  

The berries we had were so ripe and sweet on their own, 

but too little sugar can cause problems with setting.  

Blueberries are quite high in natural pectin though, 

so that eliminates the need for any added pectin from the store.

I followed her directions pretty closely but tripled the ingredients.  

I ended up with 5 8 oz jars plus a but more.

Ingredients:

3 pints fresh blueberries

2 1/4 cups sugar

6 tablespoons lemon juice

10-12 large basil leaves washed and chopped

Directions:

Mash your blueberries in a bowl with the sugar. 

Add the basil and lemon juice and toss together & let sit for one hour.

Sterilize 5-6 8 oz. jars and put the bands and lids in hot water to soften the seal.

When ready, put the fruit mixture into a large saucepan. 

Bring to a boil and cook for 15-35 minutes or until it passes the plate test/reaches 220° F. 

This might take longer or maybe even less time; it will depend on the weather, how much liquid is in the berries, the ripeness, your stove, the type of pan you use, etc.

Pour into warm prepared jars. 

Wipe rims, place lids & bands, and process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.