Love and Olive Oil

Blueberry Yuzu Preserves

Blueberry Yuzu Citrus Preserves

Blueberry week overfloweth.

One week has quickly become two. But who’s counting? I know I don’t have a problem with two weeks worth of blueberry recipes. Do you?

I wasn’t kidding when I told you we picked a lot of blueberries… the fact that only 2 1/2 pounds of them ended up as jam though, that’s unexpected. Although, I do have another 5 pounds in the freezer and that could very well end up as late-season jam sometime in the near future. Blueberry jam being one of my favorites, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Blueberry Yuzu Jam Recipe

Blueberry yuzu. Also known as bluezu.

What is yuzu, exactly? It’s a Japanese citrus, with a flavor somewhere between a lime and mandarin, with notes of juniper and other herbal aromatics not unlike a good infused gin (probably why it’s making itself known in the cocktail world, and it’s certainly not hard to guess where the remainder of our little bottle of it will end up).

I’ll be honest, I’d never really had yuzu before this, but the idea (and the flow of the words blueberry and yuzu together) just seemed like it’d make for a perfect preserve.

I was right (I mean, come on, I usually am.)

Blueberry Yuzu Citrus Preserves

Ok ok, faux-arrogance aside (I’ve been wrong plenty of times, believe me), this jam has such a unique quality to it. Taste it and you’ll think, this is an amazing blueberry jam… there has to be something more in there than just blueberries, but what is that flavor? I keep saying juniper but that’s the prominent flavor I get from the yuzu juice in combination with blueberries, which is bizarre and intriguing and downright delightful. If the stuff weren’t so expensive (seriously you’d think it was liquid gold or something), I’d make batches upon batches of this jam.

(Be sure to click through for the recipe and to download the FREE printable labels!)

Blueberry Yuzu Jam Recipe

I left the blueberries mostly whole, letting them soften and cook down with the heady citrus, making this more of a preserve than my typical jam. If you like things smoother you can certainly mash it up a bit more, but for me this was a nice change of pace.

Homemade Blueberry Yuzu Citrus Preserves

This jam is most definitely unique. At $16/bottle, I probably won’t be going around putting yuzu juice in anything and everything, but it’s a new and different flavor that was definitely fun to explore.

Blueberry Yuzu Preserves

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Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 pounds fresh blueberries
  • 1/4 cup yuzu juice, plus more to taste
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin
  • 2 teaspoons calcium water* (included with the pectin)

Directions:

  1. Prepare canner and wash/sterilize 5 half-pint mason (or equivalent) jars. Keep jars in hot (not boiling) water until ready to use. Warm lids in hot (not boiling) water to sterilize and soften seal.
  2. Place berries in a large, heavy saucepan along with yuzu juice and calcium water. Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until berries have softened a bit, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together sugar and pectin until evenly distributed.
  4. When blueberries reach a full rolling boil, pour sugar and pectin into saucepan, stirring vigorously until completely dissolved. Continue to stir until mixture returns to a full rolling boil, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam that may have formed. Taste, and add up to 2 tablespoons additional yuzu juice if desired.
  5. Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace. Wipe jar rims and threads. Screw on lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from water and let cool completely, 12 to 24 hours. Check seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks.

*Note: calcium powder to make calcium water is included with the Pomona’s brand pectin. If you are substituting another pectin brand/type, please follow the instructions inside your pectin package, paying attention to the process and the proportion of fruit to sugar required by that type of pectin (different kinds of pectin will require different amounts of sugar to properly set).

All images and text © / Love & Olive Oil

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Bonus Printable Labels

Ooo, shiny! Printed on mirror-like silver foil label paper, these labels make for a stunning presentation, especially if you’ll be gifting your jam to others. The labels could also be printed on plain white, gold foil, or even kraft label paper for a more natural look.

Blueberry Yuzu Preserves Printable Canning Labels

The downloadable PDF file includes 24 labels, perfectly sized to fit on my favorite 6 ounce hex jars, but can also be used on any other smooth-sided jar.

To use, simply download the printable file by completing the form below. Print your labels onto full-sheet sticker paper, cut out shapes, and apply directly to the (canned and cooled) jars.

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10 Comments

  1. This flavor combo is <3 <3 <3 Lindsay!

    How can I make jam as good as yuzu? HE he he. I'm so sorry.

  2. I’m having major spoon jealousy at the moment. But this jam!!!! <3

  3. Can you provide quantities using regular sure gel pectin…

    • To substitute a different pectin, I’d recommend following the recipe/proportions for a basic blueberry jam on the pectin packet (all brands come with an insert with basic recipes). You’ll likely need a good bit more sugar to make it set with a regular pectin, and the packet will tell you the exact proportion to use. Then just add a bit of yuzu juice to taste. :)

  4. This jam is gorgeous, Lindsay! I adore the photos. <3 

  5. When I read the title, I thought you used ouzo rather than yuzu. I thought, dang that’s a jam I can really get into :) I always love spiked toast. 

    Seriously is gorgeous and you are the blueberry queen!

  6. Oh, I’m envious. I would love to have more blueberries in my kitchen than I could use. Anyhow, this is the first time I’ve heard of yuzu and now I’m quite curious about it. Got to try this jam recipe now.

  7. Hi there,
    Alright I am curious now anout yuzu! Of course, then I saw your other blueberry jam flavors and now am wondering if you have a top favorite? Oh so hard to pick and could use some help!

    Love the label design. Thanks for the download option. Which of the two jar sizes do you think the label looks best on? 

    I decided to make one of your blueberry jams for a holiday gift for my foodie brother and sisters. Thanks for the inspiration and the honed recipes. Your blog is better than chocolate!

    Cheers,
    Anne

    • Picking a favorite? That’s impossible (ha). This one is pretty darn unique but still versatile. The blueberry peach is pretty awesome too (and downright gorgeous). You can’t go wrong either way!

      The jars in the photo are the 6 oz size, which I love since it’s a perfect size for two people (8 oz tends to go to waste in our 2-person household).

      Happy canning!

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