Pie in a Jar

It's blueberry season, people. I've been waiting quite patiently for this time to come back around and it's finally here! The weather has finally warmed up enough to ripen those beautiful berries and the U-pick farms around Washington are open for business! I could not be more thrilled, which is why I went to Bryant Blueberry Farm in Arlington on Thursday and picked my first 28 pounds of blueberries.

Ok now, I know what you're thinking. 28 pounds of blueberries?! Quoting my bff, "What does one do with 28 pounds of blueberries?" That's a perfectly valid and logical question. So to start, I have to explain the oatmeal debacle. Last year's blueberries ruined us for plain oatmeal. Jake and I were going along just fine, eating plain old oatmeal everyday before work until I started putting blueberries in it. Later in the year, I'd make it with frozen blueberries that I'd preserved from my picking and it was equally delicious. And then, when we finally depleted our blueberry reserves and had to start eating plain oatmeal again, it was a total letdown. It's like this episode on Seinfeld when Elaine and Jerry are on the same flight, but Elaine is in the mundane, crowded coach seat and Jerry is in the decadent first class seat. He tells her he's been in first class and knows what it's like now and can't possibly go back! Having blueberries in your oatmeal is like flying first class; I can't go back to coach now! So, Jake, being the smarty mathematician that he is, dutifully calculated how many pounds of blueberries I'd have to pick in order for us to eat a 1/4 cup of blueberries in our oatmeal every weekday of the year until blueberry season comes again. According to his calculations, I'm going to have to pick around 51 pounds! I know, you probably think I am crazy to be actually contemplating picking 51 pounds of blueberries for oatmeal. Having blueberries in your oatmeal everyday is not a necessity – I realize this. However, if it means I get the day started off right with some antioxidants and a smile, plus have an amazing time picking each and every one of them (at only $2 a pound for organic, local berries), I think it might be worth it.

So, because I couldn't possibly store all of those berries without enjoying some of them while they're especially ripe and spectacular, I put some of them to immediate use this weekend. I made blueberry butter. And by making said blueberry butter, I officially became a canner! That's right – I made a canning recipe that I processed using the boiling water method and can proudly say that I'll be storing those goods on the shelf, thank you very much! And the result (because yes, I already opened one jar – can you blame me??) – toast never had it so good! Believe me, if you think apple butter is good, try this recipe ASAP. It is phenomenal!!

Blueberry Butter

Adapted from Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter, foodinjars.com

According to Ashley in Canning and Preserving with Ashley English, the book I've been reading before bed (yep, I'm just puttin' it all out there now), a fruit butter is "a fruit and sugar mixture where cooked fruit is pureed and then combined with sugar and heated until smooth and velvety."

I'm finding that a frying pan splatter screen is a valuable canning tool. This recipe makes a mess. Oh! And note to self - don't wear white while simmering this dark blue butter!

I highly recommend that you check out the original recipe for this butter, which uses a slow cooker. I will most definitely try it out some time. Naturally, I had ten million projects going on at once when I made this, so I just made it on the stove. But, it turned out delicious all the same – like pie in a jar without the crust!

Makes approximately 3 pints

8 cups of pureed blueberries (about 12 cups of fresh blueberries)*

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Put the blueberry puree, sugar and spices in a stockpot and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about an hour, until the mixture has cooked down and is dark and smooth. Make sure to stir often so the mixture does not stick or burn.

Ladle the blueberry butter into your sterilized mason jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

*Blueberries puree beautifully in a blender, no added liquid necessary.