Gingery Pickled Blueberries

The annual Can It Forward event presented by Jarden Home Brands each August brings together a team of bloggers to share the joys of home canning and the foodie-mantra of using fresh, local ingredients. As testament to the popularity of the home canning movement, Jarden Home Brands—the maker of Ball jars and canning products—enjoyed a banner year in 2014 and has tapped into the thriving homestead and food-centric blogging scene to spotlight great canning recipes. This delicious recipe for ginger-infused blueberries comes courtesy of Philadelphia-based Marissa McClellan of Food in Jars. "These pickled blueberries are my secret weapon when it comes to potlucks," McClellan told HGTVGardens. "I pair a jar with some cream cheese or goat cheese, bring some seedy crackers or a baguette slices, and call myself done. They're also great served anywhere that you'd normally see cranberry sauce or chutney."

Gingery Pickled Blueberries

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup filtered water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 3 inches fresh ginger, sliced

Prepare a boiling water bath canner and three pint jars and new lids.

Wash the blueberries and pick them over for any stems or bad berries.

Combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring them to a boil. Add the sliced ginger to the brine.

Once the brine is boiling vigorously, add the blueberries. Stir to combine and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the brine has returned to a rolling boil and has started turning a vivid purple.

When cooking time has elapsed, remove pot from heat.

Using a slotted spoon, ladle the blueberries into the prepared jars. Cover the berries with brine,* leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Place a few ginger slices into each jar. Remove any trapped air bubbles from the jars with a wooden or plastic tool, and adjust brine levels, if necessary. 

Wipe the jar rims, apply the lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.

When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and check seals. Any unsealed jars should be kept in the refrigerator.

Let jars sit for at least 24 hours before eating to allow all the flavors to settle.

*Save any leftover brine. It’s essentially a fruit shrub and is delicious mixed with sparkling water. 

Makes 3 pint jars