If it’s a truly rough texture you want, you could include some or all of the seeds. You could vary this recipe by adding spices-a stick of cinnamon, for example-or using another sort of liquor (I used my sister’s homemade liqueur of rosemary and Meyer lemon). The result really isn’t much different both the jelly and the jam turn out opaque, smooth, and richly flavored. Making Oregon grape jam is slightly more work than making Oregon grape jelly, since the latter requires only dripping, not pressing. Add lids and rings, and process the jars for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Ladle the jam into sterilized pint or half-pint mason jars. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the brandy or liqueur. Boil the mixture until it “sheets” from a spoon or until the temperature reaches 218 degrees F. Heat the mixture, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, and then raise the heat to medium-high. Put the purée into a preserving pan along with the same volume of sugar. Measure the purée you should have 5 to 6 cups. Press the berries and their liquid through the fine screen of a food mill or through a strainer, leaving the seeds behind.
Crush the berries with a potato masher or other tool, and then boil them gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes more. Cover the pan, and boil the berries gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. In a large saucepan, combine the Oregon grapes and enough water to cover them. Here is my recipe.ģ pounds (about 9 cups) stemmed Oregon grapes Because Oregon grapes are so rich in pectin, I would add a little liquor to soften the jam. Because Oregon grapes are seedy-a quarter of the weight of each berry is in its three seeds-I decided I would strain out the seeds, but I would still include some of the fiber that distinguishes a jam from a jelly. So, last summer, for the first time, I decided to try making Oregon grape jam. Still, some people would always choose a jar labeled jam over one labeled jelly. Oregon grape, Mahonia aquifolium, is one of these fruits.* I love the dark, tart, spicy jelly I make from the Oregon grapes growing beneath the bigleaf maple near our chicken house. When they also have high levels of pectin and acid, they are perfect for jelly. Some fruits, though, are too fibrous or seedy for a mashed jam. Who would choose strawberry jelly over strawberry jam, raspberry jelly over raspberry jam? Why throw out all of the fruit’s fiber and sacrifice the appealing texture that fiber provides? I feel that way about many kinds of jelly myself. Many people consider it too sweet, otherwise bland, and nearly devoid of nutritional value. Jelly isn’t much in style these days, I’ve noticed.
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