Straw Mulberry Jam

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     Ever since I discovered mulberries a few years ago, I have been enamored with them.  (By discovered, I mean tasting my first mulberry ever from my son's tree!)  They are just about the most delicious berry ever in my opinion and since they have a short season, I watch for them in the Spring now to make sure that I don't miss out on them.  So, when Anita messaged me that she saw someone on Facebook inviting people to come and pick from their tree for free, (my favorite price), I was over to that place in about 5 minutes!  You're welcome, because now you get to try this amazing Straw Mulberry Jam for yourselves! 

 Picking the Mulberries

      Be prepared to have purple fingers, unless you are picking the white variety.  Or, wear gloves!  I did not wear gloves, so now I am sporting the purple.  The results is worth it!  
      Actually, the easiest way I found to pick the ripe berries is to hold a shallow box or pan, like a cake pan beneath a branch of the mulberry tree and give it a gentle shake.  The ripe berries will fall off for the most part, or you can nudge them a bit or pluck the stubborn ones.  Only go for the dark, ripe ones.  I understand that the unripe ones may give you a tummy ache.  Besides, they aren't sweet yet, so let them have a couple of days to get ripe.  

Preparing the Mulberries

     Place the mulberries in a colander and gently rinse them.  Some people like to soak them in a bit of salt water to make sure all pests are taken care of.  Just be gentle with them as they are tender.  Then, and this is the most annoying part if there is one, clip of the little green stems from the fruit.  I did this with kitchen shears, for awhile, until I really tired of it, so some of my berries still had tiny little stems on them.  But, in the end result, I haven't notices them! (I mean, I got most of them, but a few are bound to escape.  They don't seem to hurt anything.)

Why do I call this Straw Mulberry Jam?

     Well, I've been harvesting some strawberries from my garden and I had about 2 cups of them.  I thought they might be great mixed in with the mulberries.  I was right!  So, hence the name "Straw Mulberry Jam."   In reality, I don't think that the strawberries change the taste that much, but it was a good way to get the 8 cups of fruit that I wanted for my recipe.  If you want to only use mulberries, that will work as well, or blend in any other fruit for a change of flavor.  I've already shared Peach Mulberry Jam with you in the past. 
      To use the strawberries, I simply cut them into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the berry and added them to the mix. 

     This recipe is so easy to make and can. The jam is so pretty in the jars and out.  Plus, it tastes terrific!  This recipe made 7.5 half pints, so great for food storage and gift giving! Now is the time to watch for ways to get mulberries into your life, so I hope you have some luck and get to try this great recipe! 
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Click on this recipe to get a printable version

Sometimes jars come with labels that you can write on, that is what I did this time. Sorry, no free printable this time.

I like to use the round labels on the lids that will be discarded anyway, then the jars don't end up with sticker residue.