-
1
Pour the blueberries into a saucepan and crush them with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until most of the skins are broken.
-
2
Add 1 cup of water and strips of lemon peel and bring to a simmer.
-
3
Turn heat down to low and cook the berries for 5 minutes at just under a simmer.
-
4
Pour the hot berries into a strainer lined with two layers of cheesecloth and let the blueberry juice drip through.
-
5
Twist the cloth to extract all the juice; there should be about 2 cups.
-
6
Discard the berry pulp.
-
7
Combine the remaining 2 cups water with the sugar in a small saucepan.
-
8
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is clear.
-
9
Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, then boil the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.
-
10
Add the blueberry syrup to the sugar syrup and bring the mixture to boil.
-
11
Boil for 1 minute. Let the syrup cool, then add lemon juice to taste. Pour the syrup into two pint jars and refrigerate if you plan to use it in a month or two.
-
12
To can (for indefinite storage) Pour into canning jars with 1/2 inch headspace. Process in hot water bath for 30 minutes.
-
13
Cool.
