Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Look What I Did!


I am so pleased with myself. I have made homemade strawberry jam. And more importantly... It turned out great! My husband LOVES it!
After a small investment in a few essential items I was good to go. If you are going to can at all, I really do recommend that you just go ahead and get these basic tools. They aren't that expensive and are easily found at Walmart.
Strawberries were on sale here a couple of weeks ago so I
bought a bunch and we are going to have Jam all winter! YAY!
3 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled
1 1.75-once package regular powdered fruit pectin
1/2 teaspoon butter
7 cups sugar

Place 1 cup of berries in an 8-quart heavy kettle or pot. Use a potato masher to crush berries. Continue adding berries and crushing them until you have 5 cups crushed berries. Stir in pectin and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Add sugar all at once. Return to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boil) remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.

As the jam cools, turn the jars occasionally, top to bottom, to help evenly distribute the fruit and prevent the fruit from floating to the top of the jars. Store upright, however, to protect the seal.

My recipe that I used is from my Better Homes and Gardens book

"You Can Can"

A Guide to Canning, Preserving, and Pickling.

I would highly recommend it. It gives you really great step by step instructions which are critical in successful canning. I had so much fun that I ended up making 4 batches.


11 comments:

Sweet Bee Cottage said...

Oh Liz, that looks so delicious. I haven't made jam in years. I'm going to have to give it a try again. I made this peach vanilla bean jam that was just scrumptious. Uh oh, I need to go have some toast with strawberry jam now. Thanks for the inspiration!

Sherri B. said...

Congratulations on your first jam! It looks so very pretty all put up in it's jar and will be a welcome sight on the pantry shelf on that chilly winter morning!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Yum! You will really enjoy it this Winter. My mother canned and I had to help with that, but never attempted to do it on my own.
Enjoy!

Pamela Gordon said...

It looks wonderful! I've never made cooked jam, always freezer jam as it's easier to do. You did a great job on yours! Lovely photos.

GardenOfDaisies said...

I love strawberry jam and yours looks delicious!! I bet you really look forward to toast in the morning.

Anonymous said...

Your jam looks yummy! My mom used to can when I was a child, but gave all her canning equipment away. As an adult, I've been begging her to teach me. Finally this year, she agreed, so I'll be doing a bit of canning too. Hope mine turns out as good as yours!

Sandra said...

I found your blog a few weeks ago and wanted to say how much I enjoy it. I've added you to my blog list and look forward to your posts.

It's been a few years since I made Strawberry Jam and reading this post makes me want to get in the kitchen and make another batch. It looks delicious!

Melissa said...

Yum!! It is always a bonus when your husband loves something you made!!

Tales of Whimsy said...

Isn't it one of those most rewarding things to do? :) Jam is work but so worth it.

Cherry Chick said...

Kudos to you Liz! I've never even tried to make jam. We have a major Strawberry Festival in Feb. not far from Tampa with plenty of berries available.
Great photographs!
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♥•.*.*.*.Cherry*.*.*.•♥
♥•.*.*.*.Chick.*.*.*.•♥
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Ricki Treleaven said...

Congratulations! This is one skill I would love to master :D I am getting caught-up on reading your blog today! (I have had a stomach bug since the weekend, but I ma much better today).

xoxxoxoxo,
Ricki Jill