Canning Strawberry Jam

 

Strawberry Jam is one of those things that most everyone loves to get. Kids eat it on PB&J, adults like it on toast, you can put it on shortbread thumbprint jam cookies and I even put it on ice cream.

What you will need:

2 quarts Strawberries

1 package of powdered pectin

¼ cup lemon juice (or 1 squeezed lemon)

7 cups of sugar

Large Stainless Steel Stock Pot

Water bath Canner

Canning jars (I use a variety of 4oz, 8oz and 12oz jars so I can give them as gifts)

This will make about 8 half-pints

Instructions:

Fresh strawberries are always best when in season.
These ones are SUPER ripe, sweet and juicy.

Wash your berries and drain. Remove stems.

Washed and tops sliced off.

Crush the strawberries one layer at a time. I use a potato masher, well rather I have the kids use the masher. There is something they seem to really enjoy about smashing up strawberries.

Kido is doing a great job mashing the strawberries up in the ice cream bucket.

Combine strawberries, pectin and lemon juice in your stock pot.

Strawberries, Lemon Juice and Pectin about to begin.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 

THEN add sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Jam just starting to boil.

Return to a roiling boil and then boil HARD 1 minute, stirring constantly. (I find that I usually need to boil a bit longer than 1 minute – right around 2-5 minutes)

Strawberry Jam boiling hard now.

Remove pot from heat.

Skim foam if needed (I never do)

Ladle hot jam into hot sterile jars leaving ¼-inch headspace.

Wipe the rims to ensure they are clean.

Then add the lids and rims to finger tightness.

Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Jars immersed in the boiling water canner processing.

Remove from canner and set on a towel not touching each other to cool for 24 hrs. 

Jars starting to cool

Any items that do not seal should be placed into the refrigerator to be used. (OR you can reprocess them right away… but I have never had to do this)

21 Jars of Strawberry Jam all sealed!
There are 4oz, 8oz, 12oz and pint sized.

This is really an easy recipe to do and it makes great gifts around the holidays.