Have you ever tasted fresh homemade strawberry jam? Still warm and slightly runny it tastes like the first blush of summer! Today I want to show you how easy it is to make strawberry jam.  Jam is different than jelly or preserves in that you crush the fruit and leave it in the jam unlike preserves or conserves where you leave chunks of the fruit.  Jelly is made with the juice of the fruit only. 

How do you make fool-proof jams? The first key is sitting down and reading the recipe carefully and then reading it at least three more times. Because when the pot is boiling is not the time to read what to do next. Soft spreads are easy but you need to move quickly when, for example, it is boiling. If you were to miss how long to boil your jam, you could have concrete or juice instead of jam. The good news is most mistakes still taste great and often you can fix them.

Let’s start with our recipe.  The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving is a comprehensive, easy to use, book on canning, freezing and dehydrating.  Buchheit carries the revived edition at a great low price.  You can find the recipe for strawberry jam on page 54 in the bottom right hand of the page.

After familiarizing yourself with the recipe, it’s time to assemble the equipment needed.  Many people like using the small half-pint jelly jars especially for gift-giving but I like the unique pint jars I found at Buchheit. 

Whatever jar you like, they need to be sparkling clean.  I use an experienced canners’ trick of putting my clean jars into a warm, 170 degree oven to keep them warm and ready.

Next, I start water in the water-bath canner, that way it is ready when I need it later.  The lids go into a small pot ready to be warmed.  I start prepping the fruit.  It is a myth that you should use damaged, old fruit for jellies and jams.  The freshest ripe fruit will produce the best results.  You can save the older fruit for butters or smoothies.

Wash two quarts of berries and remove the stems and caps.  Crush berries in a single layer using a potato masher. Don’t use a food processor or stick mixer as you want small pieces of fruit in a jam.

Place fruit in a large non-reactive pot along with 6 tablespoons of Ball pectin or Sure Jell (6 tablespoons equals one box) and ¼ cup fresh or bottled lemon juice. 

Before you start, pre-measure the sugar.  A great canning tip is to put the sugar in a microwave safe bowl and warm it to assure that the temperature of the sugar will not stop the boiling process of the jam.  You want to get the temperature of the jam back up to boiling and the warmed sugar helps.

Check that you have all your tools handy.  Jars are warming, lids are warming in a pot of water, canner is simmering, canning tools and a good spoon are ready. I use a flat edged wooden spoon that will not react with the fruit.  I re-read the recipe one more time and start cooking the jam.

Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  I stir gently but not constantly until it comes to a full boil. A full boil is one you can’t stir away.  Then I add my warm sugar and stir it well.  I set my timer for one minute so it is ready when I need it.  I keep stirring until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil.  I push the timer and boil it just one more minute. This is a critical step as over boiling can cause the mix to set too hard.

Stir the pot constantly while boiling for the final minute.  I add one teaspoon butter at this point to reduce the foam.  I skim off the remaining foam.

Using tongs, I remove the first jar from the oven.  Fill to ¼ inch from top of jar, wipe top of jar with clean moistened towel, place lid on jar and tighten ring to only finger tight.  Placed filled jar on folded towel while you fill the rest of the jars.

Lower the jars into the water-bath canner, making sure that the jars are covered with at least one inch of water.  Process for 10 minutes if using half pints and 15 minutes for pints.

Allow to rest in the water for 5 minutes then remove from water onto a thick towel to cool.

Let the jars set for 12 hours and then remove the rings to prevent moisture from gathering beneath them.  Store in a dark cool place.  Enjoy your jam!  It is splendid with warm homemade bread.  Hope you make some during this years’ strawberry season.  Be blessed! Anne May