Making Strawberry jam

Strawberry Jam

Making Jam or Jelly is easier than most may think.  It only takes a few minutes of preparation for Jam.  Jelly can be made with any juice including 100% fruit juice bought from the store.

You will need:

1 box of pectin

Sugar amount depends on the fruit you are using

Fruit, it can be mashed, crushed, juiced, or ground.  (I grind my fruit, it seems to give it a better consistency for spreading)

Possibly lemon juice depending on the fruit

The directions and amounts will be on the paper in the box of pectin.

Equipment needed:

A large thick bottomed pot

A large bowl

A long wooden spoon

A measuring cup

A bent spoon for removing the foam

Jars

Lids

Rings

Jar lifter

Jar funnel

Water bathing pot

Gather all your supplies

Sterilize your jars and lids  

                                             

Prepare your fruit for this recipe I am using strawberries. I used my grinder attachment for my Kitchen aide to grind the strawberries with finest grinding blade. I needed 5 cups of prepared fruit

Measure your sugar into a large bowl You have to be able to pour it in all at once    

                                                                             

Pour your fruit and pectin into the pot.  Heat over a Moderate heat until it has come to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down.  Stir this mixture constantly.  

                                                                                

Pour in your sugar.  Continue to stir it constantly.  The sugar mixture will scorch easily.  Stir it so that your spoon scrapes the entire bottom of the pot. Go back and forth across the pot then back and forth the opposite way then around the edge.

When the mixture comes to a full rolling boil (see picture) and you can not slow it down with stirring then begin timing 1 full minute.  If you do 1 minute it will jell better.   

                                                           

When your minute is up immediately remove it from the heat.  Let the pot sit for a couple minutes so that the foam can accumulate on top.  Then carefully spoon the foam off the top.  A spoon with a bent handle works best.  This foam tastes good my kids called it “Whipped Jelly”

Immediately ladle the jelly into jars leaving ½ inch of head space, this is to the top of the shoulder on the jar.   

                     

Wipe the rims of the jars and place the lids and rings on.

Process the jelly for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Make sure that the water covers the tops of the jars by about an inch.

This will last about 5 years on the shelf, after 3 years it will begin to change color.  I have eaten 10 year old jam and it tasted fine.