Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Strawberry Preserves



It's June and It's Time to Make Jam!!


When my children were little, we lived near enough to farms that grew strawberries. Now, we would have to drive an hour to pick them. So, yesterday, my daughter and I drove to the grocery store and bought them. I have wonderful memories of lots of little hands putting more berries into their mouths than into the buckets!! By the time we were done, the farmer had to weigh the children as well as the strawberries!! (Just kidding)
Faces and hands matched the berries. 
It was good fun!!




We'd come home and there would be plenty of help and plenty of those who would rather  play. We had mounds of strawberries that we would put up. I remember feeling faint from the heat of the stove as I canned jar after jar in the 
stifling June heat. 


Yesterday was different. I canned alone as my son worked on his high school-homeschool, my daughter returning to her college work. I was thankful for the memories and the kids still home to enjoy. This is just a season in my journey. This too will pass. I will miss it when it passes contrary to how most mom's of the world use that phrase.


Since canning is not new to me, I first refreshed my mind on the order I should do things. Just in case I thought I should de-stem the berries after cooking, lol !!!






Being the kind of cook I am (haphazardly-lacking-confidence) I checked the directions inside the sure gel box over and over and over. Then, just to be sure I did it right, I looked in my trusty "Ball Blue Book" (copywrite 1998) and came up with a combined recipe. So typical of me!!


Strawberry Jam


5 Cups Strawberries
1 package powdered pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice 
7 cups sugar


Wash and crush strawberries.
Combine strawberries, pectin and lemon juice in a large saucepot.
Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
Return to a rolling boil.
Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Skim foam if necessary.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Adjust two-piece caps.
Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.


Yield: about 8 half-pints




First, I took a knife and cut a circle around the stems and popped them out.
I used to have a little tool for this which came in handy.


The second thing to do is chop the strawberries
before too many of them get eaten by your wonderful blessings.


Combine strawberries, pectin and lemon juice in a large saucepot.


When I have LOTS of berries to process, 
I measure the sugar and set in a bowl ready to go. 
I line a couple of them up for the batches I will process.
That is the packet of pectin waiting.








Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
Return to a rolling boil. 
Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.
(Don't check email, Facebook, or Blogs!!
Or it will burn on the bottom of the pan!! :-)



Remove from heat.
Skim foam if necessary (it is always necessary!!)
Ladle hot jam into  hot jars.
(keep them hot in another pot filled with hot water)
Leave 1/4-inch headspace.
Adjust two-piece caps 
(in other words, clean any strawberry sauce from the where the screw lid will set)






Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.





Just do it!!
Don't just read my blog :-)
You will feel 
WONDERFUL
That you accomplished the task!!

Just in case you are wondering if I made the pretty crotchet piece under the jars:
Ella Watson, my grandmother 
made this for me when I was a little girl out of leftover threads.




And here they sit 
among my kitchen clutter that speaks of 
HOME


She looketh well to the ways of her household, 
and eateth not the bread of idleness. 
~Proverbs 31:27~


In Christ Alone,
Judith





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2 comments:

  1. I am living in Greece and can't find pectin here. I enjoyed reading and being here today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am really rusty, but I think you can (no pun intended, lol) with juice or substitute something for pectin. I can't remember but maybe you could google it. Another idea is to ask Janelle over at Comfy in the Kitchen.

    ReplyDelete

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