Fresh Strawberry Jam
Homemade fresh strawberry jam is easy to make it has an intense strawberry flavor and is a delicious spread for your morning toast or a warm scone.
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Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 47kcal
Ingredients
- 2-¼ pounds of fresh strawberries
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 box Sure-Jell (1.75-ounce size, in the yellow box)
- 7 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare your strawberries, you will need eight cups of strawberries, which according to my measurements is equal to two and one-quarter pounds. Wash the strawberries in cold water, remove the hulls and slice into a bowl. Using a potato masher or your hands, mash the strawberries to release some of their juices.
- Measure five (5) cups exactly, of crushed strawberries to a large heavy-bottomed pan, I like to use my dutch oven. Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice, the bottled stuff is fine.
- Stir the contents of one package of Sure-Jell (in the yellow box) into the prepared fruit, stirring to combine it thoroughly. Some recipes say to add some butter to keep the foam down but I omit the butter and skim off the foam at the end of the cooking process.
- Over high heat, bring the strawberry mixture to a full, rolling boil, stirring constantly. When it has reached the 'rolling boil' add the reserved 7 cups of sugar to the pan, stirring to combine. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil and, stirring constantly, boil the mixture exactly one minute. Over-cooking will cause the pectin to relax and the jam will not set properly, so the one-minute rule is really important.
- After one minute, remove the pot from the heat and with a large spoon or ladle, skim off and discard the foam from the top.
- With hot pads or tongs, and working with one jar at a time, carefully, remove a jar from the oven and set in on a plate in your workspace, put the funnel on and ladle the jam to one-quarter inch from the top. Wipe the rim and threads of the jar with a damp paper towel to remove any jam spills, add a hot lid and a lid band. Tighten the band slightly but do not use force to tighten. Place the jar of jam in the rack and proceed with filling each jar with jam.
- When all the jars have been filled, carefully lower the rack with the jam jars into the boiling water in the canner. Add additional boiling water to ensure the jars are covered with at least one-inch of water. Process the jars for ten minutes in the boiling water, or according to the altitude chart listed in the Sure Jell instructions.
- Remove the jars and place them on a towel in a draft-free area and allow to cool for 24 hours. Check the lids by pressing the center of each one. If it springs back it is not sealed and should be refrigerated. Tighten the rings of each sealed jar and store in a cool, dry space for up to one year.
Notes
The pectin you buy is made from natural apple pectin, but it is more concentrated. Using pectin dramatically reduces the cooking time. Pectin enables you to achieve a perfectly set jam every time.
It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Sugar: 12g