Easy Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam Food

EASY STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC BLACK PEPPER JAM

Steps:

• Wash and rinse glass** or plastic containers and lids in the dishwasher or with hot soapy water. Dry thoroughly.
• Measure exactly*** 4 cups of sugar into a medium-size bowl.
• Stem and crush strawberries. Don't try to use a blender or food processor for this step, as you want some small pieces of strawberry to remain (I like to use a potato masher). Measure exactly** 2 cups prepared fruit into large microwave-safe bowl.
• Stir in sugar till thoroughly combined. Place bowl in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir well.
• Add balsamic vinegar to strawberry mixture and stir. Add liquid pectin and stir continuously for 3 minutes. Take a taste to make sure the sugar is dissolved. If it still tastes a bit grainy, stir for another minute or two until almost all sugar is dissolved. Add pepper and stir till combined.
• Fill containers immediately (you don't want jam to start to "set" before you get it into the jars) to within ½ inch of top. Don't fill any higher as mixture will expand a bit in the freezer. Wipe off top edges of containers and cover with lids.
• Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. (I love the look of beautiful, vibrant red jam stacked up on my kitchen counter - call me old-fashioned, but there's something about it that makes me smile.) Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator.

STRAWBERRY PRESERVES WITH BLACK PEPPER AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring, and skim surface. Simmer mixture, stirring and skimming foam occasionally, 15 minutes, or until thickened and translucent. Remove pan from heat and cool preserves completely. Preserves keep, covered and chilled, 1 month.

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC JAM

Steps:

• Rinse the berries and remove their hulls, then roughly dice.
• Measure the fruit into a 6 to 8 quart nonreactive pot and add lemon juice and the proper amount of calcium water; stir well.
• Measure the sugar into a separate bowl adn thoroughly mix the proper amount of pectin powder into the sugar; set the mixture aside.
• Bring the fruit to a boil over medium-high heat. If it starts to foam, skim off the top and discard.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and return to a boil.
• Pour the pectin-sugar mixture into the boiling jam stirring as you add; stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the sugar dissolves.
• Return the fruit to a boil and remove from heat; skim off any foam.
• Fill jars leaving 1" head space.
• Process for 6 minutes.