Heritage Strawberry Jam Food

STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Place the mason jars in a large hot water bath canner (or pot). Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer the center lids in separate saucepan full of water.
• Place the mashed strawberries and lemon juice in a separate pot. Stir in the pectin until dissolved. Bring the strawberries to a strong boil.
• Add the sugar (measure beforehand so you can add it all at once), and then return the mixture to a full (violent) boil that can't be stirred down. Boil hard for 1 minute 15 seconds. Skim foam off the top.
• Remove one jar at a time from the simmering water. Pour water back into the pot. Using a wide-mouth funnel, fill each jar with jam, being careful to keep the liquid/fruit ratio consistent. Fill the jars so that they have 1/4-inch of space at the top. Run a knife down the side of the jar to get rid of air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a wet cloth to remove any residue or stickiness.
• Remove the center lid from the simmering water and position it on top. Put screw bands on jars, but do not over tighten! Repeat with all the jars, and then place the jars on a canning rack and lower into the water. Place the lid on the canner, and then bring the water to a full boil. Boil hard for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and allow the jars to remain in the hot water for an addition 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the water using a jar lifter, and allow them to sit undisturbed for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, remove the screw bands and check the seal of the jars. The center lids should have no give whatsoever. If any seals are compromised, store those jars in the fridge. Otherwise, fill your pantry with your newly canned goodness.

FRESH STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate. (I keep one in the freezer.) Pour carefully into 2 pint canning jars and either seal or keep refrigerated. Use immediately, or follow proper canning guidelines below.
• Sterilizing Tips:
• Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.
• To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.
• Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.
• As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.
• After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. 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.

GRANDMOTHER'S STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Wash, dry and hull the berries. If berries are large, halve them; lightly crush about 1/3 of the berries. Place the berries into a large non aluminum pot and gently fold in the sugar and the lemon juice. Cover and set aside to macerate in a cool place for several hours, or overnight.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 9 to 15 minutes, stirring often with a stainless steel spoon, until jam just begins to thicken.
• Remove from the heat and let jam come to room temperature, about 1 hour, then cover and cool in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
• Simmer again for 9 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until jam is thickened.
• Working quickly, pour into 8 8-ounce prepared and sterilized canning jars. Fill the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe the rim with a clean damp cloth and seal them with 1/4 inch of melted paraffin. Cool the jars overnight. Wipe and seal again if necessary. Store in a cool, dark place.

EASY STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Place the strawberries in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain and hull the strawberries. Cut the larger berries in half or quarters and leave the small berries whole. Place the strawberries in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot such as heavy Dutch oven and toss them with the sugar and orange-flavored liqueur.
• Bring the berry mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add the apple and blueberries and continue to keep the mixture at a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This should take 25 to 35 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and then store covered in the refrigerator. It will keep refrigerated for at least 2 weeks. To keep the jam longer, pack and seal in canning jars according to the manufacturer's instructions.

HERITAGE STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Wash lemon well in soap and water
• hull and wash stawberries and put in large pot.
• put pot on medium - high heat.
• mash strawberries slightly with potato masher.
• add honey, lemon juice, butter and grated apple.
• after you have squeezed out all the lemon juice, cut a piece off about an inch wide or so and throw it in the pot.
• stir well and continue to mash stawberries while it boils.
• Keep at a rolling boil stirring often for 20- 40 minutes.
• The longer it boils the more it will thicken and get to the consistancy of jam.
• remember to stir.
• Skim off any foam with spoon ( I put this on a plate and ate -- yum :-)).
• After 20 minutes check to see if set with plate in freezer. ( see note following recipe).
• If not set continue to boil stirring frequently for 5 to 10 minutes and check to see if it's set again.
• Once it is set, pour into clean, sterilized jars and lids and process in large pot of boiling water for 15 minutes.
• Remember, the jars must be completely covered with boiling water to process correctly.
• Note: To test to see if the jam is set - place 3 - 4 little plates in the freezer when you begin making the jam. Then when you think it is ready, take a plate out and put about 1/2 teaspoon of jam on frozen plate. Run your finger through the middle, and angle plate - it should make a line through the jam and not run back together.

STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Prepare the strawberries by wiping them with a piece of damp kitchen paper. (Wiping the strawberries rather than washing them ensures the fruit doesn't absorb lots of water - too much water and the jam won't set easily.) To hull the fruit, use a knife to cut a cone shape into the strawberry and remove the stem. Cut any large berries in half.
• Put the strawberries in a bowl and gently toss through the sugar. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 12 hrs or overnight. This process helps the sugar to dissolve, ensures the fruit doesn't disintegrate too much and helps to keep its vibrant colour.
• Before starting the jam, put 2 saucers in the freezer. Tip the strawberry mixture into a preserving pan with the lemon juice. Set over a low heat and cook very gently. If any sugar remains on the sides of the pan, dip a pastry brush in hot water and brush the sugar away.
• When you can no longer feel any grains of sugar remaining, turn up the heat to start bubbling the jam and bringing it to the boil. (The sugar must be completely dissolved before increasing the heat, otherwise it will be difficult for the jam to set, and it may contain crystallised lumps of sugar.)
• Boil hard for 5-10 mins until the jam has reached 105C on a preserving or digital thermometer, then turn off the heat. If you don't have a thermometer, spoon a little jam onto one of the cold saucers. Leave for 30 secs, then push with your finger; if the jam wrinkles and doesn't flood to fill the gap, it is ready. If not, turn the heat back on and boil for 2 mins more, then turn off the heat and do the wrinkle test again. Repeat until ready.
• Use a spoon to skim any scum that has risen to the surface and discard this. Do this only once at the end, rather than constantly during the boiling stage, to reduce wastage.
• Add a knob of butter, if you like, to the finished jam, and stir in to melt. This will help to dissolve any remaining scum that you haven't managed to spoon off the top. Leave the jam to settle for 15 mins - this will ensure that the fruit stays suspended in the mixture and doesn't all float to the top of the jam jar. Meanwhile, sterilise your jars.
• Ladle into warm jars, filling to just below the rim. Place a wax disc on top of the jam (this prevents mildew forming), then cover with a lid or a cellophane circle and elastic band. Pop on a label (include the date), plus a pretty fabric top, if you like. The jam can be stored for up to 1 year in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate after opening.

CLASSIC STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring strawberries up to a simmer over medium-low heat, mashing roughly with a potato masher or flat spoon.
• Add sugar and lemon juice, stir, and bring up to a simmer for 2 minutes.
• Add butter and bring to a vigorous boil, stirring often, and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, periodically measuring the viscosity of the jam by dabbing a spoonful onto a plate and tipping the plate.
• Once the jam slows its drip down the plate (it should no longer run like a syrup), remove from heat and skim off foam.
• Fill jars that have been washed, rinsed, dried and boiled in a pot of water for 3 minutes to 1/4 inch from the top.
• Fasten lids securely and boil jars in a vat of water (be sure jars are completely submerged) for 15 minutes.
• Remove jars with tongs and let cool upright.
• Check for secure seals on jars (lid should not spring when touched) and store in a cool place away from light for up to a year.
• Any jars that do not achieve a proper seal should be refrigerated.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Clean and carefully wash strawberries. Remove all damaged or rotten parts. I recommend mixing forest and ordinary strawberries (1:1).
• Add sugar and let it stay in sugar 3-4 hours in a large pot. Stir occasionally and wait until fruit removes juices.
• Cook in the same large pot for 15 minutes making sure not to burn sugar. Stir always.
• After 14 minutes, add fresh juice of 2 lemons. Remove the foam and put the jam in hot (100°C) glass-bottle.
• If you like more firm jam, add pectin (usually available in grocery stores). Pectin is added 2 minutes before it is done because pectin looses its characteristic if you cook it too long. Close the hot glass-bottles and keep it in dark place.