Strawberry Conserve Food

FRAGRANT STRAWBERRY CONSERVE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse well and put the jars upright in a roasting tin in the oven for 10 mins.
• Wipe off any dirt from the fruit using damp kitchen paper, or rinse them gently in cold water, then drain well. Remove the hulls.
• Put the lime juice and sugar in a preserving pan or large wide saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the strawberries. Leave for 30 mins off the heat.
• Return to the heat and bring to the boil, then boil, uncovered, for 5-8 mins until setting point is reached (see tip, left).
• Skim off any foam from the surface of the conserve, then stir in the butter to disperse any that remains. Stir in the rose water and leave to cool for 30 mins. Pot into your sterilised jars, seal, label and store in a cool dry place. Will keep for 6 months.

MOM'S HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Mash strawberries in a medium pot with a potato masher to desired consistency. I like some large pieces of strawberries and others that are completely mashed.
• Stir in lemon juice, sugar, and salt.
• Bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn heat to medium and add cornstarch mixed with cold water. Stir. Let simmer over medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring every minute.
• Remove from heat, and let preserves cool in a large bowl at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooling completely in the refrigerator.
• Once cooled, transfer preserves to mason jars or other airtight containers!

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.

OLD FASHIONED STRAWBERRY PRESERVES/JAM

Steps:

• In a bowl coarsley mash the strawberries using a potato masher or fork, then place into saucepan.
• Cook the strawberries over medium heat stirring until beginning to thicken (about 6 minutes).
• Reduce the heat to low, add in sugar and lemon juice.
• Increase the heat to medium and simmer gently until the mixture thickenes and mounds on the spoon (about 20 minutes) stirring frequently.
• Remove saucepan from heat cool just slightly, then place in refrigerator for rapid jelling.
• The preserves will thicken more while chilling and will keep for 1 week in refrigerator if tightly sealed (or after cooled completely the preserves may be frozen in plastic containers if desired).