This recipe comes from Canning and Pickling recipe box of Nick’s mother, Linda S. From the sounds of it, the recipe actually came from another family member and was passed on to Linda at some point. Nick does not really have any memories of the strawberry jam, so we don’t have much for family history context.
I was looking for something that would be fitting to make in the middle of summer when the berries were in season and this seemed great. If you like jams and jellies, you probably love the strawberry varieties because they can be a bright spot in your morning for most of the year. Nick’s favorite way to have strawberry jam is on an English muffin, gluten free of course, with cream cheese and jam. I like it on English muffins with butter or cream cheese, or on pancakes instead of maple syrup.
The original recipe was awful- overly sweet and sticky enough that you could probably use it to glue two items together. Trust me and don’t try the original. I threw it out and just started over using the recipe on the card as a starting point.
If you have never canned anything before, please reference a trusted source for safety procedures. I like the Ball Canning book, but there are quite a few that are available at your library or local book store. Canning is pretty easy once you have done it a couple of times, though it can sometimes be time consuming. History is rife with stories of things that happen when food is not canned properly, so make sure you are aware of the safety protocols.
4 cups diced or quartered strawberries
3 cups sugar
1 TBSP lemon juice
Before starting on the berries, get your jars and lids in a hot water bath so they are sanitized by the time you need to add the jam. This recipe makes 5 half-pint jars. Unlike other jams with blueberries or blackberries, strawberries don’t completely break down during the cooking process. Because of this, I cut my berries into quarters so that there would be more strawberry chunks, but the next time I make it I will dice them since I prefer a more consistent distribution of berry in the jam. Once the berries are cleaned and chopped, put all the ingredients into a large heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil. Since this recipe does not have added pectin, you will want to boil it until it reaches 104F. Many books and recipes have folks use a frozen spoon or plate test, but every time use these methods, I overcook the jam. You can use whichever method works the best for you. Turn off the heat and skim the foam off the top of the hot jam. Once you have most of the foam off, ladle the jam into the hot, sanitized jars. Add lids, finger tighten the bands, and process in a hot water bath canner for 10 min. Remove from the canner and let sit overnight. The following day, make sure to check that the lid sealed, label with what you made and when (should be used within 12-18 months), tighten the bands, and store in a cabinet.
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