One of my favorite feel good snacks is toast with jam. I don't really know why, but I just love toast, and what better to put on toast than jam. If you really want to be fancy, adding peanut butter only enhances the experience. Now, I am definitely not a snob when it comes to jam, any brand does the job for me. However, a couple of years ago, I decided to grow strawberries, and I ended up having a ridiculous amount of strawberries. Other than just popping them in my mouth (which was still delicious) I didn't know what to do with all of these strawberries. After looking up some ideas, I realized that making my own jam could be fun and interesting.
I was slightly overwhelmed at first, but as usual, I did my research and tackled the task. Throughout the process, I learned a few things. First, homemade jam is the BEST, second, it's ridiculously easy, third, it makes a great gift. Since then, I make jam all the time. The recipe I used came from The Pioneer Woman. It's a great recipe, and has worked out well for me.
Since I make jam a couple times a year, I usually just buy strawberries. Recently, I have been pretty strict on the strawberries I buy because I have been reading so many negatives about certain foods and the pesticides used on them. I am especially careful since I will be canning the strawberries to use later. Strawberries tend to contain more pesticides than most other fruits and vegetables. However, organic strawberries usually have far less pesticides used on them. Even though organic strawberries are more expensive, I feel like they are important for this purpose.
Other than strawberries, this process uses very few ingredients. The only other food items that the recipe requires are granulated sugar, whole lemons, and fruit pectin. You might be asking, "What in the world is fruit pectin?" Well, it's actually something that is found in most fruit and it is what causes fruit to thicken when boiled. However, even though it occurs in fruit, it order for it to actually thicken the substance, it takes a REALLY long time. Adding the fruit pectin allows you to make delicious jam in a much shorter amount of time. You should be able to find it in most grocery stores. In my grocery store, it is located with the glass jars and plastic containers, but I am sure each store is different, so you my have to go on a scavenger hunt to find it.
Along with the food ingredients, you will also need a mason jars. You can reuse jars you already have, however, you need to replace the lids each time. It is also important to make sure that if you are reusing jars that they do not have cracks or chips. You will also need 2 large pots, one to sterilize your jars and one to make your jam. I would also recommend a canning utensil set, which contain a wide mouth funnel and jar tongs to easily remove the jars. Though this process takes a bit of time, you end up with 8 jars of jam, which is a lot of jam.
Ingredients
5 cups of strawberries (they need to be washed, hulled, and mashed)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package of fruit pectin powder (49 gram size)
6 cups of sugar
Directions
To sterilize the jars, place the empty jars in a pot of boiling water. Place the lids in a separate pot with boiling water. If the water looks as though it will boil over, you can turn the flame slightly lower. Leave the jars and lids in the water while the jam is cooking.
In a separate large pot add the mashed strawberries and lemon juice. Add the pectin and continue to stir until it is fully incorporated. Cook the mixture over medium high heat until it boils. Once the mixture comes to a hard boil, add the sugar all at once.
Bring the mixture to a strong boil once again. Once the it is strongly boiling, let it continue to boil for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Turn off heat. You will notice white foam on the top of the mixture. Use a large spoon to remove and discard this foam.
Using tongs, remove jars and lids from the pots. Make sure the jars do not have any water in them. Using a wide mouthed funnel, fill each jar with the strawberry jam. The jars should be filled fully leaving only 1/4" of space at the top. Try to remove any air bubbles from the jar by running a knife around the inside of the jars. Make sure that there is no jam on the outside of the jars. Just a side note, anything that touches the jars, jam, or lid should be fully cleaned or sterilized. Place the lids securely on top of the jars. Do not over tighten the lids, they should be tighten just enough to secure them.
Place the jars into the large water filled pot. It may help to use a canning rack to lower the jars into the pot. Turn the heat on to high and cover the pot. Once the water comes to a strong boil, set a timer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes has passed, turn off the heat, but leave the jars in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Carefully remove jars from the heat using canning tongs. Put the filled jars aside for at least 24 hours.
If you are using jars that have a lid with a center piece and outer ring, remove the outer ring after 24 hours. Make sure the center piece has is secured. If the center piece are fully secured, replace the outer ring and tighten completely. If any do not seem secure, place them in the refrigerator and use right away because they did not sterilize completely. Though it's always best to check USDA website to see how long the jam will stay fresh and recommendations for sterilization, I find that mine last for at least 3 months.
I hope this recipe and the canning process work as well for you as it has for me. Making strawberry jam is a good introduction to the world of canning. I encourage you to try other canning recipes and have fun experimenting with your own ideas. Canned goods are great gifts for the holidays and also great treats in the winter to remind us of fond summer days. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Food Network
XO Tres Chic Lifestyle
