Jammin' With Jody

A couple of my followers (let's face it a couple is a good percentage of those who actually check in on my blog) have requested my strawberry jam recipe and any tips that worked for me.

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com

2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled (enough to make 4 cups mashed berries)
4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.

My bloggyland friend, Kristy, requested any tips or helpful suggestions I learned from my first jam making experience, so here are some things that may help out any newbies.

-The recipe says to use a saucepan, but I used a large pot as you can see in the pictures from that post.

-Some people use pectin to help thicken the jam. I think it makes it too thick. If you make sure it reaches 220 degrees when you boil it, it will thicken to a nice consistency. I purchased a candy thermometer at WalMart. I don't remember exactly how much it cost, but it was probably less than $5.00.

-Sealing the jars-I don't have a canning processor or bath canner which is basically a large pot with a rack to hold jars in place. Once you fill the jars with your jam, you will need to put on the lid and ring. Then you place them in the hot bath to properly seal and preserve. The water should cover the jars. Boil them for ten minutes. I used my largest pot I also do not have a jar rack which keeps the jars off the bottom of the pot and prevents breakage. I placed extra jar rings on the bottom of the pot. This worked well.

-While your berries are cooking, bring the jars to a boil to sanitize them. Place them in the large pot you are going to use to seal them. Fill the pot with water to cover the jars. The jars should be filled with water as well. Keep them hot until you are ready to fill them with jam so they don't break when the hot food touches them.

-You will also need a small pot to use to heat the lids. You can purchase a jar lifter which is a long stick with a magnet on the end. I found that my regular tongs worked well.

-I did not purchase jar tongs. I will before I make jam again. These come in very handy when placing the already hot jars back into the water bath to seal them. And they are even more helpful in removing the jars from the water bath. I used regular tongs and a pot holder which was rather tricky. My friend said you can purchase these at K-Mart.

-I also purchased a canning funnel. It has a large mouth that sits right in the mouth of the jar. It made filling the jars a breeze. Again, I purchased this from WalMart for not too much.

-Once you have processed the jam, let it sit overnight. Be careful not to bump or drop as this may break the seal. You can make sure it has sealed properly by pushing on the middle of the lid. If it is firm it is sealed. If it gives, it is not.

-I was asked if making my own jam was cheaper than buying it. If you grow your own berries it is cheaper once you make the initial investment for equipment. Otherwise, I probably spent what I would have on jam/jelly on berries. For me, this was a fun project to do with the kids. I am big on traditions. This is one we will do every summer as a family to create memories and have a fun activity to look forward to each year. The kids loved giving away our finished product and our neighbors were excited to receive it. If we were to do this at Christmas time or save the jars we made for gifts it is much less expensive than buying presents. They would be great gifts for teachers or neighbors.