Preserving: Strawberry Jam

Strawberry Jam

Recipe by Sure-Jell

Strawberries are abundant everywhere right now. Iovine Brothers at Reading Terminal Market here in Philly has them this weekend for 99 cents a pound. Beth loves 'em so I figured the time had come to start the canning season. 

The recipe here is from the brochure that comes inside the Sure-Jell package. You will notice it calls for 5 cups of mashed strawberries. That worked out to a little under 2 1/2 pounds of whole fruit. You will also notice it calls for 7 cups of sugar. That is almost a full 5 pound bag. So chances are you'll want to grab a bag of sugar when you pick up the berries and Sure-Jell. 

Equipment 

• Paring knife to hull the strawberries 
• Food processor or potato masher to crush the fruit 
• 8 quart non-reactive saucepan to boil the fruit and sugar mixture 
• Water bath canner that will hold 8 half pints 
•  8 1/2 pint jars, rings, and fresh lids 
• 1 cup and 1/2 cup measures 
• Big kitchen spoon

Ingredients

• 5 cups Crushed fresh Strawberries
• 1 box Sure-Jell
• 7 cups Sugar
• 1/2 tsp butter (optional)

Cooking Directions

Jars at the ready

1. Fill your boiling water canner enough to completely submerge the 1/2 pint jars and bring to a simmer. (If you don't have a canner a large pasta pot with it's insert works perfectly. Mine has exactly enough room for the 8 half pints.)
2. Wash the jars and rings in warm soapy water and rinse carefully. Place the new lids in a shallow pan and pour boiling water over them. Set aside off heat.



Hull the berries



Chop or crush the berries

3. One pound at a time hull the berries, removing any discolored bit, then crush or chop them in a food processor. Do not puree. (It took 9 or 10 pulses on my food processor.)
4. Measure out exactly 5 cups of mashed berries into a large, non-reactive saucepan.
5. Measure out 7 cups of sugar into another container.
6. Stir the box of Sure-Jell into the fruit and add the butter if desired. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil.



Full Rolling Boil

7. Stir in all the sugar at one time and return the mixture to a full rolling boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
8. When the mixture has come to a full boil again cook at the boil for exactly 1 minute.
9. Remove the pot from the heat and skim any foam.
10. Using a 1/2 cup measure carefully ladle the hot mixture into the jars.
11. Wipe the jar rims and apply the lids and rings. Screw the rings on tightly.
12. Load the filled jars into the boiling water canner and process for 10 minutes.
13. Remove the jars from the canner and set aside to cool.
14. After the jars are cooled check for a good seal by pressing the center of the lid. If it springs back, that jar is not sealed and must be refrigerated.
15. Let the jars stand undisturbed at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in a cool dark place for up to 1 year.