Nothing says summer quite like fresh strawberries! One way to preserve those fresh berries to be used year round is to make jam with them. Making jam is super simple, and as long as you follow a few simple rules, you will have a delicious sweet to gift, or keep for yourself!
There are a few things to remember when making jam, that will almost guarantee a great outcome every time. Perhaps the most common complaint about making jam is the fact that it didn't set. There are many factors to making jam, and we will cover the equipment needed, a trusted recipe with needed ingredients, and some Do's and Don'ts that can cause problems.
Equipment Needed:
Making jam is simple, and even easier when you have the right equipment.
- large bowl
- knife
- dry measure cup
- masher or blender (depends on how smooth you want your jam)
- water bath canner
- jars with lids and rings (this recipe makes about 9 cups = 9 half pints, or 4.5 pints)
- jar lifter
- funnel
- ladle
- large spoon
- stock pot or Dutch oven
- towel
Trim your washed berries, removing any blemishes and
the green tops.
Recipe:
This is the recipe I use every time. I have only had one batch not set over the years, and that was my fault. This recipe can also be found in the Sure*Jel Original Fruit Pectin box. The recipe in the box says this recipe makes 8 cups, however, it has almost always made 9 cups for me, so have extra jars ready just in case.
Before starting on cooking the jam, get your jars and lids washed, rinsed and placed in hot water. For the jars, I fill my water bath canner with water and place the jars filled with water in the canner to heat up. Let the get to almost a boil. Canning lids no longer need to be boiled, as the sealant compound has been changed. I just heat water up just to start boiling and then place the lids in a glass bowl and pour the water over the lids. This will sterilize the lids without ruining the sealant compound. You want your jars and lids ready for you when the jam is done.
Ingredients:
- 8 cups strawberries (approximately 4 pounds)
- 7 cups sugar
- 1 box Sure*Jel original fruit pectin
Always choose red, ripe berries.
*My preference when making strawberry jam is to cut the trimmed and washed strawberries into chunks and pulse in the blender until it flows and isn't too chunky. I find that when I only mash the berries, the solids float to the top of the jam, by blending for a bit, the solids stay suspended in the finished jam and it has a more pleasant, less chunky texture. If you prefer the chunky jam, simply cut the berries into a smaller dice and smash with a potato masher or pastry cutter.
Begin by processing the strawberries. You will want 5 cups (use a measuring cup for dry ingredients) of berries after they have been smashed or blended. The amount of berries it takes to do this will vary depending on the size of the berries and whether or not very much had to be trimmed away.
I find using the Classic Batter Bowl from Pampered Chef works great for measuring both the sugar and the strawberries for this jam recipe! The markings are easy to see, and the large size means you can measure them all at once. No more losing count of how many cups of sugar you have done!
Once you have your berries processed, and measured, Place them in a large saucepan. I use a Dutch oven or small stock pot. Stir in the pouch of Sure*Jel pectin and 1 tsp of butter. The butter will help reduce the foaming of the jam while cooking.
Bring this mixture to a full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. You want it to keep boiling while you are stirring, a real good boil.
Add the sugar to the boiling fruit mixture and return to a full rolling boil. This will take a few minutes, the sugar will stop the boiling and the entire mixture will have to be brought back up to temperature. Keep stirring!
Once the mixture has reached a full rolling boil, allow to boil for one minute. I typically will allow to boil for additional 15 seconds. It won't hurt to go over the time a little, you just don't want to reduce the time at all.
Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel and place the lids and rings on each jar. Do not over tighten the rings, just finger tight.
Place them in the canner, making sure the water level is 1-2 inches over the top of the tallest jar. Process with a gentle boil for 10 minutes.
Once processing time is over, carefully remove jars with a jar lifter and place on a counter covered with a towel to cool. Any jars that have not sealed after 12 hours need to be placed in the refrigerator for use.
Enjoy your batch of strawberry jam!
Make sure the water covers the tallest jar by 1-2 inches.
Place them spaced apart on a towel to cool. This was 2 batches.
Do's and Don'ts
Do Use Ripe Fruit: It is important to use fruit that is ripe, but not overripe. If fruit is used that is not ripe enough, the jam could be cloudy. If fruit is used that is too ripe, the jam could be too soft and not set properly. If there are any blemishes on your fruit, trim it away. Do not leave any bruised spots on the fruit.
Do Observe Correct Headspace: The amount of space between the jam and the inside lid of the jar is called the headspace. For jams, it is important to follow the 1/4 inch headspace rule. If too much headspace is left in the jar, the possibility of it molding is higher.
Do Stir Continuously: It is vital to continue stirring the fruit mixture while it is on the heat. If you do not stir it constantly, it could create hardened spots in the jam/or leave areas of sugar that was not stirred in and left undissolved. Either of these will give you an undesirable result with the end product.
Don't Double the Recipe: Although it seems like a batch of jam doesn't yield a large result, avoid the temptation to double a batch. This will almost always result in a poor set. The recipes for jam are very specific in their measurements. Unless you have a larger batch recipe, it is best to take the needed time and do multiple batches.
Don't Soak Your Fruit: If you have done any juicing, you may be used to soaking your fruits or vegetables to yield a larger amount of juice. Avoid this practice when making jam. The recipe is specific for a solid to liquid (juice released by fruit) ratios. If the fruit is soaked, there will be more liquid, and the jam will not set properly.
Don't Cut Back on Sugar: The recipe is designed with precise measurements to interact with each other a specific way. If you cut back on the sugar in the recipe the jam will not set. If you are wanting a lower sugar jam, use the low sugar pectin and it will have an adapted recipe inside.
Don't Take Too Long to Ladle into Jars: If you wait too long to fill your jars, the jam could start to set. This will give your jam a cloudy appearance and not the nice fresh look of jam.
Don't Overcook or Cook too Slowly: It is ok to allow the jam to continue the rolling boil for a few extra seconds. However, if you do not have the heat up high enough to allow it to come to a boil quickly, or if you allow it to boil for too long, you can end up with jam with an undesirable texture. Cooking jam too long can create a tough or stiff product. Jam that was not brought up to a rolling boil quick enough could have a crystallization of the sugar due to evaporation of the liquid, this will give the jam a texture like sand.
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