It didn't look like a lot at the time but when we got home and I got to washing them I quickly decided that we couldn't possibly eat all of the berries before they went bad. So we started jammin'. Hahaha... I really find myself entertaining at times. (Sidenote, its hard to type entertaining. Or is that just me? My fingers got all messed up both times there. Try it.)
Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam
7 cups pureed/mashed strawberries
1 1/2 packages Certo
10 cups sugar
juice of 1 lemon
You will also need 6 pint sized jars with lids, tongs, 2 large pots and a funnel. I did not use a funnel and that's why I'm adding it to the supply list. My kitchen was super sticky after this jammin' adventure because of my laziness in not going downstairs to find the funnel.
First, start by hulling the berries. Well wait, first google "hulling" to find out that it simply means cutting the greens off. I'm not saying that you don't know what that means. All I'm saying is that some people may not and I might have been one of them. So then, after you hull and wash the berries, simply mash them to your preferred consistency. We like fruit chunks in the jam so I leave it a little chunky by using a hand masher. For a more pureed texture its probably faster to use a food processor or a hand blender. One 4 litre basket ended up 7 cups once mashed.
I can't even tell you how important it is to keep everything sterile while bottling the jam. The jars, lids, tongs and funnel all need to be boiled clean. Its a good idea to get things boiling in one of your large pots while you continue with the jam making process.
While your supplies are boiling, bring the berries, lemon juice and Certo to a boil in a second large pot, stirring often. Once its at a steady boil, add the sugar and stir frequently until the jam comes to a boil again. Cook 5 minutes longer. Remove it from the heat and let cool for 5-7 minutes. You will need to continue to stir the jam throughout those 5-7 minutes if you left larger chunks of berries to ensure that the chunks don't all float to the top.
While the jam is still warm, pour into the hot jars leaving about a 1/2 inch space in the top. Wipe any drips from around the mouth of the jars before placing the lids. Once the lids are placed, turn them until tight and then turn them back 1/4 turn. (I don't know if this part is scientific, but my Mom said to do it that way so I did).
Because everything is hot, you will not need to "can" the jars. They will seal as they cool. You may even hear the seals schmuck down. That's what it will sound like. A little schmuck sound. (You're saying it out loud, aren't you?)
This is delicious jam! Its simple and quick to make. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Its so easy that I can't wait to try blueberry once I send my little people out to pick!
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