Heaven in a jar. Strawberry Jam is my favorite. I make it the old fashioned way; no powdered or liquid pectin. I use fresh lemon juice and lemon peel for the pectin, just like my Grandma did. Its really handy not to have to go to the store for more ingredients to make this jam, I’ve usually got sugar and lemon at home all the time.
Strawberries are coming in here and my sweet sis-in-law and mother-in-law brought me a big tray. We at them til we had enough (is that even possible?) and the rest I will make into jam.
Strawberry Jam
4 cups berries, topped and cut into chunks
(or weigh them and use 2 pounds)
4 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 – 1 inch wide and 2 inch long piece of lemon peel. I don’t usually measure this I just use a couple big slices of peel.
You’ll need 3 or 4 pint jars, lids and rings.
You’ll need a heavy bottomed pot. The heavier the better. Don’t try to make jam using a thin aluminum pan, it will probably burn.
Combine everything in a heavy bottomed stock pot and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the heat down a little, don’t let it boil over. Allow it to boil for about 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes longer.
Stir constantly. You can test it and see if it is setting up by putting about 1 teaspoon of the jam on a cold plate and blowing on it. If its ready, it won’t come back together when you rake your finger through it.
What I do is put a small plate in the freezer to get cold while the jam is boiling. Then I put a little jam on the cold plate and set it back in the freezer a few minutes, then check to see how thick it is. Once it is as thick as I like my jam, I know the pot has boiled long enough.
When the jam is ready, put it in hot sterilized jars, seal and water bath the jars for 15 minutes.
after you make the strawberry jam and before putting it in the jars, do you remove the lemon peel?
Yes, you will remove the lemon peel.