Homemade Strawberry Jam

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Author: Tina @ Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs strawberries, washed/dried, hulled and cut into quarters
• 2-2/3 cups white sugar
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp bourbon or whiskey (optional)

DIRECTIONS

To prepare your jars:

1. Boil a few cups of water.
2. Pour boiling water into your jars, as well as the lids. (I used 4 jars)
3. Allow jars/lids to sit for 5-10 minutes with the boiling water in them, then carefully pour the water out.
4. Set jars/lids upside down on a cooling rack to dry until they are ready to fill

To make your jam:

1. Place your sliced strawberries + sugar into a large pot.
2. Cut your lemon in half, squeeze the juice from both halves into the pot, and toss the squeezed lemon halves into the pot with the berries.
3. Stir mixture well, cover, and let it sit a couple of hours (up to 8 hours) at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
4. While you are waiting for your berries to marinate, place a small plate in the freezer. (You will use this later to test the readiness of your jam.)
5. Place your pot of strawberries on the stove, over medium-high heat and cook them until the mixture reduces and the juices thicken, stirring occasionally. If a lot of foam rises to the surface, skim it off.
6. When the berry syrup is the consistency of warm maple syrup (after approx. 10-15 minutes), turn off your stove and put a spoonful of the jam on the plate you had in the freezer, then return the plate to the freezer.
7. Check on the jam after a few minutes - if it wrinkles when you nudge it, it’s done. If not, return the plate to the freezer, turn your stove back on, and cook your pot of jam a little more, testing it again. (It may take a few tries before you get the consistency you want).
8. When the jam is done, take out the lemon halves and stir in your bourbon/whiskey (if using), then spoon/pour the jam into your prepared jars.

To store your jam:

1. Follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation's instructions on how to can/store fruit jams; OR
2. Once your jars are filled with jam, screw the lids on tightly, flip the jars upside down, let them cool (which provides a reasonable seal, according to David Lebovitz), and store them in the fridge. David says that his jams keep well this way for up to one year - I wouldn't know, because Dan ate all of our jam in less than a month.

NOTES

In reading the comment section of the original recipe, it sounds like turning jars upside down after filling does not create a 100% perfect seal, but if you store the overturned jars in your fridge at all times that should be OK. Of course, if any of your jams show signs of mold, you should definitely discard it.