It took us forever to get just 5lbs of strawberries!
2.) Do not take your two year old son. Well, at least not MY 2 year old son.
He got annoyed about 20 minutes after being there.
3.) Pick as much as you can.
4.) Take off all the stems and clean your strawberries really well.
5.) Soak your strawberries in sugar overnight. (~9 cups of strawberries to 6 cups of sugar).
6.) Cook your strawberry/sugar mixture on high. When it starts to boil, turn your temp down to about medium low and turn on a timer for 20 minutes.
*start heating up water in a very large pot *
7.) Also, your strawberries may start foaming up. Add about a tablespoon or two of butter and the foam should calm down.
7.) Stir for the entire 20 min.
8.) Put mixture into clean glass mason jars and tighten the tops on them. Boil the jars for at least 10 min - in the very large pot you started in step 6. (make sure the water in the pot will cover the entire jar.)
9.) Take jars out and let them 'pop'. If they don't pop - refrigerate and use within 3 weeks. I have never had a jar to not pop - even when I reuse tops - which is not recommended!
10.) Give away to family and friends and enjoy the wonderful compliments! Don't forget to keep a jar or two for yourself!
Update:
Note: To keep your strawberries as bright as they can be, squeeze a lemon (not the seeds!) in it while it is cooking. Which as you can see, I didn't do - that is why my strawberries are fushia.
Also, if you want your preserves to have an even consistency, put your strawberries in a food processor (which I also, didn't do) - But I DID use a potato masher to mash them up a bit. :)
4 comments:
Thanks for posting this!!!!! I've been wanting to make preserves forever!!! Zack's stepmom gave me some of her pear preserves, and now she's one of my absolute favorite people!
Ugh at the spam!
Annnyway.. my parents and I usually make fig preserves and they are DELICIOUS! My parents have an enormous fig tree in their backyard and I'm patiently waiting from them to ripen.
I've never tried making strawberry preserves and that's probably because I'm unsure where to go to actually pick them. I mean, yes, strawberries are sold at the local store but homegrown fruits an veggies are so much richer in taste. Perhaps I'll try the market..
Great post and thanks for such a detailed description.
You guys are so welcome! :). If you make them, let me know how they turn out!
I'm a little late in coming here to your blog but I love the Jam recipe! I am new to crocheting and it is talented people like you that help to set the fire under my uncreative butt (and other butts too lol).
Thank you for sharing your gift with all of us internet neighbors.
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