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Strawberries and rhubarb just run in our family. My great-grandparents had fields of strawberries that people from miles around would come to pick each year.
Stroik’s Lake Du Bay Berry Farm
I got a bug to get out and pick strawberries this year and came home with several pounds of red beauties from a local u-pick farm! While the kids would’ve loved to “take care of them,” I pulled out the trusty “Blue Book Guide to Preserving” (by Jarden Home Brands).
Making jam is an excellent way to get started with canning. The recipes are generally simple, and the success rate is high. This recipe was no different and required four ingredients, fruit, pectin. lemon juice and sugar.
Combine strawberries, rhubarb, powdered pectin and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
For more recipes like this, check out http://www.hogcreekhomestead.com!
Tips for success:
- Strawberries should not be overripe, in fact, some sources recommend using ½ ripe and ½ slightly underripe for best results.
- Pectin should be fresh (at least from the same season).
- Always use the particular type of pectin in the recipe. Pectin can come as a liquid, no sugar needed, or freezer pectin and the amount of sugar and lemon juice in the recipe will affect the consistency of the jam.
- Doubling jam recipes are not recommended and can lead to runny jam. This recommendation is likely due to the amount of time it takes to handle each batch, resulting in cooking too long or letting sit too long.
- Always process fruit for the recommended amount of time to prevent spoilage.
- Make sure the pan is deep enough to prevent boiling over. The jam will rise almost 2 inches when it is at a rolling boil.
- Prep jars, lids, and hot water bath before preparing the recipe.
Don’t do this!! What a mess!!
Works Cited
Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Daleville, IN: Hearthmark, LLC, 2010. Print.