My daughter and I started a tradition of cooking together via The Pioneer Woman, and her cooking show on The Food Network. We began watching her show when it first came on, we would pick one of her recipes from the show and make it sometime during the week. This has been a great way to get in the kitchen with Emma, and also making a lot of new recipes.
Several weeks ago she made strawberry jam with her kids and Emma had never thought about canning, I have avoided canning as a scary overly complex process. Seeing how easy she made it look we became inspired. Since the boys are on a trip, and we have time we decided to take on the challenge so operation jam began.
Strawberries were on sale, and so strawberry jam it was, I also bought a large canning pot at Walmart for under $20, already had jars from zucchini relish made with my mom earlier this year so all I needed was pectin and a collar funnel also purchased at Walmart.
We re watched Ree’s show to see any tips and away we went. I discovered that the recipe is also in her new cookbook, so we had that to refer to as well.
PW Cookbook
Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups mashed strawberries – we used 5 pints
Fresh Strawberries!
6 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, strained
Love me some lemon!
1 1/2 packages pectin – 49oz- I used 9 Tbs from a large jar.
10 1/2 cups sugar
Emma measuring the sugar!
Preparation:
* Fill your canning pot 2/3 full of water and bring to simmer. Place your jars in pot and let them simmer while you make jam. Place the lids in another post of simmering water and leave them in while preparing jam.
Nice hot bath!
* Hull and chop the strawberries, place them in a dish or sheet and mash them, you can choose how big of pieces you want, I like very chunky jam.
Slave labor!
Great stress relief!
* Measure the strawberries and place them in a LARGE pot.
A pot of loveliness!
* Add the lemon juice and stir.
Adding a little acid!
*Bring the strawberries to a boil over high heat, keep stirring them.
Boiling…
* Then pour in the pectin and combine.
Fruit Pectin!
* Add all the sugar at once and stir to combine.
Stir in the sweet!
* Bring it to a hard boil, which means when you stir it it keeps boiling. At this point set a timer and allow to boil for 1 min 25 seconds. This is the point I realized my pot was not big enough and I got to watch it boil over for 1 min 25 seconds! Oh the lessons we learn!
Yep, that's an action shot totally boiling over!
* Turn off the heat, and skim off the excess foam from the top. I keep it in a bowl and use on toast it is yummy! This is also the point where I wiped done my stove before the jam hardend! Much easier to clean right away.
Skim that foam!
The boil over mess!
* Using tongs remove jars one at a time from the hot water. Put on the counter and insert the collar funnel.
Out of the bath!
* Using a metal measuring spoon or ladel, pour the jam through the funnel into the jar. Stop when it is 1/4 in. from the top of jar.
Smells so good!
* Wipe outside of jar with damp towel, then run a knife around inside of jar to remove any air bubbles.
Be gone air bubbles!
* Place a lid from the hot water onto the top of jar and screw the ring around the jar. Not tight just gently on.
Putting the lids on!
* Repeat this until they are all filled.
Ready for the pot!
* Turn your canning pot heat up to high, when water is boiling lower the rack, with jars in it, to the boiling water. Cover and boil the jam for 15 mins. When 15 mins is over, turn off heat , but keep in the pot for another 15 mins.
Last step!
* Lift the rack out of the water and remove the jars to the counter. Leave them undisturbed for 24 hrs. This is why the foam is great to have, you can eat it right away! You should hear the lids pop as they seal during this time.
All done, except for the lid popping!
* Store the jars in the pantry, or deliver to friends and family! If any don’t seal – I had one that didn’t, store it in the fridge to use first.
We had a great time making this jam, and are all set to do it again with different fruit oh the combinations are endless! I will use a bigger pot to boil the fruit, and have more water in my canning pot, but other than that it went very smoothly! Our jam had some foam left in it so I will also try and skim more of it off the top next time.
Operation Jam complete, next stop Operation Pickling!!
I love all of the strawberry recipes you’ve been posting up! I really want to try some canning because I have never in my life done it despite my dire need to make everything homemade. I will definitely follow your instruction, but I may need to come across a ridiculous amount of strawberries first – I may just try growing them in my garden! Your strawberry salad and vinaigrette recipe you posted on TK looks phenomenal as well. Have a fun weekend!
Love it, soooo good!!
One of my father’s friend bought us some strawberries and im def thinking about making some jam!
It looks like so much fun haha!
Just remeber to use a big enough pot ! lol
Looking forward to picking blackberries this summer. Perhaps I could persuade you to make blackberry cobbler and jam?
If you ask very nicely!
Your jam looks great!! I am doing a canning class coming up soon, so vote to see more canning!!
Will do Tara I realize there is so much to learn, and interested come this summer to can some of the extra veggies!
This looks delicious, and what a fun tradition! I love it! One of the things I most look forward to about having more space someday is the chance to try canning. Well done!
Also, your site looks great. I think the background is so cute!
Thanks Emily! I have visited your site as well and enjoy it!! No need to wait for space canning only needs a stove top! You don’t have to do huge batches, and if storage is the main issue then plan to do it and give as gifts. As a long time Army wife I have lived in some very cramped kitchens, I promise it takes no more room than making soup! Happy cooking! Oh and I love your site name, just beautiful!
Hey cousin! I popped over to your blog from FB; I am very impressed! I started canning a few summer ago and LOVE it (minus the sweaty, ton of work, and boiling sugar.) I have done jams (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, peach) and canned peaches and pears. My dad says grandma Helen was a prolific canner; I think she would be proud.
Yes Emily I think she would be very proud! So glad you came to visit my site! You will have to share your tips for canning the full fruit!
how many jars did this make and what size??? i have never canned before but have wanted to try this looks like something i can start with. Thank You for posting
Sharlotte, it made about 12 8oz. jars. It was way easier than I thought and it is soo good!