Strawberries are in
season and ready for… pretty much anything.
I tried for the first time to make preserves for gifts and
they were a sweet success!
Start with 5 cups of the best strawberries you can find and
mash them with a potato masher. Place them into a medium saucepan with ¼ cup of
lemon juice.
Follow the directions on the pectin and
add in the first half of the preserve powder.
Note: After three different batches I found that Pomona’s pectin made the best preserves – rich, red, and jammy.
Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat that can not be
stirred down, stirring constantly. Add 4 cups of granulated sugar, stir well
and bring to another hard boil. Remove from heat and skim the foam off the top.
Ladle hot jam into prepared hot jars and process.
I actually used an old large pot and drilled holes in an old
tart pan for my waterbath process. Ace Hardware should have all you need to get
started.
Yes, it’s a lot of work and takes some time, but the rewards
of sharing this with neighbors and friends – priceless!
Now go and spread some love!
