I went back in the kitchen and made even more jam. This time I made enough, as my friend Deanna says, to get me through the zombie apocalypse. I can't help it! It's an addiction!
I didn't mean to make so much, but it just kind of happened. Deanna had a gallon-sized bag of strawberries leftover from last year's pick-your-own frenzy. She very graciously donated the berries, a ton of jars, and even offered to let me jam out at her house. She is practically a modern homesteader, so of course she has an industrial-sized canner.
When Deanna first mentioned the strawberries, I immediately knew I wanted to make the strawberry rhubarb jam I made last year. It was so fantastic that I may have actually shed a tear or two when we finished the jar.
I followed the same recipe I used last year, but did everything times 6! That's 6 pounds of fruit! You can easily cut this in half, thirds or even sixths :)
- 3 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 pounds strawberries, slightly mashed
- 12 ounces water
- 6 cups sugar
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- A box of pectin
- Start by prepping your jars and lids.
- Put rhubarb, berries and water in a pot. Cook covered, stirring frequently over moderate heat, until the rhubarb is cooked through and thoroughly tender. It should take about 15 minutes.
- Add the sugar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to roiling boil (where the boil doesn't break even when you stir).
- Add the pectin. Cook for at least one minute longer. Jam should be around 220F.
To be honest, this jam tastes amazing, but it didn't set as well as I wanted it to. I think it is the type of pectin that I used (Sure-Jell). Not that I need to make any more jam this year, but if I do I think I'll try either making my own pectin or try a different brand.
Either way, I'm looking forward to a year full of delicious, if slightly runny, fresh jam!
See my other jam-making exploits here:
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