Tasty Tuesday---Simply Strawberry Jam!

Good morning, Dear Readers!

I was more than a little stunned this morning to get on and see that we had over 700 hits in ONE DAY yesterday--from posts all across the board. I guess there are a lot of people hearing about the Welcoming House, and I owe it all to you, so thanks for being such a great group of readers who pass on these posts!

 Today is Tasty Tuesday, where I am trying to post recipes of things we make a lot around here at the Welcoming House, and what would June be without a post on making your own to-die-for strawberry jam?

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We eat a lot of jam around here, what with three kids, and a lot of baking our own bread and such,  so having a go-to, easy-as-can-be recipe for making jam is right up my alley.

I am quite sure I have shared with you that I can up around 2000 jars a year with all the different things that I make, and probably about 40 of those jars are different kinds of jam or fruit butters. This year it looks like I will be closer to 4000 with more mouths to feed in my Littles (who can out eat me most days), and sharing with family and neighbors. The best way to save on a grocery bill is by purchasing things in season and finding ways to preserve it for the times when it becomes expensive.

    I think you know that in tough times, you feed your family the best you can and go from there. I am thankful to be able to put those jars of jam on my shelves, and thankful for the times that I was still able to provide strawberry jam, even if it was from the store, right? So do what you can, and be proud of what you have accomplished.

   My Simply Strawberry Jam recipe is about as easy as it gets:

• 8 lbs of strawberries, sliced
• 7 cups of sugar
• a pat of butter to keep the foaming down
• a big pot
• a wooden spoon
• a stove burner set on low to medium, so the mixture is simmering
• lots of patience

Seriously. That is it. You slice or chunk the strawberries, put them in the pot, add the sugar, stir, put a lid on and slowly let it cook down. In the beginning, until the berries heat up and release some juice, you will need to stir more. Then you will need to stir it about every 15 minutes at first, and then more constantly at the end to make sure it does not stick. I remove the lid for the last 30 minutes or so because that helps it to thicken faster. Took about four hours of total cooking time for me. I keep a spoon in ice water, and pour a little of the jam into the spoon when I am checking it. When the jam gets the consistency I like, which is like hot fudge ice cream topping, then I know it is time to process it. To can this up, you water bath can it with a lid, at boiling temperature, for 15 minutes for half pints, 20 minutes for pints, and 25 minutes for Quarts. The strawberries break down over the slow cooking time, into nummy little bites of berry all through this thick amazing jam that is just begging you to eat it on toast, or even used over the top of vanilla ice cream in the dead of winter.
This recipe makes 7 pints, or 14 half pints of jam. We tend to do an assortment of both so that we have some to give away as sweet gifts..but mostly the larger jars because we eat a lot of this as a family. I will make this a couple times this summer until we have a shelf full of jams and jellies.

   

Any questions, then ask away! :)

Many Blessings to you and yours,

Heather