Home Made Jam

     I like to make jam in smaller batches these days, but for this blog post I just happened to be making a large batch so I just wanted to show you a 'how to' including photos. It is really not hard. Even my mother has got into making her own jam. She finds it very easy as well.   

   There is nothing better then Home made jam!! Have you looked at the ingredients on the back of Jam sold in the stores? The main ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup... in my house hold that is a 'no-no'. So, I have been making my own Jam for over a year now. We LOVE it. And it cost SO MUCH LESS then store bought organic or not. I like to buy strawberries when in season then kinda go overboard making jam then stock up my pantry or giving it away. Strawberry seems to be the most popular, but when we go blueberry picking in a few weeks I will be making lots of blueberry jam. I have mixed it up before, but I DO follow recipes & just find the one that I have the most fruit on hand.  

        Now, I have gotten pretty good at this. Note, why I can take pictures & cooking it at the same time. Something I would NOT recommend. I would also recruit some help for the first couple of times. Even if it as simple as having your hubby/spouse wipe off the jars, cap & put lids on them. Start off doing small batches. The Ball Pectin Jars have recipes for single (2 pint) batches & you can double or triple them. Start off slow, enjoy the rewards of making your own food.

       The best advice I received when canning was 
"Canning is not about preparing, it is processing. You MUST prepare before you can process." Meaning, you can NOT be getting things ready ie: sugar/pectin or mashing while you are cooking your jam. 

Ready? Lets get started...

Prep first, make sure all of your fruit (in this case strawberries) are capped (stems cut off, along with any bruises) sliced, washed, mashed & measured (and put straight into 5 qt pan). Have all your sugar measured out into a bowl, same with the pectin & set them aside. 

http://www.canningbasics.com/water-bath-canning.html

Honestly, it has been a while since I have made a large batch like this. I really do find it easier to make smaller batches. This is 3 batches & might actually be my limit with out using the aid of my husband. I usually tend to stick to 1-2 batches because they can be done quickly & since we are planning on eating them soon I do not give them a water bath. Water baths & pressure canners are really only used when you are planning on storing your jams for a long time. So, usually I just fill them up cap them & let them sit on the counter over night, then they go straight into the fridge.

 I do use the instructions on inside of this Ball Real Fruit Classic Pectin powder.

For every 2 (8oz) half pints of jam you will need:

1 1/3 prepared fruit (mashed strawberries, best to do in layers)

1 1/2 tsp Pectin

1  Cup Sugar

So, for THIS recipe I used:

3 3/4 cup mashed strawberries
4 1/2 tsp Pectin

3    Cups sugar

Equipment:
5 qt Pot

8 qt pot
Tongs

Spatula (high heat resistant) 

Funnel (a canning funnel works best)

Dish Cloth (to spread out next to area, so you can put hot jars & not make a mess)

2 Cloths (1 damp= to wipe rims of jars &1=just in case you need another)

Ladle 

2 regular mouth Pint jars 

2 wide mouth pint jars

1 half pint regular mouth jar  (always best to have too many jars then not enough)

*Put a large pot on the stove (I prefer the back burner so it does not get in the way), on  med-high heat bring water to a boil
(I like to fill 1/2 way with water, then boil water in my kettle & add it to pot)

*Once it comes to a boil turn to med-low heat & add jars you intend on using. I like to OVER estimate how many I will need. 

If using pint jars 1 recipe(batch) = 1 pint. We are doing 3 'batches'.
 & it is better to have too many jars then not enough

Keep the jars in the pot until ready to use. Pouring HOT liquids into a cool jar could cause it to crack/break.

*Take a clean dish towel (not shown) & put it with-in reach so when you take your jars out of the boiling water you can rest them on the towel
 (DO NOT LET THE TOWEL TOUCH BURNERS OF THE STOVE)
Also, have damp cloths (for wiping rim's) & a dry one (for drying them & the lids/bands)

*Put Lids & Bands in bowls & cover with hot water. You can NOT reuse previously used (for canning) lids. Bands that are properly cleaned/dried & not damaged CAN BE reused.

*Over Medium-High heat use a spatula (high-heat tolerant) to slowly stir in Pectin.

*Keeping med-high heat stir occasionally until it comes to a full rolling boil
 (that can not be stirred down) & now stir constantly.

Keep stirring

*Now add all of your sugar & stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil.

*At this time I would start carefully taking your jars out of the pan & placing them onto the towel. Tongs work well, but a canning tongs work better 
(I just don't have any yet. I just work with what I have.) 

*Make sure you are ready, when it comes to a boil there will be no turning back....
Have your funnel ready.

After your 1 minute is up Carefully pour or ladle jam into jars, fill 1/4" from the top

With your damp cloth wipe rims clean.

After rims are clean put on lids securely then screw on rims. Not too tight, just enough for it to be closed. Be careful though the jars will be HOT!! I use a towel or pot holder to hold jars while screwing on rims.

This is the same pot of water I used to clean/sterilize the jars BEFORE I put jam into them. I kept it on low-med to keep water hot till THIS very part.

I am experimenting with the Water Bath method. I think next time, if I will be doing more then 2 jars I will line the pot with a wash cloth & separate them with a few more so they do not bang together (just like I did in my tomato sauce)

But, for this picture I turned water up to med-high CAREFULLY put jars into the water & covered them until they were covered @1-2" of water. Boil for 10-15 minutes. Turn heat off & remove from burner. 

LET THEM COOL IN THE WATER BEFORE TAKING THEM OUT.

Voila 

I honestly am not sure what I was thinking when I did NOT fill them to 1/4" from the top... but you live & learn no big deal. 

I left the 2 jars that I 'messed' up out on the counter till they cooled completely then put them into the fridge so we can use those first. The other 2 I let them cool then put them into my pantry for future use.

Now, I think I got everything right...lol. And I would recommend going to Walmart/Lowes or any home improvement store at the very beginning or end of summer to find the Ball Pectin on clearance. When I do find them, I buy ALL of them ;)