Vanilla Strawberry Jam and Variations

By Hklbrries

Note: For elevations between 1,000 and 3,000 feet, add five minutes of processing time to those given in the recipes. For elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet add 10 minutes. At 6,000 to 8,000 feet add 15 minutes to the time.

Note: See "Canning – Yes, We Can" in this collection.

Ingredients

• 7 cups granulated sugar
• 8 cups whole strawberries (approximately)
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 package (1.75 ounces) regular powdered fruit pectin
• Variations: For regular strawberry jam omit the vanilla bean.
• Strawberry Balsamic Jam: Reduce the lemon juice to 1 tablespoon and add 3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar.
• Lemony Strawberry Jam: Add the grated zest of a large lemon to the crushed strawberries.
• Peppered Strawberry Jam: Stir 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper into the cooked jam just before ladling into jars. Be sure to use freshly ground pepper, which delivers a fresher-quality flavor

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Place 8 clean 8-ounce Mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner. Fill the jars and canner with water that reaches the top of the jars. Cover and bring water to a simmer over medium heat. Do not boil.

Prepare 8 lids. Set screw bands aside. Place the lids in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat just to a simmer over medium heat, but do not boil. Keep the lids warm until ready to use. Do not heat screw bands.

Measure sugar into a bowl and set aside. (Sugar is added to the boiling jam all at once, so measuring it ahead of time prevents errors in quantities and eliminates delays.)

In a colander placed over the sink, wash strawberries in cool running water. Drain thoroughly and, using a strawberry huller or the rounded end of a potato peeler, remove hulls.

In a glass pie plate or flat-bottomed bowl, place a single layer of strawberries. Using a potato masher, crush berries and transfer to a 1-cup liquid measure. As you accumulate each cup, transfer crushed berries to a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Repeat until you have 5 cups of crushed strawberries.

Add vanilla bean and lemon juice to crushed strawberries in saucepan. Whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and, stirring constantly, return to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and, using a large slotted metal spoon, skim off foam. Remove vanilla bean.

Fill one jar at a time. Remove jar from canner and empty hot water back into canner. (Do not dry jar). Place jar on a tray or towel-covered counter and place a canning funnel in it. Ladle hot jam into hot jar, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Slide a nonmetallic utensil, such as a rubber spatula, down between the jam and the inside of the jar two or three times to release air bubbles. Adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam.

With a clean damp cloth or paper towel, wipe jar rim and threads to remove any food residue. Using a magnetic or nonmetallic utensil, lift hot lid from water and center it on jar. Place screw bands on the jar and with your fingers, screw band down firmly, just until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. Do not over tighten or use any tools to apply screw band. Return jar to the canner rack and repeat until all jam is used.

When all jars are filled, lower rack into canner and ensure jars are completely covered by at least 1 inch of hot water. Cover canner and bring water to a full rolling boil over high heat. Process for 10 minutes (adjusting for elevation, see note), starting timer only when water reaches a full rolling boil. At the end of the processing time, turn heat off and remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, without tilting. Place jars upright no a towel in a draft-free place and let cool, undisturbed for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, check lids for seal. Remove screw bands and press down on the center of each lid with your finger. Sealed lids will be concave (they’ll curve downward) and will show no movement when pressed.

Jars that haven’t sealed properly must be refrigerated immediately or reprocessed. Rinse and dry screw bands. Wipe jars and, if desired, loosely reapply screw bands. Label jars and store in a cool dry place.

Note: For elevations between 1,000 and 3,000 feet, add five minutes of processing time to those given in the recipes. For elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet add 10 minutes. At 6,000 to 8,000 feet add 15 minutes to the time.

Nutrition Information:
Per (1-ounce) serving
67 calories
0 g fat
0 g protein
17 g carbohydrates
0 g cholesterol
Less than 1 gram fiber
Less than 1 milligram sodium