How to Make Homemade Strawberry Jam!

This summer I’ve been preserving all kinds of yummy homegrown goodness around here – that’s one of the many joy about living in the country. Check out some of the recipes here. Today I’m sharing the secrets of making homemade strawberry jam. I was shocked on how many jars this strawberry jam made! I have more than enough to give as Christmas presents this year and I’m so excited!

First thing before you begin making strawberry jam you’ll want to have everything ready. I sterilized my jars, lids, and rings. I like to do this in the dishwasher because I know it’s sterilized, but you can also boil water and sterilize them that way for about 10-15 minutes. You’ll also want to have your water bath canner filled with water, heating,  and the rack hanging on the top lip ready to put jars in.

Materials – I linked everything below, just click on the name of the item.

• Jars. I used 4oz canning jars. 4oz, and 8 oz, work the best for jelly and jams. I like to use the 4oz so I have more to give out as gifts.
• Preserving Canning Pot – The one I linked is similar to the one I used. I linked a set because you’ll need the rack and jar lifters.
• Large sauce pot or boiling pot

Ingredients

• 5 cups of crushed strawberries (I bought 2 of the large packages)
• 1 package of powdered Sure Jell
• 1/2 tsp butter
• 7 cups of sugar (I used 7-1/2 cups because I used 6 cups of crushed strawberries)

Directions

1. After thoroughly crushing strawberries, measure out 5 cups (or use 6 cups as I did) and add to sauce pot.
2. Add pectin and butter to mixture and heat on high heat, stirring constantly, until a roiling boil is reached. A rolling boil is one that doesn’t stop boiling when stirred.
3. Stir in sugar and return to a full roiling boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and skim foam off the top.
5. Fill your jars with a ladle, leave about ¼” headspace. Once filled, wipe the rims with a paper towel and screw on the lids and bands. 
6. place the jars in a hot water bath according to your altitude below.
7. Altitude chart:
   1. 1,000-3,000 – 10 minutes canning time
   2. 3,001-6,000 – 15 minutes canning time
   3. 6,001-8,000 – 20 minutes canning time
   4. 8,001-10,000- 25 minutes canning time
8. When canning is complete remove jars and place on a towel to cool. Once cooled, check for any jars that didn’t seal. Refrigeration is required if any jars didn’t seal properly.

I hope you have a good turn out and everyone loves your strawberry jam!

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