Strawberry Jam Without Pectin Recipes

Steps:

• In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.

Steps:

• Put waterbath canner on, and bring to a boil. Wash, rinse and sterilize 8 jars, lids and rings. (I put my jars and rings in a 225 F oven and the lids in a small pot of water)
• Crush berries, one layer at a time. I did this in a 2 c measure using a potato masher and add it to a 4 c measure a bit at a time.
• Add fruit to large pot with lemon juice pectin and margarine. Stir well and place over high heat, bring to hard boil.
• Add sugar all at once and bring to hard boil, one that can't be stirred down. Boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat, stirring for 5 minutes to prevent floating fruit. Quickly ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Put into canner, bring to boil and process 5 minutes.
• Notes: The pectin didn't have anything about processing but I do it now because one year I lost most of my cherry jam because the seals broke.
• The original recipe didn't have the margarine but I added it because it helps reduce foaming. I stole the idea from Certo.
• The recipe says it makes 7 cups but I usually do up one extra jar just in case. But this time it only made 6 and a little.
• If you don't want to process I see no reason why you can't just put in jars or containers and freeze.

Steps:

• Cut the stem off the fresh fruit, being careful not to include any green bits along with the berries.
• Rinse the fruit very thoroughly. This will remove any bits of stem, and remove some of the small hair and fibers on the outside of the fruit.
• As you prepare the fruit, it's okay to use very ripe berries.
• They will taste better and make a better jam. In fact, it's better to have nearly over ripe fruit than just barely ripe.
• The berries are softer, sweeter, and have more natural sugars.
• Add the berries and mash them in batches.
• I usually mash two or three cups at a time, just to make sure I don't miss a berry and end up with an outsized chunk at the end.
• Put the fresh berries in a large, tall cooking pot and add the sugar, lemon juice, and water.
• Bring the mix to a roaring boil on high heat, stirring regularly.
• The boil needs to be strong, one that does not diminish when you stir.
• Maintain this level of boil for at least 20 minutes.
• Stir regularly and watch the heat, turning it down to medium-high heat as the jam thickens to avoid burning.
• When your jam begins to thicken and has reduced by nearly half, you can check to see if it's done.
• Total cooking time is over 30 minutes.
• When you're sure it's set, pour it into sterilized jars, or clean plastic storage containers, and let it cool on the counter.
• Be careful not to spill, as it is very hot and will give you a nasty burn.
• The hot water from the pot should be handled carefully as well.