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Strawberry Jam and Variations

Source of Recipe


Sara Dickerman






List of Ingredients



• 4 pints of strawberries
  
• 3 cups sugar
  
• 1 pkg. low-sugar pectin
  
• 1 cup water
  
• Zest of 1 lemon
  
• .
  
• -- Optional Additions --
  
• 3 vanilla beans, cut in half, and their scraped pulp
  
• ...or 6 rose geranium leaves
  
• ...or 6 sprigs lavender
  
• ...or 6 sprigs lemon verbena
  
• ...or 1 cup unsprayed rose petals, and 1 tsp rosewater
  






Instructions



1. Wash three 2-cup or six 1-cup lidded containers (glass or plastic) with hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and keep close at hand.
   
   
2. Wash the strawberries, then hull them. Crush them with a potato masher or pulse them in the food processor until you have a chunky pulp. Measure out 4 cups of the crushed strawberries, reserving the rest for a sauce or soup.
   
   
3. In a 4-quart saucepan, stir pectin into the sugar until thoroughly blended. Whisk in one cup of water, and bring the mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir the strawberries and lemon zest into the hot pectin mixture, mixing thoroughly.
   
   
4. Distribute the optional additions evenly between containers, and then ladle in the hot jam. (Note: The rose petals and rosewater can be stirred into the jam before filling jars.) Seal containers and let sit out at room temperature for 24 hours until set, then refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to a year.
   
   Makes 6 cups.