Yesterday I talked a little bit about our Strawberry Adventure ’11 and thought that I’d follow up and share the jam recipe that Roz and I use. It’s a classic strawberry jam recipe that really allows the berries to shine. We usually double the recipe (this year we made two double batches) but if you don’t have a load of berries or don’t want to commit to a ton of jam, the single recipe is perfect for you.

Strawberry Jam
(makes about eight 8-ounce jars)

5 cups crushed hulled strawberries
(about 31/2 lbs or 10 cups of whole strawberries yield 5 cups crushed)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 box (1.75 oz) regular powdered fruit pectin
7 cups granulated sugar, divided

1. Prepare canning jars and lids and bring water bath canner to a boil.

1. In a 8 quart stainless steel stockpot, combine strawberries and lemon juice.

1. In a small bowl, combine pectin and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Gradually stir into fruit.

1. Bring fruit mixture to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the remaining sugar. Return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for one minute.

1. Remove pot from hear and skim off any foam. Let jam cool in the pot for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

1. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Center hot lids on jars and screw on bands until fingertip-tight.

1. Place jars in canner, making sure they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Process 4 oz and 8 oz jars for 10 minutes: process 1 pint jars for 15 minutes.

1. Remove jars from canner and place on a wire rack or cloth towel. Let cool for 24 hours, then check seals. Wash and dry jars and store in a cool, dry, dark location.

If you are not familar with the canning process, I recommend looking here or here.

Original recipe from Linda J. Amendt