Simply Berry Jam Recipes

Posted by Cathy England
July 10th, 2009
Filed in Fruits, Veggies and Herbs
Tags: canning, fruit, jam, preserves

This is quite possibly the most exciting time of the year for anyone with an appreciation of the harvest.  Mother Nature planned her own crop rotation in such a way as not to burden us too much with her bounty.  As a gardener from the northern part of the U.S., I start itching in anticipation for those first beautiful fruits.  But, then they come so fast and heavy, there is no way to eat the 15 pounds of Strawberries that you just knew that you would need from the U-pick.  So, it sounds like it is time to dig out the berry jam recipes.

Let’s Jam!

If you have never canned or preserved your own food before, or even done this with your grandmother, please keep reading.  Because I promise you that you will not be sorry.  Preserving your own food can be an overwhelming undertaking, so start small and do not burn yourself out.  You can build your skills throughout the season, or even over years.

Almost everyone who I have ever discussed canning with started one spring with too many berries on hand, and could not bear to toss them, even though they were getting to be overripe.  They all did this, and you can too.

Getting Started in 8 Easy Steps

1. Product-You need fruit, and the more cheaply you can get it, the better.  It does take quite a bit of fruit to make jams, preserves and butters, so going to the grocer in this case is probably a bad idea.
2. Equipment-You need a deep stock pot that will allow water to cover the canning jar by two inches.  If you do not have this, they are easily found in stores or procured as an entire kit on Amazon.  I started with a veggie steamer and salad tongs.  Lots of burns later, I invested in the tool kit.  You also need about a dozen jars with lids and rings.  Half pint jars work best for jams.  You do not need a pressure canner for fruits.  That will be explained later on.
3. Recipes-Perhaps you have some recipes that you have been collecting from friends etc.  This is great.  Try the recipe that sounds the best to you.  If not, get the Ball “Big Blue Book of Canning”.  This is the basic primer for all new canners.  This book covers the basics very well (and is supplied in the kit from Amazon).
4. Sanitize-The instruction to prepare jars in hot/boiling water is not a suggestion, it is a requirement.  No matter how clean your kitchen is, it is not the sterile environment that you need.  Any bad microorganisms can lead to lots of nasty food borne illness.  Boil your jars.
5. Process-Each recipe will give explicit directions about how the jars should be filled, and how long they require in a hot water bath (Boiling water).  Headspace refers to the amount of room between your product and the top of the jar.  Some foods will expand in storage and need more headspace.  Jam is not one of them.



6. Listen for the POP!-Canning jar lids have the domed lids.  When the vacuum has been created (which is often a bit after you remove them from the water), you will hear a pop meaning that your jars are sealed and can be stored.
7. Label-It’s fine the first time, because you know that all you have made is strawberry jam, but when you get the canning bug, and you will, it will be easy to lose track of what’s what.  Jams and their cousins look very similar once canned. label them, and include the date.
8. Enjoy-This is one of the easiest ways to remind yourself of the joys of summer, and the hope of spring in the middle of January.  Bake a loaf of bread, toast and top with what’s left of the jam that you made.  If there is any.  I hide some.  People usually really like to receive this as a gift.  Ask for the jar back if they are not going to use it.

Tips and Miscellany

• Using old canning recipes is probably okay for making jams and jellies, because of the acid in the fruit.  However, the parafin wax that our forebears used is no longer considered safe.
• Without being too obnoxious, let people know that you are getting into canning and jam making.  You may find that they have berry and fruit bushes that just lay to rot each year, and that, my friends, is not acceptable.  I have seen postings on Freecycle asking people for fruit that they will not use.  Last year, I scored a bushel of pears after a nonchalant conversation with my supervisor.  Pick your own fruit.  This is the best way to get fruit that you do not get for free.  Picking your own ensures that you get the fruit that you want, and it is much cheaper, not to mention fun.