Canning Homemade Strawberry Jam

I love to preserve freshly harvested fruits and veggies!  While I was away in California we picked our own strawberries to make jam.

My sister Jen helping with strawberry picking

Check out Mary's Kitchen for the recipe!

Hanging out with the nieces and nephew

Today I'm going to give you instructions on CANNING Strawberry Jam.  I've used these instructions before and I found them at Pick Your Own.

• At least 1 large pot; I prefer 16 to 20 quart Teflon lined (taking care not to overheat the pots) pots for easy cleanup.
• Large spoons and ladles
• 1 Canner (a huge pot to sanitize the jars after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores, sometimes at big box stores and grocery stores.). *Purchase from AMAZON and we earn a very small commission*

• Ball jars (Grocery stores, like Publix, Kroger, Safeway carry them, as do some big box stores - about $7 per dozen 8 ounce jars including the lids and rings)
• Lids - thin, flat, round metal lids with a gum binder that seals them against the top of the jar. They may only be used once.
• Rings - metal bands that secure the lids to the jars. They may be reused many times.
• Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)- Big box stores and grocery stores sometimes carry them; and it is available online - see this page. It's a tremendously useful to put jars in the canner and take the hot jars out (without scalding yourself!). 

To get started, FIRST sterilize your jars either using the dishwasher OR boiling them.  It's a good idea to do this before you get started making your jam.

Needs more water!!!

Once you get you jam cooking, it's time to get your waterbath heated up.  Use a Large pot (maybe even the same one you used to sterilize the jars) fill 3/4 with water and set to boil.  There should be approx 2 inches of water OVER your jars.

And now for your lids...Don't forget to KEEP STIRRING your jam.  Don't let it burn!
Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.  

Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot jam. 

When your Jam is all ready to go:  Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water canner! 
*The tongs REALLY come in handy here*

From Pick Your Own:
Keep the jars covered with at least 2 inches of water. Keep the water boiling. In general, boil them for 10 minutes, which is what SureJell (the makers of the pectin) recommend.  I say "in general" because you have to process (boil) them longer at higher altitudes than sea level, or if you use larger jars, or if you did not sanitize the jars and lids right before using them.  The directions inside every box of pectin will tell you exactly.  The directions on the pectin tend to be pretty conservative.

Lift the jars out of the water with your jar lifter tongs and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like, but if you leave them on, at least loosen them quite a bit, so they don't rust in place due to trapped moisture. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down.  You'll here several go POP when the lids suck down.

In general, home canned jams should be consumed within 12 months.  They NEVER last that long in our house!

I LOVE these pint BALL jars!

Sharing this instructional post at Tuesdays with a Twist!
You'll also find me linking up HERE. 

More amazing blogs

Another random post today, well maybe not so random.  I am amazing at how many garden...homestead...DIY...crafty...green blogs there are and I haven't even been searching them out.

I'm sharing a few more worth while blogs with you today.

Rhonda in Australia has a very useful blog, Down to Earth.  Last year I started participating in her "On My Mind" series.

Another fun blog you'll find under my blog list is FlowerLady's Musings.  If you like flowers and beautiful things be sure to stop by.

Also listed under my blog list is Food In Jars.  This blog inspired me to actually USE the canning supplies that my hubby bought me.  There is even a section for small batch canning.

I hope you enjoy these blogs as much as I have.  I know I've sent many a link to friends with useful info from each of these blogs.

Any blogs you'd like to mention?

Peach Jam and Orange Marmalade!

Do I have your attention now?  My water bath canner and supplies arrived yesterday and I am itching to get started. 

I purchased my supplies for a very reasonable price. I bought a large pot with a lid and canning rack, stainless steel jar funnel, jar lifter, 12 1-quart Ball jars AND the Ball Blue Book canning guide.

I've spent quite a bit of time perusing articles and recipes on Food in Jars and I found a few that I really want to try.  I already made Refrigerator Pickles which were a HUGE success in my house.  Next on the list is  Peach Jam and Orange Marmalade.

Is it Fall yet?

Well technically the official first day of Fall is September 23rd.  However, the weather in sunny south Florida is predicted to be 90 degrees (without the heat index).  I won't let a little hot weather keep my from beginning my Fall prep starting with canning.  With cucumbers starting to ripen on the vine I'm salivating for homemade pickles.

Last night I made refrigerator pickles with a recipe from  
food in jars.

Notice I didn't use Ball or Mason jars.  These pickles won't be canned.  As it is I'm having trouble staying out of them after 1 day and I still have 2 days to go.  I've been gathering canning recipes in anticipation of my water bath canner and supplies which (fingers crossed) is in the mail.  More on canning later!!

My fall greens have been planted and are already enjoying the warmth of the Florida sun.  Grow babies grow!