My great-grandmother Bessie used to say whenever we were going to make jam that we needed to remember that cup for cup was the recipe for any jam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 cups strawberries
5 cups sugar
Lemon juice (optional)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pick through the berries and discard any bad berries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wash and drain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you know what this is for?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you guess strawberry huller? Use a knife if you don’t have this gadget

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chop up the berries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add sugar to the strawberries in a heavy saucepan. If the berries are very ripe also add 5 tablespoons lemon juice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bring to a rapid boil. Skim off the foam that forms off the top and discard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook until the jellying point by testing on a spoon or until you reach 220. I like to use the spoon test even when I use a candy thermometer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you have reached the jellying point  the syrup will run off in two drops and sheet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need to use a metal spoon for the test like I used above. I am using a white spoon to make it easy for you to see double dripping and sheeting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/8″ and process in boiling water bath 5 minutes if canning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is yummy! I use this recipe for my strawberry cake filling. Making the filling myself rather than buying from the store makes the cake more special

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite jam for toast.  Hungry yet? I am!