Well here we go. We have the grapes fresh off the vine cooked down and strained. In the new strainer but I do say that I like the old method betta! But this post is about the jam so I will try not to get side tracked...Right!
The strawberries looked good enough to eat the minute I started. I did look and perhaps my research is just not good enough. There are plenty of plan ole' grape jelly but none with other stuff added. Thus here is one of the two I made.
They are delicious!
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| Ingredients |
2 cup of grape juice
3 cup fresh strawberries
1 lemon squeezed in
6 cups of sugar
1 box powder pectin *if bulk 6 tablespoons
* Put the pectin and the same amount sugar into a measuring cup and mix it up it makes it easier to add and dissipate into the mixture when added.
Diane had trouble getting this to set so we tweaked the recipe a bit. This is the time I need to thank you guys for letting me know when something just does not work for you it helps me re-can and re-work a recipe. Thank you Diane! The one thing I do say is if you have had trouble with any jam recipe setting just add an additional 2 tablespoons of pectin to it.
Instruction:
Alright start by putting your grape juice into a large pot. Bring this to a boil and while it is getting there add your strawberries. Squeeze your lemon juice in. I put the strawberries in whole and mush them as I am waiting for my rapid boil. Feel free to cut them up or how every you want to add for texture and consistency that you like. Bring the grape juice and strawberries to a rapid boil, stir- stir -stir.
Alright add your pectin mixture keep stirring. Look how good those biceps are lookin'. You want this to come to a rapid boil that you can not stir down.
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| This is done - see the foam and rapid boil |
With all the stirring you do when making jam I find that having everything measured and ready makes the process easier.
Once the pectin mixture is dissolved add your sugar and continue to stir.
Good your jam should be into a rapid boil and have foam on the top.
Turn the heat off let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. Slowly and carefully scrap the foam off the top you may get a few strawberries. Here is the Foam story
(Little side note- My grama use to scrap the foam and give it to us on crackers. We would sit and just wait for the foam it was such a treat. But today they say dis-guard it. Ya think I do...)
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| Happy Jarz |
Alright now all that is left to do is fill those jars 1/4" from the top, wipe the rims, cap and water bath. Water bath for 15 minut4s. This makes about 8 half pints.
Disclaimer: This is not an all inclusive recipe for making jam. You should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the canning process before proceeding. Please consult your local Center for Home Preservation for additional information and available classes.
This jelly tastes great. Unfortunately, mine did not set up. The idea of 4-5 cups of sugar to taste probably is the culprit. I made two batches back to back and neither one set up. I did the fix mentioned on the post, and hopefully, that will work. If not, it will be great syrup. My second issue is there is no way to get that foam off the top without removing the strawberries. It is mixed in with the strawberries and removing foam means removing strawberries. If there is a good way to accomplish this, I would like to know. My 3rd issue is once the juice is in the jars what strawberries did survive from removing the foam process now float. They are not spread evenly throughout the jar but float around on top so you have strawberries for an inch on top but the bottom 2/3 has none. It looks funny. I redid this the next day and took out all the strawberries. The flavor is still there and now it looks pretty. Hopefully, it sets up.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane so so sorry it took so long to reply to this. I have tweaked the recipe a bit. I had no problem with it when I originally made it but I want to make sure you can get it right. I am going to make it again in October I just went and picked a ton of grapes and froze them for jammin winter fun.
DeleteThe foam is a challenge but if you let the pot sit for about 5 minutes before you start to fill the jars. This also helps with the floating fruit thing. Once it has stir lightly and try your best to skim the foam. It is a pain in the ... but a necessary evil. So many things a re time consuming with the ole' canning!
The floating fruit thing happens to me to but there are a few fix's. The easy thing is stir up the jam when you open it. But then if we want to gift our jam then it looks well strange.
Ok on to floater's strawberries have a way of doing this but there is a trick and it is if you let your jam sit overnight so the liquid is soaked up by the strawberries than cook it the next day to warm for the jar's this should work. I tried it yesterday and it worked . I have also gently rolled my jars while they are cooling from the water bath and turned them upside down and then right side up while cooling. Some people say this is a no no but so far so good.
I hope this helped.
Try using a tbsp of butter for the foam, I also use surejell. 😁
ReplyDeleteI have used the butter tip without success thank you for the tip!
DeleteCan you use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?
ReplyDelete