To Prepare Berries

1. Wash hands with soapy water.
2. Select fully ripe berries (not overly ripe) for best flavor.
3. Sort, wash, and rinse thoroughly before cooking. Do not soak; drain off excess water.
4. Remove stems and blossoms before crushing.

To Make Jam

1. Measure crushed strawberries; place them into a saucepan or stock pot.
2. Add pectin and stir well.
3. Place on high heat.
4. Stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full boil with bubbles over the entire surface.
5. Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full bubbling boil.
   1. Optional: to decrease the amount of foam that is formed during the cooking process, add ¼ teaspoon butter or margarine.
6. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
7. Remove from heat, and skim off foam.
8. Follow canning and processing directions below for a safe, shelf-stable product.

Canning Instructions

For best practices, read resources from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Read Using Boiling-Water Canners before beginning to make jam or jelly at home. Read the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning: Guide 1 Principles of Home Canning if you are new to canning.

1. Sterilize canning jars in boiling water.
2. Pour hot jam immediately into hot, sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
3. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids.
4. Process the filled, lidded jars in a boiling water canner.
5. Carefully remove jars from boiling water; let cool.
6. Remove screw bands after about 12 to 24 hours.
7. Label and date product.
8. Store product in a dark, dry, cool location.

Processing Details

Determine processing times at altitude using a boiling-water canner.

• Jar Sizes: Half-pints or Pints
• Type of Pack: Hot

Processing Time

• At 1 to 1 to 1,000 feet altitude: 5 minutes
• At 1,001 to 6,000 feet altitude: 10 minutes
• Over 6,000 feet altitude: 15 minutes

Recipe Source

This is a tested, evidence-based recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. University of Georgia Extension.