Good Strawberry Jam recipes

What to do with all those you-pick strawberries?!

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

2 1/4 cups of crushed strawberries
1 3/4 cups of cooked rhubarb
6 1/2 cups of (organic cane) sugar
1 3/4 pouch of pectin

Add fruit into 6-8 quart suacepot.
Add sugar, stir until desolved.
Add 1/2 teaspoon margarine to reduce foaming (if desired).
Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
Stir in pectin quickly.
Bring back to full rolling boil and boil 1 minute exactly, stirring constantly.
Remove pot from heat and skim off any foam using a metal spoon.

Ladle into sterilized jars with 1/8 inch headspace.
Process for 10 minutes in a waterbath canner.

From Sure Jell Certo information pamphlet.

Spiced Strawberry Jam

5 cups crushed strawberries
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 box 1 3/4 ounces powdered pectin
1/2 teaspoon margarine
7 cups (organic cane) sugar

Combine strawberries and spices in 8 quart saucepot.
Add the pectin and margarine.
Bring to a rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
Stir in exactly 7 cups of sugar and mix well.
Return to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute exactly, stirring constantly.
Remove pot from heat and skim off any foam using a metal spoon.

Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

From The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest, page 199.

Thank you, Alex, for the multitude of strawberries!

What I use for canning

canners:
• waterbath canner, includes rack for 7 quart jars
• pressure canner, mine has weights, not a gauge

canning hand tools:
• wide mouth canning funnel
• canning jar lifter
• kitchen tongs
• canning lid lifter (magnetic tip)

jars
• quart, pint, 1/2 pint jars
• new lids
• (recycled) metal bands
• plastic mason lids for fridge storage

extra's
• cheese cloth or jelly strainer bag
• stainless steel (tomato) strainer
• stainless steel colander
• large stainless steel pot(s) with lid
• stainless steel whisk, stirring spoon(s)
• rubber pot cleaner/scraper

There are steam canners available which use steam instead of boiling water to can the jars. This significantly reduces the amount of water used (the jars do not have to be submerged) and thus the amount of energy used to bring the water to a boil. Instead of buying another piece of equipment, I have been using my pressure canner (sans weight) as a steam canner with good success. The ease of steam canning makes it preferable over waterbath canning, plus steam canning does not leave hard water marks on the glass jars either.

Once a year the Cornell Cooperative Extension hosts pressure canner checks. They recommend to have your pressure canner checked before use each season to prevent accidents. Please email them for more info at tompkins@cornell.edu.

Canning Equipment & Resources

The two places to get canning equipment locally are:

locally owned Ithaca Agway & True Value
213 South Fulton Street
Ithaca NY 14850
607.272.1848

They have a nice selection of canning gear, tools, and books all year but an especially large selection at the end of summer. They also sell pressure canners and waterbath canners.

Wegmans
500 South Meadow Street
Ithaca NY 14850
607.277.5800

In the paper product section (paper towels, tissues etc.) Wegmans Ithaca has nice selection of canning jars, lids, some tools, pectins etc. Seasonally they will expand the selection and also include waterbath canners and other less usual products.

If these two stores do not carry what you are looking for there are numerous internet stores that specialize in canning & baking equipment.

Bulk ingredients for baking and canning can be found at:

Green Star
701 W Buffalo Street
Ithaca NY 14850
607.273.9392

Bulk organic nuts, flours, molassis, sugars. They also have yogurt starters and vegetable rennet available.

Regional access
1609 Trumansburg Road
Ithaca NY 14850
607.319.5150
food@regionalaccess.net

New York State’s leading purveyor of natural and specialty foods, Regional Access sells bulk products to both businesses and the general public.

Need more professional kitchen equipment?

B & W Supply Co.
510 3rd Street
Ithaca, NY 14850-3209
(607) 273-5300

A restaurant supplier whom also sells to the general public. If you need specific baking equipment, or higher end kitchen equipment than available at Target, B&W is definitely worth checking out.

Poached Pears for canning

2.5 pounds of cooking pears
2 cups of red wine
1 cup of organic cane sugar
cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg to taste

Peel, quarter and remove the seeds.
Place fruit directly into sterilized canning jars.
Combine wine and sugar, heat slowly and simmer until all sugar is dissolved.
Pour the hot liquid over the pears, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.

Process in a boiling water bath, pints 25 minutes and quarts 30 minutes.

After processing, remove from boiling water and place on towels with at least 1 inch space around to cool naturally as quickly as possible.

Excerpt from CanningUSA.com

Pickled Bell Peppers

7 pounds of firm bell peppers
3 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups water
9 garlic cloves
4 1/2 teaspoons canning or pickling salt

Yields about 9 pint jars.

Wash peppers, remove seeds, remove any blemishes and slice into strips.

Boil sugar, vinegar and water for 1 minute. Add peppers and bring back to a boil.

Place 1 clove of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in each sterile pint jar. Add pepper strips and cover with hot vinegar mixture, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Adjust sterile lids.

Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Very good pizza topping!

Concord Grape Jam, made easy

2 qts. stemmed Concord grapes
6 c. sugar

Separate pulp from skins of grapes. If desired, chop skins in a food blender or chopper. Cook skins gently 15 to 20 minutes, adding only enough water to prevent sticking (about 1/2 cup). Cook pulp without water until soft; press through a sieve or food mill to remove seeds.

Combine pulp, skins and sugar. Bring slowly to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly almost to jellying point, about 10 minutes.

As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Pour, boiling hot, into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps.

Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield about 3 pints.

From Cooks.com

Pickled Eggs & Beets

2 dozen hard boiled chicken eggs
or 18 hard boiled duck eggs
2 jars pickled beets
(or 2 cans of beets)
2 cups organic cane sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup pickling spices

In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, beet juice and pickling spices; bring to a boil. Add (whole or chopped) beets to this mixture and simmer for 2 minutes.

In a sterile gallon jar, add 1 dozen shelled eggs and half the beet mixture, then the other dozen eggs and the remaining beet mixture.

Seal and set in refrigerator for 3 days - should keep for a month refrigerated.

Adapted from Cooks.com

Pickled Beets

makes about 6 pints

30-40 small beets, unpeeled
(or 15-18 large beets)
2 cups organic cane sugar
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp whole cloves

In a large pot cook the unpeeled beets until fork tender (do not overcook), cool and then remove the skins. Slice the beets about 1/4 inch thick or cut into cubes.

In a large saucepan, combine other ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until all sugar has disolved. Let cool for a bit since the beets are packed cold.

Pack sterile jars with beets.
Quickly pour over beets in the jars, leaving 3/4 inch headspace. Secure sterile lids.
Process in a boiling water bath for 12 minutes and cool on a rack.

From Recipezaar.com

Apple or Pear Sauce

as many apples or pears as fit your pan
a thick bottomed pan with lid
a blender (preferably a stick blender)
a large container with cold water
1 tsp of ascorbic acid crystals or two crushed vit C pills - optional
a tomato strainer

Cut in quarters and remove core with knife (no need to remove skin due to blender).

Cut quarters in half and dunk in cold water with some ascorbic acid while working (to prevent browning - optional).

Add to pan with a little water to prevent sticking and cook on medium, stir occasionally, until pieces are soft.

Either use a stick blender in the pan, or blend mush in parts in a 'margarita' blender until all is smooth.

If you have a tomato strainer, you do not even need to core - just run the mush through the strainer after blending.

If the mush is really sweet, you can add brown sugar to taste (especially tart apples or under ripe pears can taste a bit too sour).

Laddle sauce hot in hot sterile quart jars, secure sterile lids and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

Apple Compote - Dutch style

Clean apples, core, peel skin (this is the most work by far, I do this while watching tv at night).

when you are doing this dunk the ones you finished in a big bucket with cold water and a little asorbic acid to keep the apples from turning brown (not nessecary though, purely cosmetic)

cut apples in quarters, then half those, then half again for big apples

put in stainless steel thick bottom pot with a little water (or apple cider), just enough so it does not stick / burn

let simmer until apples are mushy

mash by hand with a potato masher (do not use a stick blender, that makes apple sauce)

put hot in hot, sterilized quart jars, cap with sterilized seals

process in hot water / steam bath for 20 minutes

no sugar, no spices, just apple

you can add a little cinnamon, or a bit of allspice if you want

to make the apple compote special you can add one or two cans of crushed pineapple (rinsed and drained) depending on the amount you are making.

Green and Gold Refrigerator Pickles

Yields 2 quart jars (sixteen 4 ounce servings)

2 cups organic cane sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3 1/2 cups yellow summer squash (sliced in quarter pieces, about 1/8-1/4" thick)
3 1/2 cups zucchini (sliced in quarter pieces, about 1/8-1/4" thick)
1 cup green bellpeppers, finely chopped
1 cup red bellpeppers (banana peppers), finely chopped
1 cup red onions , thinly sliced
1 tablespoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon salt

1. heat sugar and vinegar in a non reactive 4 quart saucepan until the sugar dissolves.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and chill overnight. Ik leg een bord op de kop op de veggies met iets zwaars erop zodat alles mooi onder water blijft.

3. Transfer the vegetables to sterile quart canning jars. Cover with the vinegar mixture, cap, and seal. These will keep in the fridge for 2 months.

Adapted from the Big Book of Preserving the Harvest by Carol W. Costenbader, page 262

Monica's Zucchini Relish

6 cups cubed zucchini
4 cups cubed yellow squash (crookneck)
4 large red onions, finely sliced
4 green bellpeppers, seeded
4 red (or banana) bellpeppers, seeded
1/2 cup iodine seasalt
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
4 cups organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Slice zucchini and squash in dime to penny size cubes (remove mature seeds). Cut red onions in 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices. Cut seeded peppers (all colors are fine, as long as they are sweet peppers) in dime size cubes. Add all vegetables to stainless steel bowl, stir in salt; keep the veggies in the resulting brine by holding them down with a weighted plate. Let veggies stand overnight. The next day, drain off brine and rinse with cold water; drain again, and squeeze well by hand.

Mix cornstarch with the sugar and seasonings, add all to the cold vinegar, blending well. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring well to prevent lumping. When sugar is melted and syrup is clear, add vegetables; simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Pour into sterilized very hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace; adjust sterilized lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath - yields 5 to 6 pints.

adapted from Margaret Hawes's Zucchini Relish recipe.

Got Cabbage? Make Sauerkraut!

Simple Sauerkraut recipe
2 large heads of cabbage (about 5 pounds)
2 to 3 tbsp noniodized salt

Grate 1 cabbage and place in a crock or plastic bucket. Sprinkle half the salt over the cabbage.

Grate the second cabbage, then add it to the crock along with the rest of the salt. Crush the mixture with your hands until liquid comes out of the cabbage freely. Place a plate on top of the cabbage, then a weight on top of the plate. Cover the container and check after 2 days. Scoop the scum off the top, repack and check every 3 days. After two weeks, sample the kraut to see if it tastes ready to eat. The flavor will continue to mature for the next several weeks. Canning or refrigerating the sauerkraut will extend its shelf life. Yields about 2 quarts.

Varying the Ingredients
The proportions in these recipes can be adjusted to taste, including the salt. Salt is a preservative, so using more of it creates a crunchier, longer lasting sauerkraut.

Garlic Sauerkraut: Add 5 cloves of chopped garlic and 2 sliced onions when you add the salt.

Spicy Sauerkraut: Add 3 sliced poblano peppers when you add the salt. Leave the seeds in the peppers for added heat!

Sauersprouts: also chop 5 to 10 Brussels sprouts and thoroughly mix into the cabbage when you add the salt.

Mother Earth News Aug/Sep 2006 issue, page 122-124