Strawberry Preserve Recipes

STRAWBERRY PRESERVES I

Steps:

• In a stockpot, combine the strawberries, sugar, vinegar and salt. Bring to a rolling boil, and cook stirring frequently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the temperature of the mixture has reached 220 degrees F (105 degrees C).
• Transfer the mixture to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process jars for 10 minutes in a water bath. Refrigerate jam once the seal is broken.

SUN-COOKED STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Watch the weather: sun-cooking requires two or three full days of sunshine and temperatures above 80 degrees. Trim stems or leaves off berries and taste; if they are very sweet, use smaller amount of sugar. Toss berries and sugar in a glass or ceramic bowl. Let sit for at least 6 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally to distribute sugar as it dissolves.
• Transfer berries to a nonstick or stainless steel pot and add lemon juice. Gradually bring mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce to a high simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Pour into a large stainless steel or plastic tray (or several, depending on size) into a layer 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep.
• Set in direct sun and cover with netting or cheesecloth to keep bugs out and to allow evaporation. Stir gently every few hours. Leave out all day, or at least eight hours; bring indoors (or cover securely) at dusk, set out again in the morning.
• Watch for syrup under berries to thicken. Depending on weather, this will take two to four days. Mixture may bubble as it heats, but if it starts to foam, can it immediately and use as syrup. (Foam indicates the beginning of fermentation; syrup will still be safe and delicious.) If weather changes, or if mixture does not seem to be cooking, proceed with slow-cooking, below.
• When all syrup thickens, pour it and fruit into a pot and gently bring to a boil. Pour into sterilized glass jars; tighten lids. Place jars in a deep pot with water to cover. Boil jars for 10 minutes, then remove from pot with jar lifter or tongs. Let cool on counter, untouched, 4 to 6 hours. After 12 to 24 hours, check seals: lift each jar up by the lid, and press the lid to make sure the center is sucked down tight. Store in a dry dark place for up to one year. Refrigerate after opening.

STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Put strawberries and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until juices are released, about 40 minutes. Stir in sugar.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture registers 210 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely; skim foam from surface with a spoon.

OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash the strawberries in cold water and drain thoroughly. Hull them and discard the caps. Halve or quarter the strawberries lengthwise.
• Combine the berries with the sugar in a bowl or a large stainless steel or enamel-lined pan and let sit for 2 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
• In a medium saucepot, bring the strawberries to a boil slowly, stirring occasionally. Add the lemon juice.
• Cook rapidly over medium heat until the strawberry mixture reaches a temperature of 221 F, 25 to 45 minutes. Skim off any foam from the surface.
• Ladle or funnel the strawberry preserves into hot, sterilized jars , leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
• Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath .
• Cool and store in the fridge until ready to use.

OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Place hulled strawberries in heavy large saucepan and mash coarsely. Cook strawberries over medium heat until beginning to thicken, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add 2 cups sugar and stir until dissolved. Increase heat to medium and boil gently until mixture thickens and mounds on spoon, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool. (Preserves can be prepared 1 week ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container.)

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PRESERVES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add the rhubarb and sugar; stir to coat evenly.
• Cover the bowl, and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
• The next morning, place the rhubarb mixture and the strawberries, in a large kettle.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat just a bit, and gently boil for 15 minutes (stirring constantly).
• Add the crushed pineapple, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Turn off the stove, add the boxes of dry gelatin powder, and mix well.
• Transfer the jam to the sterilized glass jars, and cover the jars with the lids.
• Cool the jam to room temperature, before storing the jam in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Yields: 7-1/2 cups of preserves.
• Note: If using store bought frozen sweetened strawberries, you may want to decrease the amount of sugar to 3-1/2 cups. I however, used strawberries which I prepared myself and had froze them. They're not as sweet as the store bought, so the 4 cups of sugar I added, was the right amount to add to this recipe.

STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Prepare the strawberries by wiping them with a piece of damp kitchen paper. (Wiping the strawberries rather than washing them ensures the fruit doesn't absorb lots of water - too much water and the jam won't set easily.) To hull the fruit, use a knife to cut a cone shape into the strawberry and remove the stem. Cut any large berries in half.
• Put the strawberries in a bowl and gently toss through the sugar. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 12 hrs or overnight. This process helps the sugar to dissolve, ensures the fruit doesn't disintegrate too much and helps to keep its vibrant colour.
• Before starting the jam, put 2 saucers in the freezer. Tip the strawberry mixture into a preserving pan with the lemon juice. Set over a low heat and cook very gently. If any sugar remains on the sides of the pan, dip a pastry brush in hot water and brush the sugar away.
• When you can no longer feel any grains of sugar remaining, turn up the heat to start bubbling the jam and bringing it to the boil. (The sugar must be completely dissolved before increasing the heat, otherwise it will be difficult for the jam to set, and it may contain crystallised lumps of sugar.)
• Boil hard for 5-10 mins until the jam has reached 105C on a preserving or digital thermometer, then turn off the heat. If you don't have a thermometer, spoon a little jam onto one of the cold saucers. Leave for 30 secs, then push with your finger; if the jam wrinkles and doesn't flood to fill the gap, it is ready. If not, turn the heat back on and boil for 2 mins more, then turn off the heat and do the wrinkle test again. Repeat until ready.
• Use a spoon to skim any scum that has risen to the surface and discard this. Do this only once at the end, rather than constantly during the boiling stage, to reduce wastage.
• Add a knob of butter, if you like, to the finished jam, and stir in to melt. This will help to dissolve any remaining scum that you haven't managed to spoon off the top. Leave the jam to settle for 15 mins - this will ensure that the fruit stays suspended in the mixture and doesn't all float to the top of the jam jar. Meanwhile, sterilise your jars.
• Ladle into warm jars, filling to just below the rim. Place a wax disc on top of the jam (this prevents mildew forming), then cover with a lid or a cellophane circle and elastic band. Pop on a label (include the date), plus a pretty fabric top, if you like. The jam can be stored for up to 1 year in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate after opening.

STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Cap and rinse berries, place in a large colander.
• Pour boiling water over berries and let drain 1 minute.
• Combine berries and 1 cup sugar in a dutch oven. Bring to a boil; boil 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar; boil an additional 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Pour strawberry mixture into a shallow 13x9-inch pan; skim off foam with a metal spoon.
• Let stand, uncovered, in a cool place 12 hours; shake pan occasionally so that berries will absorb syrup and remain plump and whole.
• Skim off foam with a metal spoon, pour preserves into sterilized jelly glasses, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
• Cover with a 1/8 inch layer of paraffin. cover with lids.