Citrus-Kissed Strawberry Jam
My last trip to Florida happened to coincide with the Strawberry Festival. Held in Plant City, the event is similar to a state fair – there’s a little bit of everything! All I was interested in was grabbing some of the area’s famed strawberries. I picked up a couple 2-pound clamshells (each only $2.99!!!) and suddenly found myself with more fruit than I could possibly eat. Being in the sunshine state, I grabbed some citrus, headed to my Airbnb and whipped up a batch of these preserves! To learn more about canning, check out my latest Substack post HERE!
Citrus-Kissed Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries, stems removed and pureed in a food processor
- Juice from 1 medium lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium orange, like Mineola or Cara Cara
- 1 (1.75-ounce) package of pectin, like Sure-Jell
- 5 cups sugar
Instructions
- Prepare seven (8-ounce) canning jars and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- In an extra-large high-sided skillet, combine the strawberries, lemon juice and salt.
- Zest the orange directly into the skillet, then juice the orange and add it to the skillet as well, removing any pits as necessary. It should be about ⅓ cup worth of juice.
- Add the pectin, sprinkling it a little bit at a time, evenly over the strawberry mixture, and whisking in between each addition to limit clumping, until it’s well combined.
- Bring the mixture to a steady boil over medium-high heat, scraping down the sides to keep the pan clean and stirring often with a heat-resistant spatula.
- Add the sugar in one addition and stir to incorporate, using the spatula to break up any lumps.
- Cook, stirring constantly and continuing to scrape down the sides of the skillet, until the mixture returns to a steady boil, then cook, continuing to stir constantly, controlling the heat, as needed, so it doesn’t boil over, for one minute more.
- Once the preserves settle, using a large spoon, carefully but quickly, skim any foam off the top and discard.
- Using a ladle, quickly but carefully transfer to the prepared jars, leaving a ¼-inch of headspace.
- Using a paper towel, wipe the rims of the jar, to ensure they are clean and bone dry.
- Place the lids onto the jar and secure with the screw the cap, twisting just until resistant. Have a clean linen dish towel on hand to hold onto the sides of the jars as they’ll be very hot.
- Using a canning jar lifter (or a heavy-duty spatula with rubber ends), carefully place the jars into the boiling water and process for 10 minutes. The water should cover the jars by at least 1-inch.
- Carefully remove the jars, placing them onto a cooling rack and let cool for at least 6 hours.
- Check the seal. Any jars that have not fully sealed can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months and fully sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years.
