Summer Strawberry Jam

You will need :

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced (about 1½ pint baskets or 4 cups whole berries or 1 pound)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

ahead of time chill a small plate or bowl in the freezer or over ice water this will help you test if the jam is ready to set.

Chop and slice the strawberries.

 

In a 10 or 12-inch wide pan, bring fruit, sugar, and lemon juice to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly and skimming foam as necessary. Cook about 8-10 minutes, until mixture begins to look syrupy and thickens slightly.

Spoon ½ teaspoon of the hot fruit onto the cold plate and let it rest for 30 seconds. Tip plate to one side; jam should be a soft gel that moves slightly. If mixture is thin and runs down side of plate, the gel is too soft. Return pan to the heat and cook jam 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and repeat test if you need to. its trial and error to be honest,so don't worry if it takes sometime to get it right

At this stage  I like to add a Vegan setting agent to make it more of a jelly jam than just a preserve. (Just follow the directions on the pack)

Add the Veg Gel mix to the cooling jam and mix in completely.

 Boil your jars for about 10 minutes or so to sterilize them. (use a pair or silicone thongs to remove from the boiling water and drain on a clean tea towel.

Pour in to your sterilized jars allow to cool before sealing.

Boil the sealed jars and for another 10 minutes and let cool 12-24 hours. The heat from the jam will destroy mold spores. Mmmmmm Mold Spores!