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Strawberry Preserves
To make the strawberry-lemon preserve variation, add the zest of one lemon, an extra half cup of lemon juice, and a cup less of sugar.
Makes about 6 cups
20 minutes preparation time
approximately 30 minutes cooking time
7 pints strawberries, hulled
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Put a couple of plates in the refrigerator to chill.
Gently mash the strawberries in a pot with the sugar. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and let the preserves simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently and skimming off the foam as it forms. Cook the strawberries until they thicken, at least 20 minutes. To make the process go faster, you can divide the preserves into two pots.
To test for doneness, put a teaspoon of jam on one of the chilled plates and return it to the refrigerator for one minute. After a minute, remove it and tilt the plate. Most of the preserves should remain in the center of the plate, while some of it -- especially the more liquid portion -- will slowly spread out towards the edge of the plate. When the preserves have firmed up to this extent, pour them into storage jars.