This “Easy Strawberry Preserves Recipe” is one of our family’s favorite things to eat! When made with homegrown berries, it’s even MORE of a treat! Let me show you how to make perfect strawberry preserves every time!
Making fruit preserves is one of the first canning skills I learned because it’s so simple. Preserves are simply a proportionate combination of fruit, juice, sugar and pectin. Different fruit require different amounts of sugar, depending on it’s sweetness and juice content. Some fruit can be made into preserves without pectin, but strawberry preserves is best made with it.
Here’s everything you’re going to need:
- 8 cups of strawberries, washed and ready to cap
- 7 cups of sugar
- Good paring knife
- 1 box of Sure-Jell pectin
- At least 4 pint jars (16 oz) or 8 jelly jars (8 oz) clean and sterilized
- 4-8 lids and bands, I keep my lids on low to medium heat in a saucepan filled 1/3 with water
- A couple of medium-sized bowls
- Funnel
- Water bath canner
First, cap your strawberries. I take the cappings out to my chickens, they love them!
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Next, mash your berries until the fruit is barely recognizable. I prefer to do this by hand – why? Well, I like slow food and I refuse to rush when making food, it produces negative energy. As I mash my berries, I like to think about the people who are going to be enjoying it.
However, you are welcome to gently pulse your fruit in a blender (here’s the one I use) if you want to.
Once your berries are mashed, put the fruit and all of the juice into a pot. Add your pectin and slowly bring the mixture to a boil while you stir.
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Once it reaches a boil that won’t stop when you stir, it’s time to add the sugar.
I recommend pre-measuring your sugar so that it’s ready for this step. Dump the entire amount in at one time.
Bring the mixture back to a boil and turn the heat down slightly to a medium-high heat.
Once you obtain a full boil again, let it boil for one full minute. I recommend setting a timer.
Once the minute is up, remove the preserves from the stove. I like to put it on pot holders on my counter, so that I can fill jars.
Slowly, fill your jars up with preserves with 1/2 inch of head space. After this, using a clean cloth dipped in hot water, wipe the rim of your jars clean.
This recipe easily makes 8 cups of preserves, so have your jars ready. However, if you have some leftover, we like to put it in a bowl to enjoy right away and store in the frig.
Using tongs, remove the lids from your saucepan and gently lay them on the jars, then add the rings to seal.
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Place your sealed jars into a water bath canner, making sure your jars are covered with 2 inches of water, then bring to a boil. Let jars process for 10 minutes, and then remove and let cool on counter.
You should have perfect jars of strawberry preserves to enjoy, barter with or sell!!
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