Making Jam

I have found one of the best things to do with lots of strawberries from pick your own is to make jam.  Soft fruit never last for long once they are picked so if you get making quickly you can extend the life of the strawberries for a good year or more if prepared correctly.

Jam takes a little bit of time and patience to make but other than that it is super simple.  Equal weights fruit to sugar, with juice from one lemon.  Adding lemon is something my grandma always used to do, the thought being strawberries are low in pectin while lemons are high which helps with the setting of the jam.  I am not sure how true this is, but it seems to work and sometimes Grandma's seemly bizarre advice is sound!

Here's a step-by-step guide to jam-making:

1. Wash and cut out the storks of all the strawberries before putting in to a big pan.
2. Let the strawberries start to shrink down, then add the sugar and lemon juice.
3. Leave to boil on a low heat for about 1 hour (this was for our 2kg strawberry batch... time will take more or less depending on quantities).
4. During this time, remove the white froth that comes to the top and put it in a bowl.  It helps the jam set clear. (I use this as a strawberry sauce for puddings, milkshakes or on toast)
5. Also during this time, clean the jars well in soapy water, then put the jars on a tray in the oven and set it to a low heat (GM 2/3).  Put the lids in a glass bowl of boiling water. 
6. After about 50 minutes put a tea spoon of the jam onto a cold plate from the fridge, wait a few minutes and see if it has set.  Repeat this step until the jam has set and then can can take the pan off the heat.  
7. Take the jars straight out of the oven and ladle the jam into them.  Be very careful as the splatters of boiling jam can burn you! 
8. Once all the jam has been transferred to jars, put the lids firmly on using tongs and a tea towel.
9. Then sit and enjoy listening to the jars "pop" as they cool down and the seal on the jars is formed.  

This time I used 2kg of strawberries (and 2kg of sugar) for the jam and it made seven jars.  This will last us a good few months.  I should add that if your jam is not set when cool you can always put it back in the pan and boil for longer.