Strawberry Jam

[Jasminegirl]

Trying to do a little today. I have a ball blue book for canning opened to can some strawberry preserves. The receipe I am looking at is for no Pectin added. It calls for 2 quarts strawberries and 6 cups sugar; and you combine both together and bring to a boil stirring until sugar disolves. Then keep cooking for 40 minutes and as mixture thickens you stir frequently to prevent sticking. After putting in jars it says to process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

This book is probably 2002 addition b/c I have been trying to find a new one at wal-mart, hasting, books a million, but nobody has any yet. And never could get one last year. I know they should have newer additions out. Is this process 15 minutes enough now or should it be longer or can I use my steam-pressure canner, and if I can how long do I process it with that? I have put 2 flats in freezer and have 2 more I want to make this jam with. I have to go into town Monday or Tuesday to get Hastings to order my a Ball Blue Book for 8.95 they said. But need info now if possible. Thanks, alot for any info. Last year I just added extra minutes while canning like most all of you said to do, so probaby over processed all my food. But better to over process a few minutes than too little. This will be me waiting patiently for a response

[Canned Nerd]

Your 2002 copy of the Ball Blue Book is sufficiently current. Changes that have occurred in recent years are in other areas, such as canning chicken. If you have doubts on some procedure you can go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation for answers.

 

You should NOT use a pressure canner for doing your jams. And unless you have a canning recipe that gives tested and proven processing methods and times, it should not be done. If nothing else you would overprocess your food and probably lose your gel.

 

15 minutes in a BWC is the correct and current time.

[Jasminegirl]

Thanks so much Canned Nerd! I was over washing and boiling pots and jars and getting ready to do them the way the ball book said just in case I didnt get answer soon. Thanks again!

[Canned Nerd]

BTW, if you are spending time and energy sterilizing jars before using them....stop. Its not necessary. Research by the food scientists over the years have determined that jars get sterilized after 10 minutes in the canner, so all recipes that used to be for 5 minutes processing are now 10 minutes to satisfy that safety issue. Any recipe over the 10 minutes didn't need to be changed.

 

It just saves a step we have to take in an otherwise long day of canning.