Strawberry Jam

The strawberries in Florida are at their peek right now so they're everywhere- and pretty cheap!  I've wanted to go out and pick some but there are so many roadside stands right now and truth be told, they usually have better berries than the u-pick places.

These rode around in my car for a few hours while I ran errands yesterday.  It's always a good sign when they smell up your whole car!

I bought a strawberry huller at Williams-Sonoma and I'm really glad that I did.  It made the process much easier.  It'd also be great if you wanted to make that filled strawberry recipe that is really popular on pinterest.

Ingredients:
4 pints (2 quarts) of hulled strawberries
7 cups sugar
6 tablespoons pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice

1. In a single layer, mash strawberries with a potato masher. 
2. Add strawberries, pectin, and lemon juice to a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Add sugar to strawberry mixture and stir until all sugar is dissolved.
4. Bring mixture to a boil and let hard boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Skim foam off top of jam.
5. Funnel into sterilized jars leaving 1/4" head space. 
6. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 8 half pints.

If you have any specific questions about canning, let me know.  I know it can be intimidating but it's really quite easy. 

As pretty as these Weck jars are, they aren't the easiest to use.  If you're going to try canning for the first time, stick with good ole Ball jars. I should have skimmed off more foam which is why it looks a little "frothy" at the top.  It doesn't bother me or change the taste but it's not really the "proper" way to do it.

 Every once in a while there is a jar that doesn't want to seal which is fine with me because one jar always gets eaten right away.  I've got a little Valentine's day dessert in mind for it this week.