HOW-TO-TUESDAY Strawberry Freezer Jam

 


The first time I saw Florida strawberries growing in the field I was 18 years old.  My jaw dropped.  Not only had I never seen a commercial strawberry operation, I'd never seen berries this big. Or tasted berries this good.  They put the berries in my little Missouri garden to shame.

Be that as it may, Missouri berries are tasting mighty fine this spring!  And, what else is there to do with all the extra but make strawberry jam.  Who doesn't like strawberry jam?!

This is so simple and so yummy, you have absolutely no excuse NOT to make it.  I have a laundry list of allergies so I am always on the alert for recipes that won't put me into the ER.  My husband is my best source; he scours the web for dairy free and glutin free recipes, then puts his own special spin on it.

 I am allergic to pectin so no worries with this jam.  I was reading an article about pectin and it said unless you have a corn or apple allergy pectin won't bother you.  Well, I am allergic to BOTH corn AND apples so I need to take the cook cook cook road.  But, even with all that cooking, this jam is so easy breezy.  And, it's the way my grandma made jam, so I love it.  I was even tempted to pour the wax on top the way she did but didn't know how that would fare in the freezer.



STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM
 4 cups strawberries   cleaned, cut and squished
4 cups sugar  (A professional jelly-maker friend of mine says NEVER use more sugar than berries)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix together and heat until sugar dissolves.  Bring to roaring rolling boil.  Stir. Stir. Stir.  If you have a candy thermometer boil until it reaches 220 degrees or the soft ball stage.

Skim off the foam.

 Pour into sterilized jars, seal with flat and screw top.  Cool 2 hrs in frig then pop into the freezer.  We've already tried ours on rice cakes, dairy-free ice cream and the best gluten-free pancakes you'll ever taste.

This recipe made 7 pints of yummy jam.