[Amanda’s Little Diner] Afternoon Tea Series: Extra Large Strawberry Jam
Jam may look simple, but the details and precautions are practically endless. Think it's just about boiling fruit in sugar until thickened? There's so much more! Making jam is actually like a scientific experiment. Follow along with the cheerful and scientific chef to make some jam!
Ingredients
Steps
Wash the strawberries, drain, and remove the stems. Cut each strawberry into four pieces.
Place the prepared strawberries in a large bowl, pour in half the sugar, and mix well. Marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight.
Pour the strawberries and their juice into a frying pan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the remaining sugar, juice from one lemon, and a large spoonful of butter.
Cook over high heat, keeping the strawberries boiling consistently. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
While cooking the jam, sterilize the jam jars. Find a deep pot, place the jars and lids inside, and pour water to completely submerge them. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 15 minutes, keeping the water at a slight boil. Also boil tongs for sterilization. Place a small plate in the freezer to test the jam's thickness later.
After cooking the jam for 15–20 minutes, test its consistency. Take out the chilled plate, spoon a little jam onto it, and let sit for 30 seconds. Push the jam with your finger; if a thin film forms, it wrinkles slightly, and no liquid remains, the jam has reached its setting point. If not, continue cooking and testing until the setting point is reached (temperature of 105°C as measured by a thermometer).
Remove from heat and skim off the foam on the surface of the jam.
Use sterilized tongs to remove the jars from the water and drain.
Pour the jam into the jars while hot, leaving 1 cm of space from the top.
Use a damp paper towel to carefully clean any jam off the jar rims. Avoid touching the rims with your hands.
Seal the jars tightly while still hot.
After filling all the jars, place them back into the deep pot. Add boiling water to cover the jar tops, and simmer over medium heat for at least 15 minutes, keeping the water boiling.
Remove the cooked jam jars from the water and let them cool naturally to room temperature. Once cooled, tighten the lids again.