1 / 2
Homemade strawberry preserves is the perfect topping for toast.
Photo by Fotolia/135pixels
2 / 2
4 half-pints SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 4 cups washed, stemmed, and chopped or crushed strawberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Directions
- In a large stockpot, combine strawberries and sugar, mixing well. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 8 hours at room temperature.
- After 8 hours, bring the strawberry mixture to a boil over medium heat, and then quickly stir in the lemon juice. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 24 hours at room temperature.
- After 24 hours, bring mixture to a full rolling boil, and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off foam.
- Ladle mixture into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.Note: For best results, make sure 1/4 to 1/3 of your berries are underripe, because they contain more pectin.Want more home-canning recipes? Read Preserving and Canning Recipes for Garden Produce to get the most out of your harvest this year.
