This recipe came across my desk one day a few weeks back and after reading it, I knew I had to make it. The biggest hurdle to overcome – finding fresh strawberries in December. It usually isn’t an issue but for some reason it was this year. I did find them at a local farmer’s market.
Next, I had to find cute little jars. Of course, Amazon was the first place I looked. I found these. Perfect!
Then it was time to make the jam. Oh what fun it was. There was jam everywhere on the stovetop, I think, on me, just everywhere! But it was all well worth it. It is very yummy and is perfectly named as the spices, strawberries and cranberries just screams Christmas!!
And what a perfect hostess gift! Or just to give to friends. You can’t go wrong!!
Christmas Jam
Ingredients
1 bag cranberries – 12 ounces
2 quarts fresh strawberries
5 pounds sugar – this comes out to around 11 – 11 1/2 cups – I go with 11 1/2 just to be sure)
2 packets of liquid fruit pectin (3 ounces each)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Fill your water bath canner about half full. Add a splash of white vinegar to your water – this will help keep your jars from getting cloudy. Put your clean jelly jars in the canner.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat a bit, this will keep your jars hot while you make the jam.
Pulse the fruit in a food processor or a blender – I actually used my stick blender because I didn’t want big chunks of fruit in my jam. Put fruit in a large pot – around 8 quart size.
Add sugar and spices. Mix well. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add the fruit pectin.
Return to stove and bring to a boil, stir it all together. Boil for 1 minute.
Fill jars with jam to 1/4 inch headspace.
Wipe rim of jar with a paper towel that has a bit of white vinegar on it to make sure your rim is very clean so you’ll get a good seal.
Put on lid and band and tighten it finger tight.
Put filled jars back in the water bath canner making sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch,
Bring water to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up turn off the burner. Let the jars sit in the water for another 5 minutes.
Remove jars from canner and put them on a clean towel and allow them to cool.
As they cool you’ll hear the pinging letting you know the jars are sealing.
When the jars are cooled and sealed remove the bands. Wipe the jars clean. Label the jars with content and date.
This gave me 10 half-pint jars.
