Jam and Jelly Recipes

For great jam and jelly recipes, check out the Ball and Sure-Jell sites. I made jam a couple years ago, but it didn't turn out right because I didn't process it long enough. This year, I tried my luck at strawberry and cherry ('cause I couldn't find a cherry pitter). Both are EXCELLENT! You never know what you can do until you try - so try! You just might like it. Happy canning!

SURE.JELL Strawberry Jam Makes: About 8 (1-cup) jars* or 128 servings, 1 Tbsp. each 5 cups prepared fruit (about 2 quarts fully ripe strawberries) 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional) 7 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling. STEM and crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 5 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. STIR pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon. LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

* I used pints

SURE.JELL Cherry Jam Makes: About 6 (1-cup) jars*

4 cups prepared fruit (about 3 lb. fully ripe sweet cherries) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin 5 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl 1/4 tsp. almond extract

BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

STEM and pit cherries. Finely chop or grind fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups of the prepared cherries into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.

STIR pectin into fruit mixture in saucepot. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and extract. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE immediately into prepared jars*, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

*I used pints