Traditional Homemade Strawberry Jam

My dad owns a farm in Northern Cebu.  On one of our conversations, he mentioned that he was giving away some of his fruit produce for free so that it won't rot on the farm.  This made me think that maybe he could preserve and sell them in the local market.  I was also thinking that maybe I can study how and perhaps add this to my line of cookies that I plan to market in the future.  When The Hutong opened a Strawberry Specials class, I didn't hesitate to join.

Traditional Homemade Strawberry Jam

Ingredients: (yields 4-6 cups of jam)

• 2kg  strawberries, rinsed, hulled and cut into i-inch pieces (almost ripe strawberries)
• 5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Instructions:

1.   Put a small plate in the freezer.

The beginning

2.  Place berries and lemon juice in a non-reactive 10-litre pot set over medium-high heat.  Using a wooden spoon, mix in 1/4 cup sugar with berries.  Cook, stirring, until berries are juicy, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.  Stir in a third of remaining sugar until dissolved.  Repeat until all the sugar has been added and dissolved, about 7 minutes.

3.  Bring mixture to a full, rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Stirring constantly, boil until most of the liquid is absorbed, mixture thickens and temperature registers 105-degrees Celsius (220-degrees Fahrenheit) on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes.  The mixture will spatter as it boils so be sure to wear oven mitts and an apron.  When the jam reaches the temperature, turn off the heat.

4.  Perform a gel test:  Place a spoonful of jam on chilled plate.  Wait 1 to 2 minutes and run your finger through the jam.  If the jam does not run back together, it is ready.  If it's still runny, boil it longer and perform the gel test again.

5.  Skim off and throw away any foam on top of the jam with a metal spoon.

6.  Pour warm jam into sterilized jars; seal, label and refrigerate up to 4 months

Starting to turn jelly & Gel Test

Hygiene and Safety Tips for Making Jam

1. Thoroughly clean all surfaces and equipment before you begin.
2. Thoroughly clean the fruit.
3. Was the jars and lids in warm, soapy water and then sterilize the by either Boiling Water Method or Oven Method.
4. Ladle hot jam into hot jars.
5. If you heat process the filled jars, the jam can be kept at room temperature for around two years.
6. If you do not heat process the filled jars, the jam must be stored in the refrigerator and used within three months.
7. Exercise caution at all times as you are working with hot jam and hot jars.

My Jam Making Experience:

Boiling Water Method

I don't know what to expect with this class but everyone was excited to bring home their own strawberry jam.  We pour roughly 4 kg each of strawberries in two pots and lime juice.  Afterwards, the hard part begins. 
   

I had an arm workout while stirring the mixture.  I think I gave up after 5-10 minutes of stirring constantly and passed it to my classmate.  The initial stage when the strawberries are still in chunks was hard stirring.  Once it turns juicy, it's smoother stirring.  Once it slowly turns to jam, it's hard stirring again.  We took turns stirring until the mixture was ready for ladling.  Using an electric mixer is not doable as the pot turns really hot.  

Do I want to do it again?  I'll put it in my reserve list as I'm not really a jam person.  However, I think there's a market for jams and jellies so maybe when I'm ready to retire will I do it again.