Ingredients
- 2 quarts ripe strawberries, hulled & washed
- ½ to 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks of lemon grass chopped in half
- 2 tbsp. Cointreau or other orange liqueur
Steps
- Prepare 6- 8 0z. jelly jars and lids by washing & sterilizing in simmering water for 15 minutes in a large pot or canner with grate on bottom so jars don’t touch the bottom of pot. Keep in hot water until ready to use.
- Mix all ingredients in large saucepan, simmer on med until reduced to desired thickness. 20-3-min., stirring frequently.
- Remove jars with tongs and place on clean surface. Do not touch lip of jar with your hands. Keep water simmering in canner.
- Ladle jam into jars to within ¼ inch from the top.
- Remove air bubbles by sliding a small rubber spatula down along the sides of the jar.
- Wipe rims with clean cloth. Place on lids and rings and hand tighten.
- Because of the low sugar content, this jam needs 10 min. in a hot water bath. So place the jars back in the canner straight up & not touching. Make sure water is above tops of jars & remains at a low boil.
- Carefully remove jars to towel with jar lifter or rubber coated tongs to cool.
- As they cool, you will here the jars pop as they seal. When they are cool, check all the seals by pressing the center of the lid. Store in cool, dark pantry. If seal isn’t good, keep in frig.
- After opening jars, store jam in frig for up to 1 year.
**Any fruit jam can be easily made without any sugar but made sweet by simply cooking it down. Not as gelled as ones with a lot of sugar or pectin, but the loose consistency makes it more versatile for use as a topping on pancakes, ice cream or cake.
Serves: Makes 6 8 oz. Jars
Credit: Cam Van Sant