A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity Our Favorite Recipes To add pectin or not??

Hi, guys! I just picked up 6 lbs of super-ripe strawberries for $6 and am out of pectin. Go figure. Can you guys tell me which sort of recipe you all prefer, with or without pectin? I'm thinking I need lids, 'cause DH poked holes in them for ladybugs but I don't know if all are damaged or not. So I'll be going to the store at some point today. Let me know!

Thanks,
Sarah

Sarah, do you have Dillon's there? They have a Sure-Jell, over by the canning stuff, and you can make jelly with it, just follow the instructions on the box. It is "Oh~My~Gosh" good! We just freeze it in Ziploc freezer containers & set out to thaw when you need it. Now I need to go get me some strawberries, you have made me hungry for this jam! :wink:

Ksgardnr, yup, Dillons is where I got the strawberries. They probably had 50 lbs of strawberries they were trying to unload at .99/lb. I restrained myself and only bought 6 and when I got home, discovered I'd actually bought 7! I had to run out there this morning to get some more blue bags for recycling--the city won't pick it up unless it's in blue bags. I'm so glad that I needed more blue bags!! I don't know if I'm going to can today, I've already made potato salad, deviled eggs, got my cake baked, and still have 2 other dishes to make plus dinner and a ganache and cherry filling for the cake. And I have to run out and pick up his gift that I had shipped to a friend's house, only problem is, I can't get ahold of her. It's DH's birthday. If not today, I will definitely be making the jam tomorrow. I'm so excited, I really like cooking, canning, baking, etc!

I'll probably run out and get some pectin, I tend to get distracted at critical moments and burn things, or they overcook. Kids can be so distracting, sometimes. Thanks for the input!

If you make tame strawberry jam without pectin, you have to be extra careful because you can scorch your jam.

Thanks, Tamara, then I really need to use some pectin. I can't tell you how many rue's I've ruined because I've had to go take care of a kiddo.

I just scorched my spaghetti sauce chatting with Penny on here, it happens fast

Try get liquid pectin if you can, you'll be amazed in the difference.

Well, thanks for the info, now I am gonna have to send the hubby to Dillon's so I can have some strawberry jam! ;) Good luck with your jam, did you get the pectin?

Never bought berries by the pound. About how big is a pound of strawberries?

KS, I don't know if you're dillons would have it on sale or not. It was the 'manager special' and it was all that they had left.

Tamara, strawberries come in cartons down here, clear plastic box with a snap-on lid, they are pre-measured out to 1 lb. I guess you guys probably use kilos or grams or something, huh? The box is probably 6x4 inches and probably 3 inches deep. Once again, inches, sorry I don't know centimeters for you.

I'm going to get pectin and lids tomorrow morning. I'm just too busy today. My cake is looking fabulous. It's an extra dark devils food and I put a layer of cherry pie filling between the two cakes, topped it with some scrumptious ganache and will top (just before serving) with fresh whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and maraschino cherries. If only I liked cherries and cake! It looks very pretty, I'm not sure that I'm going to want to cut it up tonight. It's my own take on a black forest cake. DH just loves it and I only make it for his birthday, cause I don't like cake or cherries.

I couldn't resist adding pics of my cake!

Can you mail my a slice of that??

Heck, you're close enough, come and get a big ol' hunkin' slice. I won't touch the thing (except the ganache)!

You mentioned Dillion's. My sister lives in Hutchinson her husband is good friends with Mr. Dillion.

Mr. Dillon, huh? I've heard that they are...kinda flakey. But, that is just rumor. They have a restaurant in town also, but, I hear, it's terribly expensive for regular food. Nothing fancy but the price. Your sister can come have a slice of cake! Then she can tell you how great it was!

I suppose you made your jam already---but here is a easy jam recipe.
6 cups mashed strawberries
5 cups sugar
2 TB lemon juice
Mix berries with sugar. Cook rapidly until thick (about 20 minutes) Add lemon juice a few
minutes before the cooking is complete. Pour into sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of top. Put on cap. Screw band firmly tight. Process in boiling bath water 10 minutes. yeild 5 half-pints. once mine turned to sugar--I think I should have blended the sugar & fruit well before cooking--

Well, I made my first of probably 3 batches last night. My recipe was from the pectin box insert. It was 4 Cups smashed strawberries and 7 cups of sugar. No water or lemon juice, which I found a little odd.

I was making it in a 2 qt pan, and it overflowed all over my stove. I poured it into the 2nd to biggest pot I have (3 qt) and that almost overflowed. Thankfully DH helped clean up while I poured the jam and processed it. I think I'm going to need a bigger pot for the remaining batches. AND I can't find any of my pint jars-just my quarts. I got about 2 dozen from my mother and bought another dozen and now I can't find any of them. I must've given away more pickles, jam, and salsa last year than I remembered.

well sounds like you are in the business anyway--did you taste the firset batch??---what did you think of it---if it is good well then who cares what the recipe sounded like??

The concern is the acid levels. (most recipes have lemon juice or vinegar to increase the acidity) If it's too low then I just made botulism jam, that I've shared with a few neighbors, friends, not to mention fed to my own children.

I did taste the batch, it is REALLY sweet--REALLY, really, sweet. But it is good. I'm sure it wouldn't have tasted so sweet if I hadn't had it on potato bread. I'm not a white-bread fan, it's too sweet and fluffy for my tastes--I really prefer whole wheat. DH and kiddos love it, won't eat the already opened jar of Knots/Knocks/Knox Strawberry Jam now. They just chant "we want mommy's jam!" over and over again.

mmmmmmmmm......that cake looks delectable! How far is it to where you are?!? I know that cake in the picture is probably gone now, but you can bake another right?!?! Just for ME?!?

I'd be happy too! I'm only a few short hours. In fact, I have an extra can of pie filling... That cake was gone 2 days after I made it. Adam keeps bugging me to make another...

Ah remember these days---I would love to have my kids yelling 'we want Mommys jam" But at their ages (21 & 27)
I don't see that happening. You are making me think I should make some Jam---but no fruit yet---