Strawberry Vanilla Jam - Reduced Sugar

By Foodiewife

This recipe comes from the recipe booklet for the Ball Jam & Jelly Maker Machine. In 25 minutes, the machine automatically stirs, cooks and beeps when the jam is the perfect thickness. You don't, necessarily, have to use the machine to make this jam. Just cook it on the stovetop, in a non-metallic pot and stir until nice and thick.

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups (about four pints) fresh strawberries, crushed (for traditional recipe, using more sugar, reduce fruit to 2 2/3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar (for the traditional recipes, increase sugar to 3 1/3 cups
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste (or 1/4 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise)

Preparation

Step 1

Wash the strawberries in cool running water and drain. Remove the stems and hulls. Crush berries, one layer at a time, with a potato masher.


Tip: I use very quick pulses, in my food processor, to break down the strawberries into large chunks, then use a potato masher to crush them, much easier to do, with less elbow grease!

If using the Ball Jam/Jelly maker:

Sprinkle the pectin evenly over the Pot fitted with the Stirrer. Add crushed strawberries and vanilla (if using) evenly over the pectin. Add butter/margarine to help reduce foaming.

Press "Jam" button, the cook time will automatically default to 21 minutes. Press enter.

Wait 4 minutes for the appliance to sound 4 short beeps, indicating that it is time to add the sugar. Add sugar gradually while Stirrer continues running. Place the glass lid on the pot.

The appliance will continue to automatically stir your ingredient while it cooks. Stay within earshot of the Jam & Jelly Maker the appliance will beep again a the end of the process signaling jam cooking is complete.

Press cancel, unplug the appliance immediately and immediately remove the glass lid.

Remove stirrer using a pot holder. Skim foam, if necessary, from top of jam.

Preserve jam immediately by one of three ways:

Ladle the hot jam/jelly into hot jars (never into cold jars, as they could crack), cool to room temperature, then refrigerate and eat within 3 weeks.

Ladle the hot jam into hot jars (or into plastic freezer storage jars) and freeze for up to 1 year. Or, my favorite was is to "water can" the jam to preserve the jam/jelly to be stored in a cool, dry place.