Homemade jam. There is nothing cooler to give someone than something you made from your own kitchen. Cookies, cakes and pies are all good… But jam?
Homemade jam has a special place in my heart. The Girl and I have been whipping up batch after batch of homemade jam together ever since she was 2 years old.
(The Girl & Granny)
At the time we were living in our very first house. The first spring we were there, we planted 100 strawberry plants. As soon as the delicate little white flowers started to appear, I made it a point to walk out to the backyard with her to inspect her crop each day and to check on her “dabbies.”
The next year she branched out… We made her some labels, and before you know it, a Christmas Tradition was formed and she has been giving away jars of jam every year at Christmas since. ♥
How To Make Raspberry Jam
If you want to make your standard raspberry jam… All you need to do is follow the directions that are included in your pectin box. It’s pretty cut and dry. Sterilize your jars, get the water boiling in your hot water canner, combine 5 cups of crushed raspberries, pectin and a 1/2 tablespoon of butter (to help reduce foaming) in your pot and bring to a boil.
When the mixture gets all warm and bubbly and comes to a roiling boil… then add your 7… YES… I said 7 cups of sugar…
It’s amazing we all still have our teeth in this house. After you stir in the sugar, return the mixture to a full boil again, this time for EXACTLY one minute (according to the directions… although I have no idea what would happen if you let it boil let’s say 1 minute 2 seconds… who knows?). Then with a big spoon skim off any foamy stuff that’s sitting on top of your raspberry mixture.
Spoon into Canning Jars (the ones pictured above are my new favorite for gift giving ($4.19 for 4 jars at Target)…the occupants of this house however can eat their jam out of the old and boring 1/2 pint jars…but for gift giving… I think these are pretty darn cute!).
Put on the canning lid, and the canning ring and tighten…
Place in your hot water bath for 10 minutes (or longer depending on your altitude… it will tell you on the directions sheet in your pectin box).
Let cool…
And a fancy smancy sticker you had custom printed… (I got a deal on them from a Plum District offer several months ago)
Stack all nice and pretty so you can take a picture and have your Martha moment… Then pack ’em away til gift giving season arrives. 🙂
If you want to try something a little more unique… You know… Something beyond the standard jam recipe that comes in the pectin box… I highly suggest The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook. It’s packed full of unique recipes… Including tomato jam… Which I plan on trying next summer FYI. 🙂
Jules says
ooh, I tasted some tomato raspberry jam this year! VERY interesting! I don’t think it is something i would eat all the time, but I bought a jar from the lady at the craft bazaar and will give it as a Christmas gift this year.
I learned to make jam from my mom – we never bought it – and now I make it every year too. I just wonder how many cups of sugar the store-bought jam has.