Florida Strawberry Jam For Tom Galloway Tom, foreground, and Larry making Strawberry Jam

The Certo pectin package insert calls for 4 cups of crushed. strawberries. In Florida, where strawberries ripen under a hot sun with lots of moist air and water, are less pulpy than other strawberries and you will need at least 6 cups of the crushed strawberries.

Ingredients:

• •6 cups crushed strawberries (may be lightly food processed)
• •7 cups granulated sugar
• •1/4 cup lemon juice (bottled)
• •1 tablespoon butter

• •1 package Certo liquid fruit pectin

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean, hull and inspect strawberries. Select fruit that is just a few days away from ready to eat. Crush strawberries with potato masher or in food processor - use minimum processing time.
2. Wash bottles, inspecting each for any nicks or cracks. Discard any damaged bottles.
3. Submerge bottles in a pot of cool water, add a tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, and heat until boiling. Boil at least 5 minutes. Also boil any tools, such as funnels or bottle manipulators, etc.
4. Have area ready with cooling racks, heating pot for lids; everything ready and at hand.
5. Add sugar to heavy bottomed, non-reactive pot, add lemon juice, butter and strawberries. Heat, while stirring constantly, until mixture boils while being stirred. Add pectin. When mixture returns to boiling, continue boiling and stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
6. Continue stirring until all foam has been redissolved into the mixture,
7. Caution! As mixture thickens, bubbles can not escape quickly and the mixture swells and increases in volume - keep stirring!
8. Remove bottles, drain upside down on a clean rack.
9. Ladle mixture into bottles using a wide mouth funnel. Fill to allow a headspace of ½-inch.
10. After jars are filled, use damp paper towel to wipe clean the top, sealing surface of the glass jars. Use tongs or magnet to retrieve caps (that have been kept in simmering water) and place on top of the jars. Screw on band cinch down to just snug, loosen ring and then screw back on until it just touches lid.
11. Place bottle in boiling water. When water returns to boil, process for 10 minutes. It is better to slightly over process rather than under process. If at higher altitudes, processing time will have to be increased
12. Eat and enjoy. For any questions about proper procedure, see approved methods.