My preference is for the old fashioned style of preserves for two reasons, 1) preserves do not gel, which makes them more versatile than jam or jelly, because they can also be poured over ice cream, pound cake, yogurt and granola, etc., and 2) I don't have to mess with pectin (which I never get right anyway).
With 2 gallons of strawberries on hand, I set to work washing, hulling, and quartering the strawberries. I wound up with 16 cups of strawberries! It took my biggest bowl and more than half a bag of sugar to macerate these guys, but boy was it worth it. I put them on the stove to cook and went about some other business. And then...
Catastrophe #1! The sweet syrupy mixture boiled over, covering my stove with a big sticky mess. Bummer.
I managed to salvage most of the batch, moved it to another burner and a bigger pot, and set to cleaning my stove. Once the preserves looked about as thick as I remember them looking last year, I got out my canning equipment and canned 10 jars (both pint and half pint) of strawberry preserves. The next day, I went to inspect my preserves, and...
Catastrophe #2! The preserves turned out to be more like sauce. Alas, it would appear that I had not cooked them long enough. I guess I'll just have to put them on ice cream.
Below is the recipe, based on the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
Strawberry Preserves
1 gallon strawberries (about 8 cups)
4 cups white sugar
- Wash, hull, and quarter strawberries. Pieces should be as close to the same size as possible--halve smaller berries and cut larger ones into more pieces.
- In a large bowl, mix berries with sugar. Let sit for at least four hours, or overnight.
- Pour mixture into large stockpot--the pot should be no more than half full. If it is more than half full, use a bigger pot or cook the preserves in batches.
- Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved, then stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to maintain a steady boil (about medium heat), stirring occasionally. Cook until sauce has thickened, about 1 hour.
- If canning, turn heat to low while preparing jars and boiling water bath.*
- If refrigerating, remove from heat and let cool for several hours. Ladle into container, seal with an air-tight lid, and refrigerate. Use within 3 weeks.
*Canning and preserving with a boiling water bath can be dangerous if not done properly. Consult a book about home canning and preserving before attempting (NOT the Internet--you never know who is posting and how experienced or qualified they are). I recommend the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, available at most book stores.
