Light & Runny Strawberry Jam

When I first started making jam many years ago, I was a little confused with the many ways that were suggested. Grandmas talk about cooking it until it’s done, some say not to use pectin, the recipes call for too much sugar . . . you get the idea.
Being a bit of a perfectionist, I couldn’t just wing it and have the jam turn out a little different every year. I wanted it to be exactly right … not too sweet, not too hard, not too runny. . . so I worked on it year after year and got it to where I now have a recipe for the U.S. and a recipe for my home and have learned how to ship it to a special home on the other side of the world.
In our family we still all like Sunday Vaspas with fresh buns, jam and Havarti cheese.

Tools/Accessories:
blender
good quality, large stainless steel pot
wooden spoon
canning funnel
clean jars and lids

suggested amounts of ingredients needed for
24 - 30 cups of jam:

1 15lb flat of strawberries
4 kg sugar (10 lbs)
2 pkgs. Certo light brand pectin OR
3 pkgs (other) regular pectin crystals
4 tsp margarine


Wash berries before stemming them.

Crush about 3 cups of berries at a time, in blender until“just” blended. ( I like it a little chunky, so I blend for 5 seconds, stopping in between to shake fruit to the bottom and not over-blend) My blender does not require any liquid to blend, but if it does, add about ¼ cup water just for the first batch you blend and then keep some of that liquified puree in the blender for the next batch , etc. so that you don’t have to add any more water) Collect crushed berries in a large bowl. I usually do this in the evening and refrigerate the berries to cook the next day.
(15 lbs of berries will make 4 batches - or about 30 cups jam)

Wash jars and rings. Rinse well. Sterilize jars by heating in a 225F oven for 10 min. and keep warm until needed. Heat rubber lids in boiling water and keep hot.

Measure and set aside:
6 cups mashed berries
4 1/4 c sugar
2 Tbsp Certo light (OR 3 Tbsp regular pectin crystals)
mixed with ¼ cup sugar
( I use slightly less than 2 Tbsp Certo light)

To cook:

1. Place fruit and pectin crystals mixed with 1/4 c sugar into a large pot.
2. Place pot over high heat, and stir constantly with wooden spoon, until it comes to a rolling boil. (to reduce foaming, add 1 tsp margarine)
3. Stir in remaining sugar. Continue to stir and cook over high heat until mixture comes to a full, rolling boil again. Boil hard 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and continue to stir for a few minutes, then ladle into jars until 1/2 inch from rim. Cover with lids and screw rings to seal.

* The jam will be very runny until it's completely cooled.
* Important note: Freezing the jam (once it's cooled) keeps it fresher tasting and it’s not necessary to seal the jars.
* If you have a 7 or 8 quart size pot, you can double the recipe