My favorite way to capture a bit of heavenly summer is to preserve strawberries. For me, strawberries equal summer. They are my cue to get my swim gear ready to bathe in the sun.
A few years ago I was given a Ball FreshTECH Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker and was initially skeptical about how it would work. I am a mother of two little ones and anything that makes life a little easier is worth a try. I have always made jam the old-fashioned way, in a pot.
This handy little kitchen gadget takes all the mystery out of making homemade jam. At first, I used the recipes in the freshTECH booklet but then ventured off into my own recipes, and even tried some spiced jams and jellies. This machine took my jam and jelly making to a whole new level of ease. The entire process takes about an hour and is foolproof. You heard me, “1 hour!”
I have not had to skim excess foam or tend to a burned arm, and the fruit has been well cooked. Every batch has been a success. The machine is effortless to clean, simply wipe off the bottom part and wash the stirrer, pot, and lid. All of the pieces are dishwasher safe, but I enjoy hand-washing them.
The jam maker takes all the hassle out of scratch jam making. The only problem was the batches were smaller than my good old faithful method produced. Once, I pushed the limits too far and had to clean a sticky mess off the counter but, for the most part, I have been happy with the results. Since then I have successfully done a few double batches, and I watch it more closely to prevent boiling over the sides. The entire process is so fast that I often make two batches and switch up the recipes.
Each recipe is fun to give as gifts for friends and family. Some of my favorites are mixed berry, apricot peach, vanilla pear, ras-strawberry, peach ginger, and cherry vanilla, all achieved in three easy steps.
Three Easy Steps:
First, plug in and sprinkle the pectin on the bottom of the jam maker pot.
Second, throw in the fruit, lemon juice (if called for), and butter to reduce foaming. I like to make it more chunky and have to mix with all the ingredients with a silicone spootula (spatula+spoon).
Third, start the machine and when it beeps, add the sugar. Leaving you 17 minutes to prepare your jars for canning until it beeps again.
My preferred preserving method is a water bath. The water bath technique allows me to store jellies and jams, without refrigeration, safely. This method kills all the bacteria found in high acid fruits and vegetables by elevating the temperature of the food above 212-degrees Fahrenheit. The canning lid creates a vacuum seal when the jars cool, sealing out air and bacteria.
I use a canning kit that includes a 21-quart canner, canner lid, 7-jar rack, 9-inch colander, lid wrench, funnel, tongs, jar lifter, and magnetic lid lifter. Each of the items in the kit is sold separately, but it was nice to get a pack that set me up to start canning immediately.
I promise you will never make jam the old fashioned way again. Savor the summer and enjoy!
~Janine
