Measuring Jam With Your Heart and Jello

There are two kinds of people who make jam: those who measure everything exactly, and those of us who measure with our hearts.

I'm probably the second kind….I had several bags of frozen figs and strawberries from last summer, and even though it was SO hot, this was so very rewarding to do! ❤️ 

Especially in August, when the kitchen is already hot

One of my favorite combinations is fig and strawberry. 

And, like most things I make, my measurements aren't always as precise as they probably should be.

Fig & Strawberry Jam

You'll need:

• 2 quarts fruit, cleaned and mashed however you like it

• About 6 cups sugar, give or take - you can use less - keep readying

• 1 box Sure-Jell

• 1 packet unflavored gelatin

• 1 TBS lemon juice

Here's my trick: I use a little less sugar than the traditional recipe calls for. The downside is that the Sure-Jell doesn't always set the jam quite as firmly as I want.

That's where the gelatin comes in.

Combine the fruit, sugar, and Sure-Jell in a stainless-steel pot. Bring it to a slow boil and hold it there for a few minutes, stirring as needed.

Then look at it.

If it isn't quite as thick as you'd like, add the packet of unflavored gelatin after the boiling stage and stir it in well.

This is where measuring with your heart comes into play.

Fruit isn't always the same. Some batches are juicier. Some are thicker. And sometimes you simply have to look at what you've got and decide what it needs.

Before you start cooking, have your clean, hot jars ready to fill. I usually use a mixture of pint and half-pint jars, whatever I have on hand. I keep the jars hot on the counter and have my lids and rings ready. 

I also have my canning pot a 2-gallon heavy stock pot - ready, with boiling water nearby. My electric tea kettle is one of my favorite helpers for this job.

Once the jam is ready, fill your jars …place in the boiling water ..I process in the boiling water 10 - 15 min, covered. 

The best part comes afterward.

There they sit on the counter—little jars of summer, waiting for a cold winter morning when a piece of toast needs something special. So good on ice cream - 

Making jam has taught me that recipes can give you a starting point, but experience teaches you what to do when things don't go exactly according to plan.

Other things are measured by feel, experience; I call it measuring with your heart.

And if your measurements are a little bit off, like mine?

Well, that's what the next batch is for.

Just keep stirring….I hope you enjoyed this! 

Respect the Rooster - article will be the Mountain Echo as well -