Strawberry Jelly

4.27 from 23 votes

Old-fashioned strawberry jelly recipe adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Uses Sure-Jell or Ball Classic powdered pectin for a quick reliable set, with no gel-stage testing.

Prep Time2

Cook Time20

Canning Time10

Total Time2 30

Course: jelly

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: servings, makes 5 half pint (8oz) Jars

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

For Strawberry Juice

4 quarts strawberries

For Making Strawberry Jelly

4 cups strawberry Juice
2 tbsp lemon juice optional, fresh or bottled
1 box Powdered Pectin 1.75 ounces, such as Sure Jel or ball classic, 6 Tbsp if using bulk pectin
4 cups sugar

Instructions

Extract the Juice

Hull the strawberries (no need to chop) and place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Crush lightly with a potato masher to release some juice.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, mashing occasionally, until the berries are completely soft and have given up most of their juice.
Transfer the cooked strawberry mixture to a dampened jelly bag or strainer lined with several layers of dampened cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip undisturbed for at least 2 hours, or overnight for more juice. Don't squeeze the bag; squeezing releases solids that cloud the jelly.
Measure 4 cups of juice for the recipe.

Make the Jelly

Prepare canning jars, lids, and water bath canner.
Combine the strawberry juice and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed jam pot. Whisk in the powdered pectin until fully dissolved.
Bring to a hard rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Boil 1 minute.
Add the sugar all at once and stir constantly until fully dissolved. Return to a hard rolling boil that can't be stirred down, and boil hard for exactly 1 minute.
Remove from heat and quickly skim off any foam.

Can the Jelly

Ladle the hot jelly into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth and apply two-piece canning lids fingertip tight.
Process jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes above 6,000 feet elevation).
When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
Cool on a towel for 12 to 24 hours, check seals, and refrigerate any unsealed jars. Sealed jars keep on the pantry shelf for up to 18 months.

Canning is Optional. For Refrigerator or Freezer Storage: Let the filled jars cool to room temperature, then refrigerate (use within 3 to 4 weeks) or freeze in straight-sided freezer-safe jars (up to 12 months).

Notes

Yield ~ This recipe makes about 5 half-pint jars.

Altitude Adjustment ~ Process for 10 minutes at elevations below 6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.

Doubling ~ Don't double this recipe. Larger batches don't heat evenly and often fail to set properly. Make two single batches back-to-back instead.

Strawberry Juice Yield ~ About 3 1/2 cups of hulled strawberries yields just 1 cup of strained juice. Plan on roughly 4 quarts of whole strawberries (5 to 6 lbs) per batch. This will vary considerably based on strawberry quality, and fresh heirlooms yield more juice than firm grocery store strawberries.

Lemon Juice ~ Strawberries are acidic enough for safe water bath canning on their own. The lemon juice is added for flavor brightness and to help the pectin gel reliably, not for preservation.

Strawberry Jelly with Pomona's Pectin (low-sugar option) ~ For 4 cups strawberry juice, use 1/4 cup lemon juice, 4 teaspoons calcium water (made per Pomona's instructions), and 4 teaspoons pectin powder whisked into 2 cups of sugar (or as little as 1 cup of sugar, honey, or maple syrup). Bring juice and lemon to a boil, add calcium water, then add pectin-sugar mixture and return to a hard boil for 1 minute.

Don't Squeeze the Jelly Bag ~ Squeezing speeds juice collection but releases solids that cloud the finished jelly. Let it drip on its own time.

Nutrition