Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

This is a slightly different variation from the recipe published July 2016 in The La Conner Weekly News.

At the final stage of cooking the jam, a foam covers the top, during the full rolling boil.

This can be removed by skimming the top with a large broad spoon and savingthe foam in a small bowl.

Removing the foam is optional.

It is more a matter of aesthetics than necessary.

I remove most of the foam per family custom.

It is a delicious snack, enjoyed by the spoonful.

My mother and I cooked jams and jellies from the wild berries we gathered in Interior Alaska.

Often I walked the paths, within the wooded areas surrounding our home.

The paths were created by the wild animals – moose, rabbits and bobcats.

We were looking for berry patches or bushes.

The high bush cranberry gleamed in the sunlight filtered by the trees and shrubs.

Once gathered, cleaned of twigs, leaves and insects, our jam preparation was underway.

In a racially blended family of three boys and two girls, I was the second cook for all food preparation.

Eating spoonfuls of jam foam was reserved for my mother and myself to enjoy.

She also delighted cutting thick slices of her homemade bread as I pulled out a jar of the jam from the cupboard, counting and relaying the exact number of jars remaining.

We had a quiet snack together of homemade jam, real butter and jam, as everyone else was otherwise engaged and relished our hard work together.

Ingredients

Strawberries, 2 cups, crushed

Rhubarb, 2 cups, chopped

Powdered pectin, one small box

Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed, 4 tablespoons

Sugar, 5 ½ cups

Canning jars, 8 ounces. 7 or 8

Preparation

Measure the sugar into a separate container. In a large cooking pot, preferably one with a heavy bottom, combine the strawberries, rhubarb and lemon juice. Once thoroughly mixed, add the pectin. Stir until the pectin dissolves. Now you turn on the burner, at the highest temperature. Stir constantly. A long wood spoon is preferred and wear an oven mitt to protect your hands as you stir. Add all the sugar at once. Stir again. When the mixtures hits a full rolling boil, set the timer for one minute. The jam will foam up. After one minute, remove from heat. Skim off any foam, putting it into a small bowl.

Ladle the hot jam into sterilized canning jars. Leave half an inch space at the top of the jar and place on the two-piece lids and tighten. Process in a water bath canner for ten minutes. You begin timing ten minutes once the water begins to boil. The jars must be covered with an inch of boiling water. After ten minutes, remove the lid and allow the jars to sit in the water for five minutes. Remove with canning tongs. Place on a safe surface, such as a wooden cutting board or kitchen towel. Allow to set for 24 hours before labeling and storing. These make lovely gifts. Store for up to one year. Refrigerate after opening.