Raspberry Jam

A favorite childhood memory is my grandmothers homemade raspberry jam.  Growing up, I was raised on homemade jam and wanted to test my skills at canning raspberry jam.  I luckily found a recipe online and the jam turned out so yummy with a rich, red color.  

Ingredients:

5 C fresh raspberries

2 1/2 C sugar

Directions:

Put a small plate into the freezer.  You will use it to plop your hot jam on when you think it is ready.

Sterilize jars with lids off by putting them in your dishwasher about an hour before you use them or by boiling them in hot water for 10 min with the lids off.

Fill 8 inch sauce pan or pot abut half way with water. bring to boil and drop the inner lids into the boiling water.  Sterilize for 10 minuets.

Wash berries and crush to taste in a steel pot.  If you like chunky fruit, crush them about half way.  Don’t crush raspberries all the way since they will start to disintegrate when heated.

Once fruit is crushed, add 2 1/2 C sugar and mix

Turn heat to high for first 5 minutes stirring consistently
Turn heat down to medium and tir consistency for 20-25 minutes

At about 20 minutes when jam starts to look gooey, test the consistency by taking the sauce plate out of the freezer and dropping a small dollop of jam on it.  If it doesn’t run or drip off the plate, it is done.

Take the jam pot off the heat, set it aside and let it cool

Using the jar funnel, fill each jar and leave about 1/4 inch of space on top.  put lids on and tighten.

Fill canning put with water enough to cover the closed jars and bring to a boil.

Put the filled jars in the rack and lower into boiling water and let it boil for about 15 minutes.

Turn off heat , remove the rack of jars.

When you hear the popping sounds of the lids, you know that you jam has been sealed.  If the jar doesn't seal, put in fridge to be used that week.