As is tradition in my little world, I went strawberry picking over the weekend, and what comes after strawberry pickin’? Jam makin’! Every year, I try to make something a little different, and this year, I used a little bit of honey. It’s just a little bit of a taste of floral, but nevertheless adds something nice.
Ingredients
8 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 pouches (approximately 5 fl oz) liquid pectin
2 cups sugar
1/2 wildflower honey (buy local!)
2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
3 teaspoons vodka
You will also need: 6 pint sized jars
Directions
In a large saucepan, crush half the strawberries with a potato masher, lemon zest, and pectin. Heat the mixture to a full, rapid boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Add sugar, stirring constantly until incorporated and cook for another 10 minutes. Add in the vanilla bean paste and honey and return mixture to a full boil and boil for 1 additional minute. Finally, add in the pectin and boil for 1-3 minutes. Remove from heat, skim off the foam.
Fill into your prepared jam jars and let cool completely, open. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of vodka into each jar and swirl to cover the surface layer of jam. Seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Note: the vodka isn’t for making your jam boozy, it’s the last line of barrier for mold starting on the top of the jam.
