With fall just around the corner, it’s the perfect time of year to make some great canned goods, especially while fresh fruit is still in season! 

We love to make fresh berry jam and have tried many, many recipes.  Some worked and came out perfectly and others just didn’t jell, but the flavor was great so we used it as a topping for shortcake or ice cream.

So if yours does not come out perfectly the first time, don’t give up, keep trying. We promise it will be well worth the effort!

Ingredients

• 3 pints of strawberries (FYI – 1 pint of strawberries = 2 cups)
• 3 cups of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of orange flavored liqueur
• 1 tablespoon raspberry chambord
• 1 handful fresh blueberries
• 1/2 a granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped into a small dice

Directions

Rinse the strawberries in a colander and drain well. Put on paper towels to drain off any excess water. Remove green tops and cut into quarters then each piece in half, so its in small chunks. Place in a large sauce pan and add sugar and liqueurs.

Bring this to a boil over medium high heat and stir often.

Add the chopped apple and blueberries and keep at a rolling boil, stir often until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This will take 25 to 35 minutes. A foam may appear on the top, just skim it off and throw it away.

Cool mixture to room temperature, and put in fridge for up to 2 weeks.