Strawberry Jam

It's strawberry season! Terry loves fresh strawberries and strawberry jam.

I haven't made jam in years - but this year decided to do it again...

I made one batch using the "freezer strawberry" method - but I found it separated into three layers: fruit on top, jelly in the middle, and a small layer of sugar at the bottom...

Never mind! Terry said. I can mix it up when I eat it...

I made a second batch using a pectin that requires less sugar and decided to cook it - though I plan to store it in the freezer as well.

Both recipes are similar - berries need to be crushed for both kinds of jam.

The main difference is that the freezer jam just sits for 24 hours once the sugar and pectin are added. The cooked version needs to come to a boil, boil for a minute - then be stirred for 5.

The cooked method isn't much harder. I think there was a slight separation of fruit and jelly in the jars, but, with the cooking, the sugar should all be dissolved in the juice.

I didn't put a layer of melted wax on the cooked jam, like my mother used to do, because I plan to store it in the freezer, not on a basement shelf.