1. Prepare your water bath canner. Place a jar rack inside and then fill it half-full with water. Set on a burner over medium-high heat.
2. Wash pint or quart jars, lids, and rings with soap in hot water. Rinse well and sterilize jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Do not boil lids.
3. Wash your fresh, firm-fleshed strawberries in cool tap water while rubbing gently to remove dirt. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
4. Carefully hull your fruits by removing the caps and stems.
5. Put the berries in a large clean bowl. Using a potato masher or clean fork, mash the strawberries until they are soft and have a puree-like consistency.
6. Transfer the mashed fruit into a kettle or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in powdered pectin until dissolved.
7. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a full boil while stirring frequently.
8. Add the sugar, stir, and return the mixture to a vigorous boil until the jam reaches 220°F. Boil it for one more minute while stirring constantly.
9. Remove the sauce pot from the heat. Skim the foam on top, and discard it.
10. Ladle the hot jam into sterilized hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
11. Run a bubble popper tool or spatula along the edges of the jars to remove air bubbles.
12. Take a damp paper towel dipped in hot water to wipe the rims of each of the canning jars.
13. Center canning lids over the jars, and apply the screw bands until they are fingertip tight.
14. Lower the filled jars into your boiling water canner, ensuring a spacing of 2 inches between jars. Ensure the water level is 1-2 inches over the top of the jar lids.
15. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then cover the canner with a lid.
16. Set a processing time of 5-15 minutes for pint jars or half-pints, depending on your elevation.

Water Bath Processing of Strawberry Jam

• 0 – 1,000ft: 5 minutes
• 1,001 – 6,000ft: 10 minutes
• 6,001ft and up: 15 minutes

Post Processing

1. Once the timer beeps, turn off the heat and leave the jars in the water for five more minutes.
2. Remove the processed jars from the hot water using a jar lifter. Position them upright on a towel-lined countertop to cool for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, press the tops of the lids with your finger to confirm the seals. Properly-sealed jars don’t flex up and down when pressed. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use them within 5-7 days.
4. For sealed jars, remove the screw bands and wipe the jars clean. Label the jars with the contents and canning date and store them in a cool, clean, dry place.