Fill a large canning pot 3/4 full with water. Bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, put 7 or 8 washed preserve jars and matching lids in. Let them boil for at least 10 minutes before placing preserves in them.
Then measure out the fruit and the sugar. Place the fruit in a large pot. Combine 1/4 cup of sugar from the measured amount and one package of Sure-Jell Less Sugar into a small bowl and combine it. Stir it into the fruit in the pot. Cook the fruit, Sure Jell, sugar mixture on medium to high and stir so the fruit doesn't stick to the bottom. (You may add a half teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming if you want.)
Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) stirring constantly. Stir the remaining 3 and 3/4 cups of sugar into the bubbling fruit. Return the fruit to a full, rolling boil and boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove it from the heat, skim off any foam with a spoon. Then ladle it into prepared jars (jars that have been sterilized in the hot water. Wipe the rims with a wet paper towel or cloth, if they got jam on them, then place the lids on and secure them pretty tightly with rings
Then place them in the canner with the boiling water and submerge them under the water about one to two inches. Let them boil for 10 minutes, then remove them from the water and sit them upright on a towel to cool completely.
Within seconds you'll start to hear the popping of the lids, which means they are sealing because a vacuum has been created. Isn't that cool? They should all seal. You can test them by touching the middle of the lid. If the lid springs back it hasn't sealed. (That's never happened to me, but I am sure it's possible, so stick that one in the refrigerator and go make yourself a yummy peanut butter and jam sandwich.
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