Strawberry Jam with Frozen Berries and Homemade Pectin

STRAWBERRY JAM WITH FROZEN BERRIES AND HOMEMADE PECTIN
From Harriet Fasenfest, Preserve
Makes 4 pints

Use berries that have been dry packed (frozen without syrup or sugar) and pre-measured. Try other varieties of berries as well, either alone or in combination.

3 cups frozen strawberries
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup water or fruit juice (optional)

In a large saucepan, bring ingredients to a slow simmer over very low heat to render juice from the berries (approx. 15 minutes). If you need moisture, add no more than 1/4 cup of liquid to start. Cover and cook slowly until thawed. Use a potato masher to break up the pieces once they are soft.

Remove lid and add 1/2 cup strong homemade apple pectin.
Bring ingredients to a boil and cook for approximately 20 minutes. You can skim off the foam while boiling, but it is not necessary. Stir mixture occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.

There are 3 techniques for testing the gel: a jelly thermometer, the spoon method, or the chilled plate method (See portlandpreserve.com.) This will become easier with time. If the jam does not gel, use it as syrup or boil again for continued cooking.

Ladle hot jam into jars leaving a quarter-inch head space. Cover with lids and rings, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner or store (once cooled) in the fridge or freezer.