CHRISTMAS JAM (STRAWBERRY, CRANBERRY, ORANGE)

 


Christmas jam holds a special place in my heart. As the holiday season approaches, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of cranberries in stores. I underestimated the amount of jam I would need to get me through the last year but I will not make that mistake again! 

This festive preserve blends strawberries, cranberries, and oranges with warm spices, and can be enriched with a touch of brandy or rum. It's ideal for spreading on toast, biscuits, or as a delectable filling in pastries, adding a delicious touch to holiday celebrations.

INGREDIENTS

12 oz package of whole cranberries
16 oz fresh or frozen strawberries
2 teaspoons orange zest from orange before you peel and section
1 orange peeled and sectioned
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup water
*1 package of pectin (like sure-jel)
4 cups sugar


DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine cranberries, strawberries, orange sections, orange zest, spices, water, and pectin.  (everything except the sugar) Chop in a food processor, blender, or use an immersion blender.  You want everything finely chopped but not pureed.  This can also be finely chopped by hand.
  2. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stir constantly.
  3. Add sugar to the mixture. Return to full rolling boil. Boil exactly 1 minute.
  4. Remove from heat. Using a metal spoon, skim off any foam.
  5. Immediately ladle hot jam into prepared jars. Leaving 1/4" headspace.
  6. Wipe rims and threads. Center lid. Place ring on just finger tight. Place jars back in canner.
  7. Cover canner. Bring to a boil. Process for 10 minutes.
  8. Turn off heat. Uncover canner. Allow jars to sit for 5 minutes.
  9. Remove jars to a towel-lined counter and leave undisturbed for 24 hours before checking seal.


Note: Making jams and jellies without pectin
You can make jams and jellies without using pectin. Cranberries, for example, are naturally high in pectin, but many Christmas Jam recipes I found still call for added pectin. This is because pectin helps the jam achieve the perfect consistency. Without it, you'll often need to cook the jam longer to reduce moisture and reach the desired thickness.