4 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs lemon juice
PUT THE CROCK POT AWAY!!! Words I thought I would never say on this blog! (I will explain in a minute.) Slice and mash strawberries into a large pot. Add sugar. Simmer at a slow roll, on the stove, for about 1 hour. Add lemon juice. Let come to room temperature and enjoy!
So I'm shopping at Costco and I see this wonderful flat of strawberries. Immediately they made their way into my cart. Then, I arrived home and panicked- what was I going to do with 4 lbs of strawberries!?!? Immediately my mind went to, of course, the Crock Pot. I went online and tried to find a recipe. There were plenty that said they were "simple". So, I chose the easiest and got to work. 10 hours later, I had Strawberry Slop. It was runny, however, it tasted wonderful. Determined to get this one right, I doubled the pectin and started over. Happy with my decision, I flipped the Crock Pot to LOW and went to sleep. This morning, I woke to the smell of strawberry jam and couldn't wait to see if my idea had worked. I went down the steps and turned the corner into the single worst kitchen disaster I have ever seen. Biblical proportions!! Some time during the night, the lid had come loose and there was Strawberry Goo EVERYWHERE! As I was cleaning the counter, the wall, the floor, the heating element of the Crock Pot, and anything else within a 12 foot radius of the evil gunk, I was truly disappointed that this recipe didn't work out. What was left in the pot was the exact same runny concoction that I already had. And now I had a craving for Strawberry Jam. So, I decided that the Crock Pot had beaten me, and I went to the stove. This recipe has to be fail proof. SO simple and really delicious. And best, easy to clean up! We will return to the Crock Pot next week! (Sorry to let you down this week- can't win 'em all!)
I guess that is the point of this blog. To make the mistakes so you don't have to! But I know nothing about making jam. Anyone out there make jam or jelly? Any way to fix the 2 very large containers of runny strawberry sauce I have? (It would be delicious heated and poured over vanilla ice cream, but I want jam!) And anyone know how to get strawberry jam out of tile grout?!?
I guess that is the point of this blog. To make the mistakes so you don't have to! But I know nothing about making jam. Anyone out there make jam or jelly? Any way to fix the 2 very large containers of runny strawberry sauce I have? (It would be delicious heated and poured over vanilla ice cream, but I want jam!) And anyone know how to get strawberry jam out of tile grout?!?
In my frenzy to find a good recipe, I looked at a ton and forgot to mark which one I actually used! This is not my recipe and I am sorry if I stole it from you without giving you the credit you deserve.
Try freezing it. My parents make a strawberry jam that they freeze, they even keep it in the freezer and just take out to use it and put it back.
ReplyDeleteWell, if what you have is only sauce, freezing it should work as well. Did you take pictures of the morning mess? THAT would be interesting! (sorry!! :) But I think the sauce would be good on waffles with whipped cream, and some fresh strawberries on top, so definitely freeze it. Sorry, no jam making experience here!
ReplyDeleteI remember my grandmother making jelly and jam and she always used Knox unflavored gelatin. I'm not sure exactly how much to use and if you should add water. I think I would maybe try dissolving it in half the hot water it calls for in the directions and then dump it in and chill. That's what I would do anyway! :) Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the strawberry in the tile grout (missed that the first time lol), a toothbrush and some clorox bleach :)
ReplyDeleteWell I'll be a son of a gun...went today to put the goo in the freezer and guess what! It's getting thicker!!! I still put it in the freezer though. And Robin- I was sooo mad I didn't really stop to take pictures. I have pictures in my mind, along with the soundtrack of words I spewed that I didn't even know I knew!!!
ReplyDeleteOh Alison, I'm so sorry about your disaster! I was really sick this week with the stomach virus and I'm only just catching up on all my blogs and emails! Hmmm, that is one thing about the crockpot - it does make things runnier or more liquified.... I tried making sloppy joes in mine recently and it was too watery for me.
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, back to you - corn starch or just regular all purpose flour should thicken it. Try a tablespoon at a time and see if that works (if I'm not too late!). If you need to, add more sugar to it as well.
Use the "jam" to make a strawberry pie, I use half "jam" and half fresh strawberries. I put the fresh strawberries at the bottom of a pie shell, then add a small bit of cool whip then I add the strawberry "jam" liquid over that and top finally with more cool-whip.
Don't throw it away that's for sure! After freezing it, you could use it over pancakes, pound cakes, cheesecake or anything that would enjoy a berry sauce or gravy! Good luck!
By the way, I'm so sorry about the mess all over the place! Vinegar and baking soda are my two best friends when it comes to cleaning. They seem to work miracles in getting anything out! Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we can't win them all! Just look at my blog and my list of "Failures" under the failures tab! I record them and share them so that other cooks who try (like you and me) will know that it happens to all of us! Keep trying, that's all you can do! :-)
Hugs!
Mandy
Love your blog. If you have any 'sauce' left over you can use it to make excellant daiquiris.
ReplyDelete