Jam Making and Canning - Roost Eleven Eighteen

Jam-making and canning are what this season has been about. 2023 is my 2nd year canning and it just gets easier.

Canning is a lot of work but is so rewarding

Now, when I say easier, I mean feeling confident canning comes more easily each time I can. Canning is A LOT of work. But it is very rewarding, knowing you made and preserved food you grew or food that was grown locally. And hearing all your lids pop after they are out of the water bather is the BEST sound. It is so exciting to me.

Last year I made Apple butter for one of the first things I ever canned. Applebutter is one of the more complicated recipes, so I knew if I made apple butter successfully I could make strawberry jam. Dustin’s aunt makes this AMAZING jam and brings it to every family/holiday party. So I hoped it was something to do with strawberries since I had planned to go strawberry picking at a local strawberry field. Turns out it is Strawberry Rhubarb jam. She even sent me the freezer jam recipe she uses.

Find or Purchase a Canning Recipe Book

My number one tip for people new to canning is to find a good recipe book. There are a lot out there and the ones I use have detailed instructions on how to can properly. They of course include a lot of recipes too. And one thing you need to remember is to follow the recipes exactly. Canning is a science! If you don’t follow the recipe exactly how it is written things could go wrong and all your hard work goes down the drain.

The preserving book I picked up and have used religiously is the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Here the recipe for my apple butter, strawberry, and strawberry rhubarb jams are all in here.

2023 spring/early summer I picked 16 pounds of strawberries and made just about 30 jars of jam between the strawberry jam and strawberry rhubarb. And I made a strawberry shortcake dessert with the remaining strawberries.