wberries. Boil the fruit until it
registers 222 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy or chemical thermometer.
If no thermometer is available boil until the sirup is very
heavy--about as thick as molasses. Remove the scum.
Fill the sterilized jars full of hot berries. Pour in enough of the
hot sirup to fill the jar, leaving as little air space as possible.
Put sterilized rings and caps on at once, but do not fasten tightly.
Stand the sealed jars in tepid water up to their necks if possible.
Bring this water to a boil. Let pint jars stay in the boiling water
for at least fifteen minutes and quart jars at least twenty-five
minutes; then close caps tightly at once. At the conclusion of the
operation, stand each jar for a moment on its cap to make sure that
the seal is absolutely tight.
Recipe Number 2. The following method is preferred by some because
it leaves more of the natural color in the preserves:
To two pounds of washed, capped and stemmed strawberries add
twenty-six ounces sugar; let stand over-night. In the morning pour
juice thus obtained into a preserving kettle, add berries and cook to
222 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the sirup is very heavy. Pack and
sterilize, as in Recipe Number 1. These recipes can be used for all
other berries.
When wet weather makes strawberries too soft or sandy for the table,
they are still useful for making "strawberry acid," a thick sirup
which, mixed with water, ice and perhaps spearmint, makes a cooling
summer drink.
Strawberries--Sun Preserves. Select firm ripe berries; hull and
rinse. Place them in a shallow platter in a single layer; sprinkle
sugar over them. Pour over them a thick sirup made of one quart of
water and eleven pounds of sugar, boiled until very thick.
Cover them with a glass dish or a plain window glass. Allow them to
stand in the hot sun eight to twelve hours. Pack them in jelly glasses
and cover with paraffin or put in regular glass jars or tin cans. Put
the rubber and cap in position, not tight. Cap and tip or seal if
using enameled tin cans. Sterilize for the length of time given below
for the particular type of outfit used:
MINUTES
Hot-water bath, homemade or commercial 20
Water seal, 214 degrees 15
Steam pressure 10
Remove the jars, tighten the covers, invert the jars to cool, and test
the joint. Wrap the jars in paper to preven
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