Christmas Jam

Step 1

Wash jars, lids, and rings. Fill jars 2/3rds full of water and place in water-bath canner. Fill with water. Put canner on stove over medium-high heat to sterilize jars while you make the jam.

Step 2

Place lids in a small saucepan covered with water. Boil over medium-high heat while you make the jam. Set rings to the side, they don't need sterilized.

Step 3

Place cranberries and sectioned orange into a blender. You just want them coarsely chopped. My blender has a food chop option, and I use that.

Step 4

Add in the strawberries, orange zest and spices. Stir a bit in the blender to make sure they get mixed a little. Blend until everything is chopped fine. You don't want it pureed.

Step 5

Stir fruit mixture and water together in a 5 qt stock pot.

Step 6

Stir in fruit pectin and add your 1/2 teaspoon of butter (this reduces foaming).

Step 7

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stir constantly.

Step 8

Add sugar to the mixture. Return to full rolling boil. Boil exactly 1 minute.

Step 9

Remove from heat. Using a metal spoon, skim off any foam.

Step 10

Immediately ladle hot jam into prepared jars. Leaving 1/4" headspace.

Step 11

Wipe rims and threads. Center lid. Place ring on just finger tight. Place jars back in canner.

Step 12

When all the jars are filled, fill canner with water until jars are covered with 2".

Step 13

Cover canner. Bring to a boil. Process for 10 minutes.

Step 14

Turn off heat. Uncover canner. Allow jars to sit for 5 minutes.

Step 15

Remove jars to a towel-lined counter and leave undisturbed for 24 hours before checking seal.

Step 16

Check for proper seal. If any didn't seal, place in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.