Step 1

Before you begin, prepare calcium water.To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well.Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.

Step 2

Wash and rinse jars, lids, and screw bands. Set screw bands aside until ready to use. Place jars in boiling water bath canner with a rack, fill at least 2/3 of the way full with water, and bring to a boil. Boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize (add 1 additional minute of sterilizing time for every 1000 feet above sea level), then turn down heat and let jars stand in hot water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small pan, bring to a low simmer, and hold there until ready to use.

Step 3

Rinse the strawberries and remove the stems. Then, combine strawberries and the ½ cup water in a sauce pan. Put a lid on the pan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently and mashing as you go, until the berries are soft and have released their juices – about 2 to 4 minutes.

Step 4

Remove pan from heat and thoroughly mash the berries. (A potato masher works well for this.)

Step 5

Transfer mashed berries into a jelly bag. (If you don’t have a jelly bag, an impromptu bag made from layers of cheesecloth wrapped around the mashed fruit and gathered at the top works equally well,) Suspend the jelly bag over a large bowl and allow the mashed fruit to drip juice into the bowl until you have accumulated at least 3 cups of strawberry juice. This will likely take 2 to 4 hours. After you have accumulated the necessary 3 cups of juice, you can discard the berry pulp, or use it for something else.

Step 6

Measure out 3 cups of the strawberry juice. (If you have any juice left over, you can use it for something else.) Pour the measured quantity of strawberry juice into a sauce pan. Add prosecco, calcium water, and lemon juice, then stir to combine.

Step 7

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and the pectin powder. Mix well and set aside.

Step 8

Put the sauce pan on the stove and bring the strawberry mixture up to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the sugar-pectin mixture, then stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, still over the highest heat, to dissolve pectin. Return the jelly to a boil, then remove from heat.

Step 9

Remove hot jars from canner and fill jars with jelly, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims with a damp cloth, and put on lids and screw bands, tightening bands only to “fingertip tight” (until resistance is met, and then just the tiniest bit more).

Step 10

Place jars in the hot water, on the rack inside the canner. (Make sure jars are upright, not touching each other or the sides of the canner, and are covered with at least 1-2 inches of water). Place the lid on the canner, return the canner to a rolling boil, and boil for 10 minutes. (Add 1 minute additional processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.)

Step 11

Turn off heat and allow canner and jars to sit for 5 minutes. Then remove jars from canner.

Step 12

Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Then confirm that jars have sealed. Remove screw bands from sealed jars, rinse off outside of jars if necessary, label jars, and store for later use.