My fridge is full of these beauties. They are red, juicy and sweet! duh, I know all strawberries are red, but these are red all the way through. Not like the nasty ones you buy at the grocery store that are white in the middle.
After a discussion with another co-worker (ok, she's my boss) on the amount of sugar used in jam making, I decided to do an experiment. In years past, I've always made the same recipe. See yellow box above. 2 cups of fruit and 4 cups of sugar. Yes, twice as much sugar than fruit. We love it. Especially my brother Reuben, and I always make him a few boxes.
The result? A tie between Sure-jell pink box and Ball yellow packet. For some reason the sample of the Ball recipe was a little runny. The containers I left home set up fine.
After a discussion with another co-worker (ok, she's my boss) on the amount of sugar used in jam making, I decided to do an experiment. In years past, I've always made the same recipe. See yellow box above. 2 cups of fruit and 4 cups of sugar. Yes, twice as much sugar than fruit. We love it. Especially my brother Reuben, and I always make him a few boxes.
This week, I made all four of the recipes shown in above photo, picked up some rolls at Kroger and had a taste test at work. A little breakdown:
Sure-Jell (yellow box) 2 cups of fruit, 4 cups of sugar. The most difficult to make. (as if it was difficult)
Sure-Jell no sugar added recipes (pink box) 4 cups of fruit, 3 1/2 cups of sugar. As difficult as the yellow box.
Sure Jell easy prep packet (blue envelope) 2 cups of fruit, 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Easier than the boxes.
Ball no cook packet (yellow envelope) 4 cups of fruit, 2 cups of sugar or splenda. Easy peasy lemon squeasy.
The result? A tie between Sure-jell pink box and Ball yellow packet. For some reason the sample of the Ball recipe was a little runny. The containers I left home set up fine.
As for me, I'm changing the jam at my house...less sugar...tastes better? win,win!
Try it out and let me know what you like!
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I have always been a yellow box girl (it's the 100% natural on the box that pulls me in!), but after this I believe I can feel the winds of change blowing. I will have to conduct a taste test between the Ball packet and pink box myself this weekend, strickly in the name of science of course!
Elizabeth
Great post!! Freezer jams is on my list of things to do this summer. (Alas, not a strawberry to be found around here yet!) I'm totally going with your suggetstions! XO - LPK
By the way...drinking wine, folding laundry and watching "The Bachelorette". Trash TV and a buzz. I have a good life.
Ok, update on my jelly making....LOVE the pink box! Wasn't sure about less sugar, but the jam tastes more like strawberries than with the yellow box. Oh, pink box why am I just learning about you...all those years and toast and sandwiches wasted......thanks for the insight Shark!
Like anyone really has time to make jam/jelly/freezer strawberries!!! Where do you guys live and how have you managed to stop the rest of the world so you can get it done!!
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