There’s something timeless about a jar of homemade Strawberry Jelly — clear, jewel‑bright, and filled with the pure essence of ripe spring berries. This recipe celebrates the old‑fashioned way of doing things: selecting the best fruit, extracting the juice by hand, and watching it transform into a shimmering jelly that tastes like sunshine. Whether you spread it on warm biscuits, swirl it into yogurt, or tuck it into a cake, each spoonful carries the sweetness of early summer and the satisfaction of making something beautiful from scratch. Simple ingredients, patient steps, and a little kitchen tradition come together to create a jelly your family will remember.

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts boxes of strawberries
• 7 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 bottle of liquid Pectin

Directions:

1. Select fully ripe, sound strawberries.
2. Sort the berries.
3. Wash about 1 quart at a time by placing berries in a wire basket and moving the basket up and down several times in cold water.
4. Drain the berries.
5. Remove caps and crush the berries.
   • Place crushed berries, a small amount at a time, in a damp jelly bag or
     double thickness of cheese-cloth held in a colander over a bowl.
   • Bring the edges of the cloth together and twist tightly.
   • Press or squeeze to extract the juice.
   • Strain the juice again through two thicknesses of damp cheesecloth without squeezing.
6. Measure 4 cups of juice into a large kettle.
7. Add the sugar to the juice; stir to dissolve the sugar.
8. Place the kettle over high heat and, stirring constantly, bring the mixture quickly to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
9. Add 1 bottle of liquid pectin. Again, bring to a full rolling boil and boil
   hard for 1 minute.
10. Remove from heat and skim off foam quickly. If allowed to stand, the jelly may start to “set” in the kettle.
11. Pour jelly immediately into hot sterile jars to 1/4 inch of top.
12. Cover with clean, hot metal lid with sealing compound, next to jar.
13. Screw metal band down tight.
14. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.
15. Cool jars on a metal rack or folded cloth.
16. Label and store in a cool, dry place.