Triple Orgasm Strawberry Jam

Yes, this is a very salacious sounding title for a series of three takes on strawberry jam, but they are so amazing, the name is fitting.

Like the recipes for the Triumvirate of Peach Preserves, start with the standard Ball jam recipe (this makes a little over 8 8-oz jars), this time for strawberry. You'll find the directions remarkably similar so if you've made the peach preserves, these should be easy.

Strawberry Jam
5 cups crushed organic strawberries, washed and hulled
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package pectin
7 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Sterilize your jars, lids, etc. I'm not going to go into food safety techniques here - if you want more information, study the instructions that come with your pectin package.

Add the lemon and lemon zest to your strawberries in a non-corrosive pot and slowly add the package of pectin. I use a wooden spoon, but you can use any non-reactive implement you like. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat and then add the sugar. Bring this mess up to a rolling boil, wherein you can't stir down the boiling action and, most likely, are getting bombarded by spattering molten lava strawberry bits. Boil for one full minute.

Now comes the fun part: adding flavors to this original recipe to make it much more tasty.

Spiced Sangiovese and Strawberry Jam
Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above - this recipe makes more like 11 jars)
1 cup Sangiovese wine (Pinot Noir or something similar can be substituted)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
8 cloves

Simmer spices in wine for 20 minutes and remove the cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves. Add in the strawberries, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue with the above instructions to produce one batch of strawberry jam.

Ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Black Pepper and Peppermint Strawberry Jam
Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above)
10 fresh peppermint leaves, washed and coarsely chopped
1/2 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper

Follow the instructions above to produce one batch of undoctored strawberry jam. Stir peppermint leaves and black pepper into strawberry mixture and ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Vanilla Amaretto Strawberry Jam
Strawberry jam - 1 batch (see recipe above)
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and split down the middle
1 tablespoon quality balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Amaretto (or Disaronno)

Follow the instructions above to produce one batch of undoctored strawberry jam, adding in the vanilla bean and balsamic vinegar at the point where you mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest.

This concoction smells absolutely heavenly while on the stove but avoid the temptation to throw yourself into the pot head first lest you suffer third degree burns on your face and mouth.

When the jam is finished cooking, take it off the heat and let it rest for about 3 minutes. Stir the Amaretto into the prepared strawberry jam and ladle into hot jars. Seal and hot process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

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Don't get greedy and eat these right away. The flavors in the jams will mellow out and become quite subtle - even a few days maturity will improve the flavor of these jams immensely!

Once you've tried these jams, there's no way you'll go back to faking, I mean, making plain strawberry jam again!