Ingredients
Method
- Rinse well the tops of the strawberries you have cut off. Yes, even with the leaves! Add tops, sugar, and water to a pot on the stove.
- Over medium heat, bring mixture to a gentle boil for about 5 minutes.
- Next, using a colander and a fine mesh sieve or muslin cloth, strain the tops from the liquid.
- Allow the syrup to cool some before bottling.
- Store syrup in the fridge for up to 6 months or water bath can it for longer shelf storage.
Water bath canning strawberry syrup
- After straining, add liquid back to the pot and allow it to heat up again. During this time, prepare your cleaned storage jars and start your water bath canner (rapidly boil water in a large stock pot).
- Pour syrup into sterilized jars. Wipe rims with a clean, damp paper towel or cloth. Add lid and ring. Then put jars into a water bath canner that is already rapidly boiling. Process for 10 minutes then remove the jars and allow them to cool under a tea towel for 12-24 hours.
- The lids should be sealed as indicated by the circle in the middle of the lid being concave. Remove rings, date and label jars, then add to your pantry.
- It's advised to use this syrup within 1 year.
- If any lids did not seal properly, put these jars in the refrigerator to use first.
Notes
Recipe is simply equal parts of each. If you're making this syrup for lemonade or beverage mixer only, add one additional cup of water.
If you are uncertain about water bath canning and pH things, add 1/8 of a cup of lemon juice to a 2 equal cups recipe for added acid. Strawberries are already acidic themselves but some people choose to add more acid for shelf stability peace of mind. To each her own, I say.
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