Every spring my wife and I have a ritual. We pick strawberries and make homemade strawberry jam. This year I decided to be a little more creative by making strawberry balsamic jam. Yes I added balsamic vinegar to jam. If you use a good balsamic, the vinegar and sugar balance each other out to create a complex flavor that enhances the flavor of the strawberries while developing a depth of flavor that is truly wonderful with just a hint of the balsamic vinegar.Make 4 Cups Jam
Ingredients
2 lb Strawberries (hulled and mashed)
6 TBD Sugar
4 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
Clean and hull the 2 cups of strawberries them mash them with a potato masher (see photo). In a medium saucepan, combine the mashed strawberries, 6 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of good quality balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the jam has thickened (30 minutes) so that the jam does not burn. The jam is done when there is a visible trace left when you wipe the back of the spoon with your finger (see photo).
While the jam is cooking prepare the jars for canning. This is an important step since food spoilage occurs easily if the canning is not done properly. I suggest you go to your favorite source to find out what the best practices are for canning, such as www.homecanning.com. Follow the directions for high-acid foods exactly. The jam will keep opened in your refrigerator for at least two weeks. If you don't eat a lot of jam I would recommend that you use the small 4 oz. jars so that they are open the least amount of time.
To print a copy of this recipe go to Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar.