Strawberry Jam

Place 2 small plates or saucers in the freezer to test the jam later.

Chop the strawberries. Roughly chop the skin and pit of the orange and place in a large tea ball or piece of cheese cloth. Put the strawberries, orange juice, tea ball of orange skin, sugar and liquor (if using) in a 6-quart heavy saucepan at least 9 inches in diameter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. If any foam forms on the top, skim it off and either discard it or place it in a small bowl as a treat later.

Cook until the jam is set: place a dollop of the boiling strawberry sauce and place it on one of the plates in the freezer. Allow the jam to sit on the plate for 30 seconds to cool. If the jam on the plate has formed a skin that wrinkles when you push it, the jam is set.

If you’re canning the jam, ladle the hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jar. Wipe the lids clean with a damp paper towel. Use a plastic spatula or bubble remover to remove any air bubbles and screw on the lids and bands. Process the jam in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes for unsterilized jars and for 5 minutes for jars that have been sterilized in the boiling water bath empty for 10 minutes.

After the jam has been boiling for the correct length of time, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner.