How to Keep Strawberries From Discoloration When Canning Strawberry Jelly

Fresh, ripe strawberries

Fresh strawberries have a short lifespan once harvested and normally go bad within about a week. They must be consumed quickly when fresh, or be preserved to enjoy when they are out of season. The best methods to preserve strawberries include canning -- either as whole or sliced fruit -- making into jam or jelly, freezing or dehydrating. Keeping a nice, freshly-ripened color to preserved strawberries makes for a better presentation when serving, and can be a sign of the fresh flavor within. Canning processes can vary, based on altitude or preference.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh, ripe strawberries
• Cheesecloth or jelly bag
• Large, flat-bottomed saucepan
• Clean canning jars with sealing lids
• Pectin

Instructions

1. 

   Sliced strawberry

   Choose berries with a uniform ripeness -- but that are not dull in color, which can be a sign of over-ripeness. Sort out any berries that have green or white areas on them or that are showing signs of going bad such as bruising, soft spots or mold. If a berry only has a small bad spot, you can trim it off with a paring knife and use the rest of the fruit. To prepare whole berries, rinse them and pat dry. Pinch the stem and twist off. Slice the berries and chop into fairly small pieces.

2. 

   Put the berries in your saucepan and cover with just enough water to keep from scorching. Cook the berries on a high heat while stirring constantly, until they are soft. Do not heat for more than 10 minutes. The cooking process is simply to encourage the juices out of the fruit. Overcooking will result in discoloration in the finished jelly.

3. 

   Strawberry Jelly

   Pour the cooked fruit carefully through a dampened cheese cloth sieve, or through a jelly bag suspended over a large enough container to hold the juice. The initial juice may be clear. More color can be obtained by squeezing the jelly bag, or pressing into it with a wooden spoon to extract some pigmentation from the skins. Many people add rhubarb to their strawberry jelly for additional coloring and flavoring. Another option would be to replace a portion of added pectin with strawberry gelatin, for a brighter color.

4. 

   Fully ripe fruit does not contain as much natural pectin as it does when under-ripe. Because of this, you will need to add pectin to the juice along with added sweetener in order to get the gelled texture you desire. There are many recipes available online. It is better to work with smaller batches at a time, for quality control. Once the jelly is finished, proper storage in a cool place without sunlight will help it retain color and freshness.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are diabetic, you can replace added sugar with alternative sweeteners.

• Ensure that your jars are properly sealed, or it is possible for bacteria or mold to make your finished jelly inedible.

• Be careful when working with the hot juice, as it can cause severe burns.

References

• University of California; Linda J. Harris
• National Center for Home Food Preservation; Selecting, Preparing and Canning Fruit
• National Center for Home Food Preservation; Extracting Juice for Jelly
• United States Department of Agriculture; Complete Guide to Home Canning