strawberry jam recipe

[eeky]

I have 3lb lovely strawberries today in Ocado order (on BOGOF!). Who's got the best quick jam recipe? I have ordinary, preserving and jam sugar, also lemon if needed. Have made jam before but never strawberry.

I am due with dc2 in 2 days, been getting intermittent contractions all day but not progressing yet. Having ma-hoosive last minute nesting panic, as clearly if I don't make the jam before going into labour, then am unfit mother! [wink} Probably will progress onto chutney after that whilst doing the ironing...

see, can't even put in winky emoticon properly ; not sure should be let near boiling fruit and sugar in my NEW preserving pan!

Have thrown caution to the wind and made 8 lbs of strawb jam, with balsamic vinegar (Nigella's recipe from how to be domestic goddess). 10 mins only once came to the boil. I have cracked open the steriliser again by doing the jam jars in it!

Dh will think I've lost it, preserving fruit at 1am... trying to blame all random behaviour on pg hormones, but he says I'm like this anyway. Dropped new mobile phone in the bath earlier when bathing dd, but seems to be as good as new once dismantled and dried in front of fire

Will report on quality of jam tomorrow if not in labour ward. Still contracting.

eeky you sound bonkers! If you have any spare you can send it my way.

Good luck with the baby!

Thanks Mrs GP! Think I rushed the jam a bit as pretty runny this morning. I have reboiled with a bit of preserving sugar and now has set beautifully and tastes wonderful. May have been because strawbs were pretty ripe so less pectin, or maybe Nigella is wrong to advise just cater sugar.

No contractions tonight, so if I end up going 2 weeks over, you may well have a box of preserves coming your way! We have a neighbour with 3 huge damson trees, fully laden, who is happy for us to take the lot . Next in plan is spiced damson chutney, damson jam, hot and sour damson dipping sauce and last but not least, damson gin. MNing in bed; dh has sent me up for an early night and to keep me away from preserving pan for tonight

lol I had a hard time getting the nesting instinct nevermind jam! 'Though I do remember insisting DH do the hoovering before the midwives came round and I had a nap whilst in early stages of labour

Poor DH'd be delighted if I made jam. More of a crap baker myself, but always on the look out for jam for a sponge or scones!

Is this your first baby? If so I can recommending stocking the freezer as you won't move from the sofa for about ooh, 6 weeks or so!

No this is our second, dd is just 16m so will have hands very full. Too anxious to nest much with dd, so making up for it this time! Bit tricky as renovating old knackered house, so have to take pragmatic approach to dust and power tools everywhere.

Blimey eeky where do you find the time with a 16mo already? Those pregnancy hormones must have given you super powers!