Strawberry Jalapeño Jam

DH has been taking my jalapeño jelly into to work.  Some of the people wanted more heat, so I made a batch of this. 

Strawberry Jalapeño Jam

Ingredients

• 4 cups crushed strawberries
• 1 cup minced jalapeno peppers
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 (2 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
• 7 cups white sugar
• 8 half pint canning jars with lids and rings

Directions

1. Place the crushed strawberries, minced jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, and pectin into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once simmering, stir in the sugar until dissolved, return to a boil, and cook for 1 minute.
2. Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
3. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart. Allow to cool overnight Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

My notes: I used 10 large peppers that I did NOT seed. I cut the tops off and tossed the rest in a blender with the strawberries. With this jam, you get a real strawberry flavor then the heat hits about 5 seconds after. Let's see if this is hot enough for them.

I also made some Lemon Jalapeño (hot) and Pineapple Jalapeño (mild).  DH has a charity fundraiser auction at work and wanted several flavors to put in a basket. I sampled the three flavors. The strawberry is very berry flavored-then the burn, the lemon has a burning lemon tang and the pineapple is fairly mild flavored.  I played with pepper, fruit and sugar amounts to get something I liked.