Spiced Pickled Strawberries

Photo: flickr user Kelly Sue

Ingredients

12 cups strawberries, hulled

1 teaspoon pickling salt or canning salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Puncture strawberries with fork tines and cut any large ones in half.

Combine remaining ingredients together in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly; pour over prepared berries.

Cover saucepan and let stand at a cool room temperature for at least six hours or overnight.

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

Re-heat berries, gently stirring occasionally until strawberries are heated through but still hold their shape.

Gently spoon strawberries and hot pickling liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Remove air bubbles and adjust head space as necessary by adding hot pickling liquid.

Wipe rim and place hot lid on jar; screw band down until fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner and return to a boil.

Process for ten minutes.

Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars stand in hot water for an additional five minutes.

Transfer jars to a towel-lined surface or a cooling rack and let stand undisturbed until completely cool (about 24 hours).

Check lids and refrigerate any jars that are not sealed.

1 servings

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - 10:15pm