OK, let’s do this! A little preparation + following these steps = jars and jars of tasty homemade jam!

Wash jars, lids and bands with hot soapy water; rinse.

Place rack in bottom of canner to keep jars from touching the bottom of the canner and safe from cracking.

Fill canner so water covers jars by at least 1 inch. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Cook jam according to recipe directions.

Drain heated jar.

Fill heated jar with hot jam to level directed in recipe (usually 14-inch headspace).

Wipe rim of jar clean with damp towel.

Set lid in place, rubber seal side down.

Place band over lid and adjust until barely tight. Do not over-tighten; jars may crack.

Lower filled jars into waterbath canner.

Turn heat to medium-high, bring water to a rolling boil; cover canner.

Process for the length of time specified in the recipe, maintaining a rolling boil.

Turn off heat; remove lid; let jars sit in water 5 minutes.

jars and place a few inches apart on a dry towel. Keep jars upright and cool 12 hours. Do not tighten bands or move jars until cooled.

Listen for a "pop" as the vacuum seal forms. Yay!

Test the seal after 12 hours of cooling.

Remove the bands from the jars.

Press the center of the lid. The jar is sealed if the lid is concave and you can’t remove it with your fingertips.

Wipe the jars clean to remove any residue; let dry completely.

Store sealed jars upright at room temperature, with or without bands, in a cool, dry, dark place (pantry) up to one year. Store unsealed jars in refrigerator.

Jam from Your Freezer?

Spread the Word!

What a cool idea! Freezer jam recipes are a cinch to make - no processing, just pop the containers in the freezer. Sometimes, you don't even have to cook the jam itself! Freezer jams are usually a little softer-set than processed jams.

Freezer jam containers have straight sides and flat lids and need more headspace (12 inch) than waterbath jams because food expands when it freezes.

Start with a recipe designed for freezer jam and follow it exactly for the best and most delicious results.