I love making my own pie filling for several reasons; I get to preserve fresh fruit when it's in season, we get to enjoy it many months after the season has past, it's convenient, and oh so easy!
While I do make jams and jellies as well, sometimes you just want to open a jar and make a yummy dessert ... this is where making your own fruit pie fillings comes in! The possibilities are endless and only limited to your imagination!
Ingredients
7 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, sliced
1 1/2 cups + 4 tbls. sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbls. Clear Jel*
2 cups cold water
2 tbls. lemon juice
Method
Measure 7 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, and sliced; drain in a mesh colander placed over a large bowl. In a large stock pot, add sugar and Clear Jel and mix until blended.
Add water and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble (mixture will be very thick quickly).
Add lemon juice and whisk while cooking one (1) minute; stirring constantly. Remove from heat; fold in drained strawberries immediately and ladle mixture into canning jars, leaving 1" head-space.
Process jars in boiling water bath 30 minutes. Remove jars from water bath and allow to cool on a kitchen towel on your counter-top 24 hours.
Yield: 4 pint or 2 quart jars
*Cooks note - Clear Jel is necessary if you are going to process pie filling in a boiling water bath. If you are just making pie filling to eat and enjoy immediately, you can use cornstarch.
Enjoy,
Mary
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