Saucy!

I know I've been on a bit of a strawberry kick these days, but it is the season after all, and it's what I've been doing.  The last 3 days have been pretty much monopolized by the berries (cooking for 2 days, and today, just a straggler batch of jam and a whole lot of cleaning).  I decided this year to try ALL the strawberry recipes that interested me from the Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving, so that in future years I'd have an idea of what we liked and would want to make again.  Next on the list was Strawberry Sauce.

If I had to pick a sauce to put on ice cream, it would likely be chocolate, but Husband loves his fruit sauces, so this one was a natural to make. 

9 cups halved hulled strawberries

2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice

1 tbsp grated orange zest

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cups corn syrup

1/2 cup orange juice.

Prepare canner, jars and lids

in a large pot, combine strawberries, apple juice and orange zest, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, crushing berries with a potato masher.  Gradually add sugar, stirring until completely dissolved.  Add corn syrup and orange juice.  Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 15 minutes. 

Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, and close jars.

Process in a hot water canner for 10 minutes.  Yield 6-250ml jars

I ended up using lemon juice and zest, because I couldn't be bothered to run out and get an orange if I had lemons at home.  I'm sure no one will notice.   After letting Husband eat my photo sample, I don't think it's going to last too long around our house.