Strawberry Pie Filling or Topping

Strawberry Pie Filling is one of the easiest canning recipes you will try.  You can use thawed, drained, frozen berries or fresh berries.  Most of my strawberries get eaten fresh so I use frozen berries.  I use this recipe a number of ways other than just as a pie filling.  You can mix it in  homemade or plain yogurt, use it as a topping on ice cream,  flavor shakes and smoothies, or serve it on a yellow cake  topped with cool whip. 

Strawberry Pie Filling.
                   

  Ingredients                                                                  1 Quart                          7 Quart

Strawberries Fresh or thawed                                        3-1/2 cups                         6 quarts

Granulated sugar or Super fine sugar                            3/4 cup + 2 tbsp                6 cups

Clear Jel®                                                                      1/4 cup + 1 tbsp                2-1/4 cup

Cold water                                                                      1 cup                                7 cups

Bottled Lemon Juice                                                      3-1/2 teaspoons                1/2 cup

Wash Strawberries, and drain the fruit. 

Combine sugar and Clear Jel in a large pot.  If you want you can use Super Fine Sugar instead of granulated sugar it makes a really smooth pie filling. Super Fine Sugar has smaller granules and blends better with the Clear Jel distributing the starch evenly throughout the pie filling. Whisk or stir the sugar and Clear Jel together. 

Add the water.  Heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. It will become more translucent as it thickens.  

Fold in drained berries, stir and immediately  fill the jars.  It is easier to fill the jar half way and remove air bubbles then continue filling.  

Wipe rims, adjust two piece lids and process in water bath for 30 minutes at a full rolling boil. Add 10 minutes for higher altitudes. 

Clear Jel can be purchased at your extension office or online. Instant Clear Jel is a very fine type of cornstarch.  It prevents the liquid from separating out of the filling like it does with regular cornstarch.  Also it does not need to boil to thicken.  If regular cornstarch is used then the extended cooking time in order to boil the filling creates too many air bubbles which are very hard to get rid of. Clear Jel is a great product to have in your pantry.
  

This is the Clear Jel, Sugar, and water thickening.

Once the mixture thickens the lemon juice is added and then bring back to a boil.
 Add your berries fold them in and fill your jars.

Jars loaded in the water bath canner.