Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

A friend of mind gave me some frozen strawberries so of course I had to make some yummy Strawberry Lemonade.  After drinking a glass I then had to make more to can for later.  So here we are.  You will love this on  a warm summer day.

A jar of pure goodness!

Makes about 7 (16 oz) pints

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups hulled strawberries (You can use frozen if needed)
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (You can use bottled if it's all you have)
6 cups granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

• Prepare your boiling water canner. Keep your jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside. 
• Working in small batches, puree strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large stainless steel saucepan as completed. 
• Add the lemon juice and sugar to strawberry puree, stirring to combine. Heat to 190° F over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. I used a candy thermometer for this. Do not boil. Remove from heat and skim off foam. 
• Ladle hot concentrate into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rims of jars with wet paper towel. Put on lids and rings and tighten down finger tight. 
• Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes before taking jars out of canner. Place on counter to cool for 24 hours. Check lids for seal. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. 
• Wash jars, Label and Store in a cool, dark place. 

To reconstitute, mix one part concentrate with one part water, tonic water or ginger ale. Adjust it to suit your own taste. I prefer mixing 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water. Pour over ice cubes and enjoy!

Reference:  Ball Blue Book, page 192