whole preserved strawberries?

[HungryC]

My local strawberry crop is rolling right in, and I'd love to make french-style whole preserved strawberries. I can't seem to find any recipes. I know that I'll need to use small fruits and slow-cook in sugar syrup, but have any of you ever done this at home? TIA.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I will be so anxious to see how people tell you to do this ...my grandmother used to make what we called "runny jam" it was whole preserved small strawberries in a heavy syrup ...it was so good but I have never been able to figure it out ..when I have tried myself the strawberries lost all the color and texture ..hers were firm and red still ...I always figured it was the type of berries she had ..

if I knew even what type I would grow them myself ..she was so secretive in the kitchen so I never got to see her make this either ...

[Badiane]

I can recommend the Christine Ferber book 'Mes Confitures'. I use her method to make my jam and it's easy to preserve the whole fruit, especially with the strawberry. Essentially what you do is mix the fruit and sugar and bring it just barely to the boil, then let it stand overnight, then cook it to the desired consistency the next day. It's a great method and I have turned out some thinks that have shocked me they are so good looking - and good tasting, of course

[HungryC]

I am running out to get Mes Confitures right now....

[Anna N]

I can recommend the Christine Ferber book 'Mes Confitures'.  I use her method to make my jam and it's easy to preserve the whole fruit, especially with the strawberry.  Essentially what you do is mix the fruit and sugar and bring it just barely to the boil, then let it stand overnight, then cook it to the desired consistency the next day.  It's a great method and I have turned out some thinks that have shocked me they are so good looking - and good tasting, of course 

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I follow a similar procedure based on a recipe from Small Batch Preserving. It makes the most incredible strawberry jam with lots of whole strawberries. It even makes good jam from less than stellar strawberries but, of course, the local strawberries in season are best. I love being able to make a couple of pints of jam at a time.

[highchef]

Hammond? Or Ponchatoulia (sp) (sometimes spelling Louisiana towns is pretty difficult, especially for me. I've been over the basin a thousand times, spell it? I'm lucky I can pronounce it!). I put them up every(almost) year. I make them like fig preserves, but don't cook as long. If you bring to a boil and put them up asap, they'll stay in fairly good shape. I don't like to cook them any more than I have to to get the product to set. If I had a way to set without pectin, i.e. without boiling at all I would. I've considered just boiling syrup, adding fruit and then adding pectin, but am afraid there must be more heat in the fruit to kill 'whatever' needs to be killed. I know there is a danger to home canning and don't want family and friends to fall victim to my misjudgement....so I add a big dose of liquor in the end. Between a short boil, and a shot or two, I figure I've killed all the bad guys. I'm using chocolate liquor now, but am thinking of trying something new. I might get in trouble though, everyone loves my Hammond strawberry preserves. Let us know what you turn out, this could be a good thing!