The third and final post in the strawberry series is going to use up all of those scraps you saved from your compote and jam. I love when I can preserve a bounty with zero food waste. Yes, you will be straining the boiled tops, and generally I would discard the remnants, but sometimes I can share the bounty with my chicken ladies. And that is exactly what I did. Once I boiled out all of the sweet strawberry goodness, I tossed the leftovers out to the chickens…and let me tell you…they were not mad about it one bit!
This week’s recipe comes from Life with Aprons. I found this beautiful nectar on her Pinterest page and could not get it out of my head. I had to try it. I love simple. I love yummy. I love useful. This recipe checks all of those boxes. I mean…Equal parts liquid to sugar. Boil. Done. Simple.
OK, you should be convinced by now. Let’s get started.
Strawberry Syrup is not just for pancakes.
You can use the syrup in the same way you would a simple syrup, but this one actually has flavor. You can use it to upgrade your vodka soda water and lime. Mix it into your home made frosting or whipped cream. Pour it over your vanilla ice cream, of course…but why not on top of chocolate ice cream!! Oh yes, please. Drizzle on angel food cake, or use as a dessert topping. Add to your yogurt and granola. This will not go to waste.
As simple as simple as simple syrup
Place your tops into the pot. Pour just enough water to cover the tops.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from the burner and strain.
Measure the juice and pour back into the pot.
Add equal parts sugar: 1 part juice, 1 part sugar. I had 5 cups of juice and added 5 cups of sugar.
Bring the mixture back to a boil and simmer until it reduces by 1/4. This process took me about 40 minutes or so. I stirred it quite frequently, mostly because I am impatient, but also because I checked consistency fairly often. I dipped a clean spoon into the syrup and let it cool. Once it cools, you are looking for a syrup consistency. Don’t wait until the hot mixture looks like syrup. By that point it has been overdone and will be too thick when it cools. So use the cooled spoon to accurately check for consistency.
From here you can begin ladling the hot syrup into jars, let it cool and put it in the fridge.
Canning your syrup.
Can it just like your strawberry jam. Water bath can the syrup for 10 minutes.
Now for the recipe
Strawberry Syrup
Equipment
- 1 Large saucepan
- 1 Dry measuring cup
- 1 Liquid measuring cup
- 8 Jelly Jars, lids, ring seals
- 1 Canning rack and Canner
Ingredients
- Strawberry Tops
- Water
- Sugar
Instructions
- Pour strawberry tops in a stockpot and cover with water.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Take pot off the burner and carefully strain out tops.
- Pour juice back into the pot and add sugar. This is a 1 to 1 ratio, so if you have 6 cups of juice, add 6 cups of sugar.
- Bring juice back to a boil and then simmer until it reduces by 1/4, roughly 1 hour.
- Turn off burner, pour syrup int a jar and store in fridge.
- For canning instructions, process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.