This Homemade Strawberry Syrup makes these Strawberry Margaritas extra special. Don’t forget the cinnamon in the syrup as enhances the flavors and gives the margaritas a nice balanced flavor- not too sweet, not to sour, just perfect!
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Big, huge news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have the permit for our house!!!!!!!!!
I can’t freaking wait to get started on building our house. I feel that this moment has taken forever to get to. We decided on the house in January ’15 and we had to wait to get started until we were down here this spring. So, I just can’t wait to move in.
We celebrated the news of getting our permit by enjoying some Strawberry Margaritas!
It was such a great way to celebrate that fantastic news. It was beautiful, tasty, and fun.
I am not normally a fan of fruity margaritas, but this has me hooked on strawberry margaritas now. I like the tartness of the typical margarita, but the rich strawberry flavor is just so incredible. It’s like sipping on a strawberry, without that artificial flavor that you often get when you order strawberry margaritas when you order them out at restaurants. You can’t beat the real deal when it’s made with fresh strawberries.
When I received the newly released The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving cookbook from the Ball Company, I immediately dove in trying to find something to make. I was first interested in making the Pickled Peppers and Onions (pg 215), but then my interested jumped to the Cherry-Bourbon BBQ Sauce (pg 184), then the Grapefruit Marmalade (pg 99). I then saw the Strawberry Syrup that is used in Strawberry Margaritas (pg 124) and I just knew I had to make that. Plus, I still have the Fiery Peach Salsa (pg 173) on my mind too!
The strawberry syrup was so simple to make. There is very little active cooking time, with most of the time involved with making the syrup just letting the cooked strawberries drain off their liquid to make the syrup. Super chill.
I was intrigued that it called for cinnamon in the syrup recipe since I didn’t think it would be a great addition to the strawberries, but boy was I wrong. The very faint cinnamon flavor is just was the strawberry syrup needs to cut the sweetness. Genius.
Actually, I lied… I couldn’t find cheese cloth so I used my finest mesh strainer for when I drained the strawberries and it worked just fine. But it is very fine mesh strainer. I would not suggest this if you did not have a fine mesh strainer. But, I will be ordering cheesecloth to prepared in the future.
I only changed things up for the Strawberry Syrup in regards to halving the recipe and not actually canning it. I didn’t need as much syrup that the recipe produced so I just halved it. Then I just refrigerated the syrup since I knew I would use it up quickly. Had I made the full batch I would have followed the instructions on how to can it using the water bath method- which is super easy (I know since I used that to make all our of wedding favors!)
Once the syrup was made I made the Strawberry Margaritas. I did change things up from the recipe in the book just a bit. I basically just added in some Triple Sec (Curaçao liqueur) as I really like what it adds to margaritas. Nice blend of lime, orange, and strawberries.
Besides making margaritas, you can make Italian sodas with the strawberry syrup. I’ve been adding it to seltzer to jazz up plain seltzer. Add a bit of lime and it’s perfection.
Besides tasting good, my margaritas looked good in my new Ball Heritage Collection Pint Jar in Blue. I love the retro look! I have been a fan of drinking out of mason jars for years and year so I think these blue ones will be in constant use at our house now. In our new house!!!!
Homemade Strawberry Syrup
Fresh strawberries make a delicious syrup that is perfect for sweetening sparkling water or mixing into cocktails.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 pounds of halved strawberries, with tops cut off
- 1/2 Cups water
- 1/2 of a cinnamon stick, 1 1/2" in length
- Cheesecloth
- 3 Cups Sugar
- 1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/4 Cup + 1 Tablespoon bottle lemon juice
Instructions
- In a stainless steel pot, combine the strawberries, water, and cinnamon stick. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, do not let the mixture boil.
- Pour into a large mesh strainer that is liked with 2 layers of cheesecloth that has been placed over a large bowl/4 Cup measuring cup. Let sit for at least 2 hours to allow the liquid drain to yield 3 Cups. Discard the strawberries
- Add the strawberry liquid, sugar, and corn syrup back into the pot. Head over medium heat, stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a low boil and boil for 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice.
- Using the water bath method, process the syrup in half pint or pint jars.
Notes
Strawberry Syrup sourced from The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving
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Thank you for The Ball Company for sponsoring this post.
Post contains affiliate links
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Don’t miss out on Ball’s 6th Annual International Can-It Forward Day!!!!
You’ll want to join in all the canning fun this Friday the 22nd from 10:00AM – 3:30PM when Ball is hosting their 6th Annual International Can-It Forward Day. You can check out LIVE videos of Ball’s Facebook Page featuring their expect chefs and blogging team, the Ball Fresh Preservers. Each hour, viewers will have the chance to win a giveaway prize!
This can will help inspire you to create wonderful canned and preserved creations. Plus, it will give you great tips and tricks to help you try things you have never done before (I gotta get going on pressure canning!)
Besides helping you out with canning, when you engage with any of the Facebook Live recipe videos, a donation will be made to charity! How wonderful is that?!?!
Be sure to check out Facebook and Twitter so you can ask Jarden Home Brands canning experts any preserving or home canning questions via the hashtag #canitforward from 10AM – 5PM ET on July 22nd. You can also share their own #canitforward creations with the brand on Pinterest and Instagram.
Hope you’re join me and others for International Can-It Forward Day!