Lemon Cardamom Strawberry Preserves

Makes 2 quarts

8 C fresh strawberry chopped
6 C granulated sugar
½ C lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
1 T vanilla extract
½ t ground cardamom

Use a large pan that is at least 3 times the size of the amount of preserves you’re making. The mixture bubbles up high for a while until the sugars begin cooking down.
To begin, place all the strawberry pieces and all other ingredients in the pan. Stir a bit and turn on to LOW so the sugars can melt without burning. Then, turn the heat to a MED-HI or whatever temperature just barely allows the preserves to boil. If your stove needs to be on HI, do so. But you don’t want any more heat than is needed to boil. STIR OFTEN!!!!
After about 10 minutes perform the following. Take a small dish that you has been in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Dribble a bit of the preserves on the plate, return the place to the freezer and let sit for 1 minute. (Note, don’t take pan off heat! Keep cooking.) Take it out and run your finger through it. If the mixture falls back into itself, you need to cook longer. Do this until your finger makes a line in the preserves on the plate without anything falling back in. For me that time was about 16-17 minutes. Then, turn off heat. Let jam sit for about 5 minutes. Place into sterilized jars. Either seal in a canning bath, or just seal and refrigerate. The jam will last for weeks in the fridge.