I'm working on my strawberries, getting them ready to can.  I like it when the canning recipes say stuff like x number of cups crushed strawberries.  THAT, I get.  Other times, I find their measurements rather obtuse.  Here is the syrup recipe I want to make (from the Ball Blue Book):

2 1/2 quarts strawberries

3 cups water, divided

1 2-inch strip of lemon peel

2 1/2 cups sugar

3 1/2 cups corn syrup

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Wash strawberries; drain.  Stem and crush strawberries.  Combine strawberries, 1 1/1 cups water, and lemon peel in a medium saucepan.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Strain through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth.  Combine sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepot; boil to 230 F.  Add strawberry juice and corn syrup to sugar syrup.  Boil 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice.  Ladle hot syrup into hot jars.  Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Yield:  3 pints

Okay so you crush the strawberries–but AFTER the measuring.  Why why why?  It would be so much simpler if they gave the measurement by crushed strawberries.  So I'm thinking, okay, they mean whole strawberries.  Is the measure by volume or weight?  I washed, drained, cut off the caps and measured strawberries into a quart jar.

Then I realized that the amount strawberries that fit into a quart jar is about the same amount of strawberries in each labeled plastic box pack of strawberries–which is measured by weight as 16 ounces.

If I measure by volume, using the quart jar, I might only be using half the amount of strawberries I should be using in this recipe.  If I measure by weight by the packages, I might be using double the amount of strawberries I should be using for this recipe.

HELP!  Anyone who has made syrup have any knowledge to share, based on this recipe, how I should be measuring the strawberries so this syrup comes out right?

No, I don't have any of them!

I wish they wouldn't do measurements that way!  It's so difficult.  You're gonna crush the strawberries first thing anyway and it's SO much easier to understand the correct measurement when they give it in crushed.

But with all that water and corn syrup, you're going to need quite a bit of strawberry to give it the flavor, though.  And you're right, save that pulp!!!  It would work great in bread or muffins!!

So her quart jar method would work, too, then right?  Is there a recipe in the CC for the strawberry banana jam?  that does sound wonderful!

Thanks, Dede.  So maybe my measure isn't too far off.  I think what I'll do is throw a little extra in there just to make up for using a quart jar.  I bet a big 2-cup measure would have been much better.

Pete, what I do is use a potato masher!  Doesn't take long at all.