Preserving seasonal strawberries is simple with these easy homemade jam recipes.
As folks revel in the sweet peak of strawberry season, and you’ve had your fill of eating them right out of the container or field, it’s time to figure out what to do with all those ripe, gorgeous red berries so you can enjoy their flavor months after the season is over.
Freezing strawberries isn’t ideal, unless you’re using them in smoothies or recipes where they’re cooked down, because they won’t have the same texture as when they are fresh.
Now is the time to think about jam- and jelly- making. While it may seem like a daunting task, especially for someone who’s never done it before, with the right recipe and equipment, jams and jellies are well within any home cook’s reach.
The difference between jam and jelly? They are both made with fruit, sugar and pectin, but jam is made from crushed fruit while jelly is made from fruit juice. Jams have a chunkier and jelly a clearer, firmer consistency.
Since berries are plentiful right now, here are several simple jam recipes perfect for any beginner to produce perfect jam ready to spread on toast or biscuits, dollop onto waffles or pancakes, stir into yogurt or add to ice cream.
Strawberry Freezer Jam
What’s great about freezer jam is it’s easy to make, has a looser texture than traditional strawberry jam and is great on toast, ice cream or even in milkshakes. Keep jars in the freezer and take them out when you’re ready to use them.
Ingredients
4 cups halved fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 (1.75 ounce) package dry pectin
1/4 cup water
Directions
1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Crush strawberries using potato masher in a large bowl. (Alternatively, pulse strawberries in a food processor until just finely chopped but not pureed.) Drain strawberries through a fine mesh strainer; reserve juice for another use. Transfer 2 cups crushed strawberries to a large bowl. Add sugar and stir until evenly combined. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir pectin and water together in a small saucepan until combined. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; stirring constantly, until a thick paste forms and pectin is fully dissolved, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir boiling pectin mixture in to strawberry mixture in a large bowl. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. To check if jam is set, coat back of spoon with jam; run a finger through it. If jam remains separated, it’s properly set. If jam runs back together, it’s not set so stir 3 more minutes.
5. Pour into 2 sterilized pint-size jars or other storage containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top to allow for expansion. Place tops on containers and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
6. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving, or freeze until ready to use or up to 3 months.
Strawberry Jam (without pectin)
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Directions
1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Crush strawberries in a large bowl until you have 4 cups of mashed berries.
3. Combine mashed strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed
saucepan; stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
4. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Continue to
boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees.
5. Check doneness after 10 to 15 minutes by dropping a small spoonful of jam
onto a frozen plate. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes. If jam appears to gel, it is ready.
Continue cooking jam if it appears thin and runny.
6. Transfer jam into hot sterile jars, filling to within 1/4 inch from the top.
Top with lids and screw rings on tightly.
7. Place rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill it halfway with water. Bring
to a boil and lower the jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder.
Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least one inch.
8. Bring to a rolling boil, cover and process for 10 minutes.
9. Remove the jars from the stockpot and let rest, several inches apart, for 12 to
24 hours. Don’t be alarmed by the popping sounds. That’s just the jars sealing.
Store in a cool, dark area.
Strawberry Jam (using homemade pectin)
Ingredients
Pectin Puree:
3 apples, stemmed, coarsely chopped (including core and seeds)
1 cup water
1 lemon, chopped (including rind and seeds)
Jam:
3 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
1 1/2 cup pectin puree
2 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions
1. Place chopped apples, water and chopped lemon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring constantly, until fruit is very soft and collapsed, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to separate liquid from pulp and seeds. Press with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard pulp and seeds. There should be about 1 1/2 cups pectin puree.
2. Place hulled strawberries in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until pureed, about 1 minute. Transfer to a saucepan. Add pectin puree; stir in 1 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer for about 15 minutes. Skim off foam. Adjust heat, if necessary, to ensure mixture is always simmering without boiling over. Stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar.
3. Cook, stirring often, until mixture reaches 220 degrees, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in lemon juice.
4. Ladle into sterilized canning jars while still hot. Cool to room temperature, uncovered. Cover and refrigerate 1 or 2 days before serving to allow sugar and pectin to thicken jam.
