How to Make Strawberry Jam

There’s no doubt canning and preserving are mainstream these days, but if you haven’t quite jumped onto the canning bandwagon, there’s still no reason you can’t enjoy some of canning’s greatest treats – including jam.

Right now, strawberries are available in abundance, making this a perfect time to freeze, dry, or can them. And the best way to can them is to make strawberry jam. Or, just freeze the jam.

 

Strawberry Freezer Jam

• 2 cups hulled and crushed strawberries
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 1 box pectin (look for it in the canning section of the supermarket or big box store)

Sterilize some plastic freezer containers by pouring boiling water over them. Dry with a clean dishcloth.

Place the strawberries in a bowl and mix in the sugar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, stirring once in a while.

In a stainless steel saucepan, mix together the water and pectin. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard and stir for 1 minute. Add the strawberry mixture to the saucepan and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sugar is nearly dissolved.

Pour the strawberry mixture into the prepared containers, leaving ½ inch of empty space between the jam and the top of the container. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a year.

 

Strawberry Jam for Canning

• 5 cups hulled and crushed strawberries
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons pectin
• 7 cups granulated sugar

Sterilize jelly canning jars by boiling in the canner for 10 minutes.

In a stainless steel saucepan, combine the strawberries and lemon juice. Stir in the pectin. Place over high heat and bring to a full boil that can’t be stirred down. Stir constantly. Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat. Ladle jam into jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Process in a boiling water banner for 10 minutes.

You can tweak either of these jams by adding half a vanilla bean (split in half along its length) to the crushed berries. Remove the vanilla bean before freezing or canning. Or, add the zest of 1 lemon to the strawberries.

 

 

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