Description
A delicious Homemade Strawberry Jam made with pectin and bursting with strawberry flavor.
Ingredients
- 6 cups crushed strawberries (buy 4 pounds, but you might have some extra)
- 1 (1.75 oz) package low or no-sugar-needed powdered pectin (about 6 tablespoons)
- 4 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - this is mainly for flavor. You may use fresh or bottled.
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries (remove the green tops), then crush them using a potato masher. You’re looking for a juicy, pulpy mixture with some small pieces remaining—not large chunks. Measure out 6 cups of crushed strawberries.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, stir together the crushed strawberries, powdered pectin, ¼ cup of the measured sugar, and the lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly.
- Add the remaining sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil, then boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and skim off any foam if needed.
- Ladle the jam into clean jars or freezer-safe containers.
- For refrigerator storage, ladle the jam into clean jars, allow to cool, then add lids and refrigerate for up to 2–3 weeks.
- For freezer storage, allow the jam to cool for 15 minutes, then transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving an inch or so of headspace for expansion. Allow to cool, and freeze for up to 6 months.
- For canning, ladle the hot jam into hot, clean canning jars and process for 10 minutes using the standard water bath canning method, adjusting for altitude. (For more about canning jam, see the notes below).
Notes
Start with enough berries. You will need about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds of fresh strawberries, but it is best to start with 4 pounds to allow for trimming, discarding any bruised or spoiled fruit, and natural variation.
Remove the hulls. Be sure to hull the strawberries before crushing, as the green tops can affect both flavor and texture.
Measure the strawberries after crushing. For best results, crush first, then meassure out 6 cups of crushed strawberries.
About the pectin. This recipe uses a standard 1.75 ounce package of low or no-sugar-needed powdered pectin, such as Sure Jell or Ball RealFruit.
Using bulk pectin from a jar. If your pectin comes in a jar, measure out 1.75 ounces by weight to match one box. If you do not have a kitchen scale, this is roughly equal to about 6 tablespoons, but measuring by weight is the most accurate.
Not for two-part pectin systems. This recipe is not designed for two-part pectin systems such as Pomona, which use a different method and ratios.
Do not reduce the sugar. Even though this recipe uses less sugar than traditional jam, the amount here is important for proper setting and texture.
Give it time to set. The jam will thicken as it cools and will continue to set over 24 to 48 hours.
Learning to can. Canning is a simple process, but to do it safely, you need to learn the proper procedure. I recommend finding a good tutorial online or in a book. I recommend the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving [affiliate link], or this Water Bath Canning Guide on the Ball website.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
