Strawberry jam is a delightful treat that brings the sweet taste of summer to your table all year round. Early summer, when strawberries are at their peak, is the perfect time to stock your pantry with homemade canned strawberry jam.
Making and canning your own strawberry jam might sound daunting, but with the right steps, anyone can do it. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through a simple recipe, share some tips for success, and provide everything you need to know to create delicious homemade strawberry jam.
It’s strawberry season here and that means it’s time to go picking. Making strawberry jam is a great way to enjoy this delicious fruit throughout the year. The jam is soft, spreadable, and delicious. These also make a great gift during the holiday season.
This recipe uses the water bath canning method. It’s easy and doesn’t take much time at all.
Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe Ingredients
With just three simple ingredients you can be making this irresistible strawberry jam recipe:
Strawberries. Use about two pounds of fresh strawberries, hulled, and cleaned. To hull a strawberry, use a paring knife angled toward the center of the berry and cut a circle around the leafy stem to remove the hull. If using frozen strawberries, I like to reserve 1 cup of berries when making this recipe. I add it to the end of the cooking process.
Sugar. White sugar sweetens the jam, thickens it, and acts as a preservative.
Lemon juice. Lemon juice is essential for getting the pectin to gel properly, setting the jam. It also helps prevent the growth of bacteria.
How to Make and Can Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Fresh Strawberries hulled and crushed, frozen strawberries will work for this recipe
- 4 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1 package 1.75 oz powdered fruit pectin, optional
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Your Jars
- Before you start making the jam, it’s important to sterilize your jars. Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water, then rinse well. Place the jars in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a simmer (180°F/82°C) to sterilize. Keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them. Place the lids in a separate small pot of simmering water to soften the seal.
Step 2: Prepare the Strawberries
- Hull and crush the strawberries. You can use a potato masher or a food processor, but be careful not to puree the berries completely. You want some chunks for texture.
Step 3: Cook the Jam
- Combine mashed strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and pectin if using it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Continue boiling and stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C).The jam should be done at this point. However, you can check doneness after 10 to 15 minutes.
- Chill a Plate: Place a small plate in the freezer before you start cooking your jam.
- Test the Jam: When you think the jam is ready, place a spoonful of jam on the chilled plate and return it to the freezer for a minute. Remove the plate and push the edge of the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles and doesn’t flow back, the jam is set. Continue cooking if jam appears thin and runny.
- Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
Step 4: Fill the Jars
- Using a canning funnel, ladle the hot jam into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove any residue. Place the lids on the jars and screw band on until just fingertip tight.
Step 5: Process the Jars
- Place the filled jars into a water bath canner over medium-high heat. Make sure there is enough water to completely cover the jars. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes.
Step 6: Cool and Store
- Carefully remove the hot jars from the canner using a jar lifter and place them on a towel to cool. Cool to room temperature. After 24 hours, check the seals by pressing the center of each lid. If it doesn’t pop back, the jar is sealed. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
- Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a few weeks.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
- For the best flavor, use strawberries that are at their peak ripeness.
- Precise measurements are crucial in jam-making, especially for sugar and pectin.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.
- Stirring constantly helps prevent the jam from burning and ensures even cooking.
- Removing the foam ensures a clearer jam and improves the texture.
- Properly sealed jars are essential for long-term storage. If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate it and use it soon.
Nutrition
Tips for Success
- For the best flavor, use strawberries that are at their peak ripeness.
- Precise measurements are crucial in jam-making, especially for sugar and pectin.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.
- Stirring constantly helps prevent the jam from burning and ensures even cooking.
- Removing the foam ensures a clearer jam and improves the texture.
- Properly sealed jars are essential for long-term storage. If a jar doesn’t seal, refrigerate it and use it soon.
Use Fruit Pectin. For consistent results, use pectin. Pectin acts as a gelling agent, helping to thicken the jam and give it the desired consistency. When combined with sugar and acid (like lemon juice), pectin forms a gel-like network that traps the liquid fruit mixture, resulting in a firm set.
I’ve been making jams, jellies, and preserves for over 50 years. The success of your jam or jelly setting properly largely depends on the pectin content in the fruit. Very ripe, super sweet strawberries have lower pectin compared to slightly under-ripe ones. I always aim to include about 25% under-ripe fruit in my batches. However, when I don’t want to worry about the pectin levels, I simply use powdered pectin, especially for low-sugar jams and jellies.
Setting the Jam. Without enough pectin, jam would be runny and more like a syrup. The presence of pectin ensures that the jam sets properly, making it spreadable and giving it a pleasant texture.
Why Boil to 220°F (104°C)?
The temperature 220°F is significant because it is the point at which the sugar and fruit mixture reaches the gel stage, necessary for jam to set properly. At this temperature, the sugar concentration is high enough to allow the pectin (naturally present in the fruit or added) to form a gel.
How to Check for Doneness
There are a few methods to check if your jam has reached the proper consistency:
Temperature Method:
Use a Candy Thermometer: Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot, ensuring it is immersed in the liquid but not touching the bottom. When the mixture reaches 220°F, it is likely ready.
Plate Test:
Chill a Plate: Place a small plate in the freezer before you start cooking your jam.
Test the Jam: When you think the jam is ready, place a little jam on the chilled plate and return it to the freezer for a minute. Remove the plate and push the edge of the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles and doesn’t flow back, the jam is set.
Sheet Test:
Use a Spoon: Dip a cold metal spoon into the boiling jam. Hold it over the pot and let the jam run off the side.
Check the Flow: If the jam forms a sheet or flake off the spoon rather than running off in a stream, it has reached the setting point.
How long does homemade strawberry jam last?
Homemade strawberry jam, when properly canned and stored, can last up to a year. Here are some key points to keep in mind regarding the shelf life and storage of your homemade jam:
Proper canning and sealing process. Make sure that the jars are properly sterilized before filling to prevent contamination. Check for a good seal. After processing in a water bath canner, the lids should not flex up and down when pressed.
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard, to maximize shelf life.
After Opening
The opened jam typically lasts about 1 to 3 months in the refrigerator. Once you open a jar of your homemade strawberry jam, it should be refrigerated.
Is my jam spoiled?
Here are a few telltale signs of your jam going bad. Always check for signs of spoilage before consuming homemade jam:
Mold. Visible mold on the surface indicates the jam is no longer safe to eat.
Off Smell. If the jam has an unusual odor, it’s best to discard it.
Color Changes. While some darkening over time can be normal, significant color changes might indicate spoilage.
With a bit of preparation and attention to detail, you can enjoy the taste of fresh strawberries year-round.
We hope you get a chance to make your own jam. Our family enjoys these delicious strawberries year-round using this recipe.
My family loved this!