Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe
This is an easy-to-make small batch strawberry jam recipe you can prep and make in about an hour. It gives you beautifully firm strawberry jam without having to use any added pectin. All it needs is three ingredients: fresh strawberries, white sugar, and lemon juice. Reduce the amount of lemon juice to get a softer-set preserve.
Servings 3 pints
Calories 260kcal
Cost 10
Equipment
- jam jars and lids Mason jars or other
- preserving pan or large pot or saucepan
- candy thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs fresh strawberries cleaned and chopped / 1 kg or 5 cups
- 5 cups white sugar 2.2 lbs / 1 kg
- 1/4 cup lemon juice 85 g / you can use 1/3 cup for a firmer set. Bottled is better than fresh, but you can use either.
Instructions
Sterilizing Jars and Lids
- Clean and sterilize your jars. Run them through the dishwasher or heat the glass jars in the oven. For the oven method, leave them in for 20-30 minutes at 275°F (130°C) about half an hour before you start cooking your jam. The jars should ideally be warm when you pour the jam inside.
- To sterilize the lids, I pour boiling water over them and leave them in for five minutes. They should be dry when you use them to seal your jars.
- Put a plate in the freezer for use later in testing the setting point.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Rinse the strawberries and remove the green leaves. There's no need to hull them, just twist the leaves off or slice them off with a knife. Try not to cut too much of the berry off, though.
- Quarter the berries with a knife and weigh them out again to ensure that you have enough. Place them in the cooking pot.
- Pour the lemon juice over them and then the sugar. Stir to coat.
Make Strawberry Jam
- Warm the pot on medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and the pan has filled with liquid. Stir it regularly.
- Next, turn the heat to medium-high and bring the strawberries to a full rolling boil. Keep stirring, and reduce the heat to keep the boil steady but not overly energetic. Boil like this for twenty minutes. Setting a wooden spoon across the top of the pot helps stop the mixture from boiling over.
- As they boil, the berries will break down some on their own. If you don't want big pieces of strawberry in your preserve, use a potato masher to smoosh the berries as they cook. Be careful of the hot juices and steam.
- After cooking for twenty minutes, test for the setting point. Dribble some jam on the frozen plate you prepared earlier. Wait about thirty seconds for it to cool, and then push it with your finger. If it's clearly firm or starts crinkling up, it's time to move on to the next step. If it's still liquidy, you need to boil for longer.
- You can also identify the setting point by temperature. Before proceeding to the next step, use a candy thermometer to ensure the jam is 220°F (104°C).
- Turn the heat off and set the pot on a pot holder. Allow it to settle for a minute, then use a spoon to scoop the foam from the surface.
- Pour the hot jam into warm, sterilized jars. Fill them within a 1/4 inch (6 mm) of the top of the jar and seal them immediately with the lids. If you're using lids that require screw rings, tighten them firmly.
- If the jars aren't filled to within a quarter-inch of the rim, the lids may not form a proper seal. Should that happen to any jars, refrigerate and use them within six months.
Water Bath Canning
- When making jam in Britain, you tend to stop here and let the jam cool and seal on the counter. People have been making jam like that for decades - even preserves sold at Farmers' Markets! As far as I'm aware, no one has died or gotten sick from not water bathing jams and jellies. However, there is a chance of mold developing, so it's best to water bath. Doing so also ensures a seal and makes the jam even more shelf-safe.
- Fill a tall pan with hot water and place a rack at the bottom. Lower your jars in so that they're not touching and that there's at least an inch of water above.
- Bring the water to a boil and leave the jars in the water for five minutes if you sterilized the jars and lids beforehand. Ten minutes if you didn't. Lift them out with a jar lifter and set them on the counter to cool.
- Leave the jars on a counter to cool down and seal. If you're nearby, you'll likely hear a pop for each jar as it seals.
- If you're not sure if some jars have sealed, press the top of the lid. If it moves up and down easily, it's probably not sealed. If it's firmly yet subtly indented downwards, then it's sealed. Any that have not been sealed should be refrigerated and eaten first.
- When the jars are at room temperature and sealed, store them in a cool cupboard or larder. Sealed, they'll keep for at least a year. Once open, refrigerate and use within six months.
Notes
This recipe makes about 3 pints of strawberry jam if boiled for twenty minutes. More evaporation can happen if you need to cook for longer, which can mean a smaller amount.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcal