Strawberry Jam

Strawberry jam is a juicy and delicious summertime spread. Bursting with the flavor of fresh strawberries and prepared with only three simple ingredients, it's a sweet and easy homemade treat you can enjoy with warm croissants, biscuits, or buttered toast.

Strawberry Jam, a Sweet and Luscious Homemade Spread

I can't tell you how much I've been enjoying the fresh, sweet strawberries of the season, and I'm happily including them in crisps, cakes, and in bowls of fresh-cut fruit.

Strawberries are so colorful and fragrant when they're at their peak, I can't resist buying a package or two every time I'm at the market!

And since I'm such a lover of fresh fruit jams and preserves, I've been extra excited to prepare my own sweet and delicious homemade strawberry jam this summer using fresh, naturally vibrant organic strawberries

Because this luscious homemade spread is made with only three simple ingredients—fresh strawberries, sugar and lemon—I have a feeling I'll be making jar after jar this summer, until those strawberries disappear from the markets!

Just the thought of this gorgeous all-natural ruby-red spread makes my mouth water! It's one of those sweet treats that is so very cozy, and the idea of having a big jar tucked away in my fridge is utterly comforting.

How to Make Strawberry Jam with Only Three Simple Ingredients

Part of what used to keep me away from making homemade jams or preserves was the whole process of boiling the jars, then heat-sealing them, etc.

When my European grandmother would preserve, the process could take all day. From the prepping of the fruit to the cooking and painstaking method of canning, preserving seemed a bit too involved for what I was looking for.

I really appreciate the idea of an easy strawberry jam made simply from fruit (and without the addition of powdered pectin) that quickly cooks up, and that I can keep in a clean jar and use over the coarse of a several weeks, without issue.

This recipe is a nice, natural, small-batch spread which allows the fruit to really shine and be tasted, one that is easily spreadable and enjoyed.

Here's a quick little glance at my strawberry jam recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. I give my strawberries a little rinse to clean them, then hull and roughly chop them up into small chunks.
2. The berries, along with the sugar and lemon, get added to a large pot and vigorously boiled and simmered together for roughly 25 minutes, until the mixture has had the chance to break down and thicken up, helping to release the natural pectins found in the strawberries.
3. I allow the strawberry jam to completely cool (either room temp or in my fridge to expedite the process) then spoon into my jar(s) and place into the fridge.
4. The strawberry jam can be last for up to 3-4 weeks—that is, if you can let it! 😉

Recipe

Strawberry Jam

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Ruby-red and lusciously sweet, this strawberry jam is a fresh and tangy homemade treat to spread over buttery toast, biscuits or warm croissants!

Category: Condiment
Cuisine: American

Yield: 2 ½ cups

Nutrition Info: 53 calories (per 2 tablespoons)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds cleaned strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped into small chunks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

- Place the chopped strawberries into a large pot with the sugar and the lemon juice, and stir; bring to the boil (at about medium-high heat), and allow the mixture to boil/vigorously simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching/burning, until the fruit breaks down and the mixture becomes slightly thickened and glossy. (You can reduce the heat to medium or medium-low during the final 10 minutes.)

- Carefully pour the hot strawberry jam into a clean bowl and allow it to completely cool and thicken up (I allow it to cool at room temp for 30 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to expedite the chilling).

- To store, spoon into a glass mason jar(s) or another clean glass container, and keep the strawberry jam in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks.

Tips & Tidbits for my Strawberry Jam:

• Fresh berries for the most flavor: The warm season, when strawberries are at their sweetest, is the perfect time to prepare strawberry jam, so I always opt to use fresh berries. Frozen can also be used, but the fresh have more natural sugar in them, and that wonderful sweet aroma that thankfully makes its way into the jam!
• Mason jars or other glass containers: I have some mason jars with the seal caps that are great to use for homemade jam, so I typically use one or two of those. I have them in varying sizes, and simply use however many I need for the recipe. Using glass containers works best as glass doesn't pick up on other flavors the way plastic does, which can impart other flavors into your jam depending on what the container was previously used for. Just as long as you have a good seal or cover, you'll be golden!
• Granulated or cane sugar works best: To offer that hint of sweetness, I like to use organic cane sugar, or granulated sugar, for jam. It doesn't add any other flavors, just a neutral sweetness. It also helps to thicken the fruit.
• A “cooling off” period for thickening: For maximum thickening, allow the strawberry jam to completely cool, which will allow the natural pectins to thicken even more. Once completely cooled and kept in the fridge, it'll be perfectly spreadable!

Hungry for more sweet and summer-y recipes? Check out this Strawberry Cake, this Peach Galette, these Lemon-Apricot Scones with Apricot Jam, or this Lemon Bundt Cake!