- Vegetarian
- Strawberry
- Summer
Achieve your jam success with this basic formula.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__mt-static__support__uploads__10848609_10204142808989557_3251191914862537045_o-ae95a86b7603407a9aba4fd4e3da9cbb.jpg "Bright and Fruity Strawberry Jam, Your Way Recipe (1)")
Trending Videos
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__2017__07__20170717-preserving-strawberry-jam-vicky-wasik-4-f67927f78a0341c690b182b91576d4c1.jpg "Bright and Fruity Strawberry Jam, Your Way Recipe (2)")
Why It Works
- A set formula and commercial pectin ensure great results, even if you change things up.
- Commercial low-sugar pectin sets the jam up quickly, leaving the flavor bright and the process easy.
This classic strawberry jam is built on a very basic formula using low-sugar pectin, which I shared in my primer on preservation.
For a strawberry jam using regular pectin: 4 cups strawberries + 4 cups sugar + 1/3 cup pectin. For a strawberry jam made with low-sugar pectin: 4 cups strawberries + 2 cups sugar + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1/3 cup low-sugar pectin. In fact, that's not just the master formula for strawberry jam; that's the master formulafor most jams.
This is the alchemy of jam-making. Did you know that strawberry and horseradish complement each other magnificently? The cooking process tempers the horseradish, and, when married to the sugar and strawberries, it produces a jam that will change every roast beef sandwich in your life. Using chopped candied ginger and candied orange peels together increases the sweetness, but adds a lovely toothsome quality to strawberry jam
Follow my formula and you'll have a jam that comes together quickly and ends up bright and fruity. Or, use it to your advantage, making substitutions that are guaranteed to work.
Here are some additional suggestions:
- Replace some of the strawberries with other liquids or solids. For example, use 2 cups strawberries with 2 cups dry red wine, 2 cups strawberries with 2 cups Prosecco, 3 cups strawberries with 1 cup ginger beer, or 3 cups strawberries with 1 cup diced rhubarb.
- Replace the granulated sugar with an equal quantity of another sweetener, such as brown sugar, maple syrup, hickory syrup, or honey.
- Replace the lemon juice with an equal quantity of another acid, such as balsamic vinegar, lime juice, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or sherry vinegar.
- Add flavorings without changing other quantities, such as spices like freshly ground black pepper, freshly grated horseradish (it's surprisingly good!), or fresh herbs like minced tarragon.
July 2017
Recipe Details
Bright and Fruity Strawberry Jam, Your Way Recipe
Active25 mins
Total40 mins
Serves48to 64 servings
Makes6to 8 jars
Ingredients
4 cups (22 ounces; 625g) roughly chopped hulled strawberries (see notes)
2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh juice from 1 lemon, plus more if needed
2 cups granulated sugar (14 ounces; 400g)
1/3 cup powdered low-sugar pectin (1 1/2 ounces; 45g), such as Ball or Sure-Jell, plus more if needed (see notes)
Directions
Combine strawberries and lemon juice in a large nonreactive saucepan and set over medium heat until simmering. Stir in sugar and bring mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in pectin until dissolved, return heat to medium-high and bring to a full rolling boil. As soon as mixture reaches a full boil, cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
To Check the Jam Set: Spoon 1 tablespoon (15ml) jam onto a small dish and allow to cool completely, to room temperature. Run a finger through the jam. If the jam remains separated, it is properly set; if it runs back together, it is not. If not set, add an extra 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon low-sugar pectin, then return to a boil and boil for 1 minute longer. Repeat jam set test until jam is properly set.
Carefully scrape any foam or scum from surface of jam. Transfer jam to clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch space at the top; seal jars. Jam can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months. If heat-processing the jam, process for 8 minutes.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2017__07__20170717-preserving-strawberry-jam-vicky-wasik-3-cb2f47d41bb44354a2261789cdf7db16.jpg "Bright and Fruity Strawberry Jam, Your Way Recipe (3)")
Special Equipment
3-quart stainless steel saucepan, 8-ounce canning jars
Notes
You can choose how finely to chop the strawberries: Leave them in bigger pieces for a chunkier jam, or chop them up smaller (or even mash them with a potato masher) for a smoother jam.
This recipe is formulated to work with low-sugar pectin; substituting other types of pectin will not work here unless you know how to alter the recipe accordingly. Be mindful that one brand of low-sugar pectin, Pomona's, works very differently from the others and will not work here.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 30 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 8g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 48to 64 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 30 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 2mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 8g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| Protein 0g | |
| Vitamin C 6mg | 30% |
| Calcium 2mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 16mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
