(Updated June, 2023)
It is not surprising that strawberries are a popular choice for preserves. Making strawberry jam is often the main way most preserve strawberries, but there are so many other great ways to use these sweet berries. We’ve included a few of our favorite strawberry jam recipes. If you want to venture outside of jam, we encourage you to try a few of the other recipes we’ve shared below.
Yields: approx. 3-4 pint jars
Put the strawberries into a pan and mash them if they are firm. Add the lemon juice. Put the lemon seeds and membranes into a spice bag, add them to the pan, and cover the pan. Simmer the strawberries until they are soft.
Press the spice bag against the side of the pan, and remove the bag. Ladle the jam into pint or half-pint mason jars or pint jars. Add lids and rings, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.
Select strawberries with fresh, sweet flavor; deep, uniform color; and firm texture.
Strawberry jam can be made from several commercial pectin products. To make jam with added pectin, follow the instructions of the pectin manufacturer to ensure obtaining a desirable mixture. Pectin products are available for making jam and jelly containing sugar (traditional style), with less sugar, and no sugar. Be sure to follow manufacturers' directions as these products are not interchangeable. Select strawberries with fresh, sweet flavor; deep, uniform color; and firm texture.
Yields: approx. 4 half-pint jars
Pour jam into freezer containers or canning jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Cover containers. Let stand at room temperature until set (up to 24 hours). Freeze for up to 1 year or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
*Source: Andress, Elizabeth L., and Judy A. Harrison, So Easy to Preserve, 6th ed. (Athens: University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, 2014).
The next day, when ready to make the jam, wash jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small sauce pan; cover and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
Measure remaining sugar (1½ cups) into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sugar. Set aside.
Lay the rosemary sprigs into the hot jam, and gently mix. Allow to steep, covered, for 1-2 minutes. After steeping, taste if you like – the rosemary flavor will not be as strong in the finished jam as it is at this stage. Remove the rosemary sprigs, and stir the jam.
Fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level). Remove from water. Let jars cool. Check seals; lids should be sucked down. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
I want plain strawberry jam. You list every thing but plain strawberry jam. Why?
Hi Sally,
This strawberry freezer jam recipe is pretty straight forward simple jam recipe. https://bit.ly/StrawberryFreezerJamRecipe
Or you could try this one from Penn State Extension – https://extension.psu.edu/lets-preserve-strawberries. Hopefully one of these recipes works for you 🙂