Strawberry Jam
Updated May 30, 2024
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- About 1½ hours
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and diced, or 12 to 14 ounces frozen strawberries (no need to thaw), diced (2 ½ to 3 cups diced)
⅔ cup granulated sugar (see Tip)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Nutritional analysis per serving
51 grams carbs; 202 calories; 1 gram fat; 5 grams fiber; 3 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 44 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Combine strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot. Stir until berries are completely coated in sugar. Using a potato masher, smash the berries 10 or so times to release some of their juices. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep an instant-read thermometer handy; temperature should hover between 210 and 215 degrees. The mixture will foam quite a bit at first, but that will subside the longer it simmers, then the jam will thicken significantly.
- Step 2
Increase heat to medium-high, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot until the jam reaches 218 to 220 degrees (but no hotter), 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool in the pot for 5 minutes. Spoon off any residual foam, if desired, then transfer jam to a glass canning jar (12 to 14 ounces), or similarly sized lidded glass vessel, and cool completely, uncovered. Use jam immediately, or screw on the lid and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. The jam will thicken when chilled. (Canning the jam will lengthen its shelf life. Follow this guide for instructions on how to safely do this extra step.)
When it comes to jam, the amount of sugar used can vary depending on both the sweetness of the strawberries and personal preference. Use the ⅔ cup here as a guide: If the berries are freshly picked or deep red, they’re likely full of natural sweetness, so feel free to decrease the sugar to ½ cup. Taste a berry and decide!
Private Notes
Comments
In the early 1960s my siblings and I would “help“ my mother making jams and jellies. For jams and jellies, she always used paraffin . It came in a white box with a big orange Gulf label (as in petroleum company) While we were supposed to be cutting up berries or other fruits, , we would each cut a knob off and chew it, hoping it would turn into bubblegum. This invariably led to a paraffin spitball war at which point my mother would yell “everybody out of the kitchen. “ I miss Canning.
This recipe is so fussy for no reason and requires too much sugar. 1/2 cup for 1 pound of strawberries is plenty. Just throw the ingredients in and leave at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes. I don't even hull the strawberries, it makes absolutely no difference. Throw in some grated ginger for a lovely zing.
I’ve been making this for years. Original recipe appeared in Kroger’s MyMagazine 13 years ago. I also zest the lemon and add with the juice. Yes, you can freeze, just remember to leave at top of jar for expansion. I substitute peaches and also make a mixed berry with strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. So good. (I also add cinnamon to the peach jam).
Do not try to be healthy and use honey like me—it’s way too strong tasting. Just go for it and use the granulated sugar.
Oh dear. I woke up at 6am today after smelling a full flat of strawberries on the counter all night long. I followed this recipe to the LETTER and have two pieces of feedback: 1. I was not able to achieve a temp past 214 degrees, no matter how long my mixture simmered. 2. Results were a liquid jam. Very disappointing. I'm skeptical of natural pectin actually working now. Back up plan: puree contents and make ICE CREAM!
I’ve made two batches of this strawberry jam. Yes, it is sweet. The one change I made to the recipe was after squeezing lemon juice into the pot, I also threw in the lemon to cook with the fruit. It took nearly 30 minutes to get to the jelling stage. The result was an intensely concentrated tart strawberry jam. I think the pectin in the skin of the lemon helped with the jelling, and the extra tartness modified the sweetness. Really delicious. Since nobody was looking, I sucked the flavor out of those lemon shells…cook’s treat.