Nothing beats this homemade strawberry jam. Made with macerated strawberries it is easy to make, tastes great, and contains no additives for thickening. Â
There is nothing like a great homemade jam. They are so easy to make and frankly they taste wonderful. The best part is that there are only 3 ingredients. This is one of my favorite uses of fruit that is starting to get soft and I wouldn’t necessarily use in another recipe or bruised fruit. Although this recipe is for strawberries you can use any other berry or stone fruit to make a jam.
In this recipe
There are one 3 ingredients in this recipe, making this a recipe that most people will already have the ingredients available.
Strawberries: you will want a pound of strawberries however this recipe can be easily doubled.
Sugar: caster sugar is best for this recipe and this will also be what macerates the strawberries.
Lemon juice: will add a bit of tartness to the jam and help cut through the sweetness.
Macerating the strawberries
One of the most important steps in this recipe is to macerate the strawberries. This is when you allow the fruit to soften in a liquid. One way of doing this is to add a flavorful liquids such as juice, alcohol, and even vinegars like balsamic. The other way to do this is to add sugar to the fruit. This will naturally draw out the fruit’s juices and soften them at the same time. This also makes cooking the jam easier and helps prevent burning.
Making the strawberry jam
There are lots of jam recipes that will use gelatin, pectin, and agar agar. Pectin is a plant based thickening agent that you can add to jams to help them thicken. However pectin naturally occurs in fruits and other edible plants. We will be utilizing the natural pectin within the strawberries. By reducing most of the water out of the jam it will thicken as it cools. This is why there is a long cooking time.
How thick do I make it?
The short answer is as thick or thin as you want it. This is really going to be what you want to use the jam for. When I am making something like a Victoria sponge, I will make it a little thinner. However, if I want it in a Danish then I will make it thicker, so it stays in place. Firstly, you will want to make sure that you are stirring every couple of minutes or so to prevent burning. Secondly, it will continue to thicken as it cools so do not expect it to be very thick once removed from the heat. Â
Looking for other strawberry recipes?
Homemade Strawberry Jam
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Immersion blender optional
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- 16 ounce mason jar
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries hulled and chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Allow to sit for 30 minutes so the sugar draws out the liquid in the strawberries.
- Over medium high heat bring the strawberries to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes or so to prevent burning.
- Use the spoon to break up the strawberries while they cook.
- For a smoother jam use an immersion blender
- Allow to cool to room temperature cover and refrigerate. The jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
Nutrition
