When I was growing up, my mom made strawberry jam, grape jelly, and we always had peach jam all “fresh” out of the freezer.
The great thing about freezer jam is there is less work involved as long as you have the freezer space to devote to it. But most people who garden to preserve for the year have an extra freezer or two.
Last year Raspberry and Ground Cherry Jam were the focus because of the over abundance, but this year, it’s the strawberries that are taking center stage.
Freezer jam, for me, means no fancy canning jars are needed, no canning equipment is used, and it can go straight from the cooking pot to the jar to the freezer after it has cooled.
I think my mom always used pectin in the jam making process but as I try to eliminate more and more unnecessary ingredients in my food, I have learned how to do this with jam as well.
I know there are also ways to decrease the amount of sugar used and ways to make fruit spread for those with special dietary needs, and one day, I may try to master that as well. But I currently, but for the grace of God, do not have any dietary restrictions related to medical problems so I still go with the sugar. I feel that by eliminating the preservatives and pectin (unless you’re using apples for your pectin), that’s a step in the right direction.
The process isn’t too complicated and is isn’t too late to get a strawberry bed going so in a year or two, you can be making your own jam from your own homegrown strawberry bed.
Start with fresh, but not overly ripe strawberries.
Clean jars. I wash mine in the dishwasher before using them. Notice no fancy canning jars required. These cannot be used for traditional canning. These are what I use for freezer jam only. Usually jars I have saved from things like olives or capers or organic peanut butter.
Wash, hull and slice the strawberries in halves or quarters.
Lemon zest and juice from one lemon. This can be optional, but it adds a little contrast to all the sugar.
Combine the lemon juice and zest with about 1/4 cup of the sugar in a sauce pan large enough to hold your berries and sugar (you will need 5 cups of sugar in all). Cook over low to med heat till sugar is dissolved.
Add strawberries and cook till they begin to get juicy about 5 minutes.
They’re getting juicy! So now begin adding remaining sugar a little at a time until all the sugar is dissolved. This should take 5 to 7 minutes-ish.
As the jam begins to cook, it will develop a little foam on top. It actually got a lot more foamy than this before it was over. Just skim this off and place it in a bowl. The foam won’t hurt you it just doesn’t make for great presentation in your jam. I have been known to put this in the fridge and use it as syrup on French toast after the foam dissipates a bit.
Continue to boil and cook the strawberries down till the liquid is reduced and begins to thicken. During the cooking process, which can take approximately 30 – 45 minutes at 220 degree (if you have a candy thermometer), place a small plate in the freezer and once you think your jam is thick enough, put a spoonful on the cold plate and wait a couple of minutes. Then tilt the plate to see if the juice has gelled a bit. If not, cook it longer.
If so, you’re ready to jam! Ladle it into jars, let cool, and freeze till you’re ready to use it. Label your jars so you know what it is especially if you make Raspberry jam too.
So while my jars of freezer jam may not be fancy, the jam inside is amazing, and since canning jars aren’t especially cheap if you have to buy them new, I can save my canning jars for real canning.
Homemade Strawberry Jam Without Pectin
- 4 pounds fresh strawberries (washed, hull, and cut in to halves or quarters)
- The zest and juice of 1 Lemon
- 5 cups sugar
Supplies:
- Clean jars
- Sauce pan large enough to hold the strawberries
- Ladle
- Candy thermometer is helpful but not mandatory
Combine the Lemon zest and juice in a large pan. Add 1/4 cup sugar. Cook till sugar is dissolved.
Add strawberries and cook for about 5 minutes till they become juicy.
Add 1/3 of the remaining sugar cooking till sugar is dissolved. Continue adding sugar and cook to dissolve.
Bring to a boil and cook till liquid is reduced and thickened skimming foam off as it cooks.
Do the cold plate test to see if the jam gels up quickly. Continue cooking if necessary, and ladle into jars when it passes the gel test.
Allow jam to cool before freezing.
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