Best Way to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam

by

I had never had strawberry freezer jam before a friend introduced me to it a few years ago. It’s delicious and I’m very glad I tried it. I’ve since introduced it to a number of people and the consensus is “Yum!”

Strawberry freezer jam isn’t sickening sweet like some strawberry jams can be and it really tastes more like the fresh fruit. You owe it to yourself to try it once, but I don’t think you’ll find it in any store.

Making strawberry freezer jam is easy.

Here’s the best way to make Strawberry Freezer Jam:

  • Buy 2 quarts of strawberries at the local farmer’s stand. You only need one quart for the jam recipe, but who can work with strawberries and not eat some at the same time? One quart for the jam and one quart for you.
  • Wash 5-6 plastic containers and lids. Snack-sized containers or containers in the 1-2 cup size will work well.
  • Stem the strawberries with a paring knife. Toss the stem and any bad parts in the compost pail. There will be lots more bad parts the longer you wait, so make the jam with the freshest fruit possible.
  • Toss the berries in a large, flat-bottomed bowl or saucepan.
  • Crush about half of a quart of strawberries at one time with a potato masher.
    • Crushed fruit and sugar for jam.
    Crushed fruit and sugar for jam.
  • Pour crushed berries into 2 cup glass measuring cup.
  • Crush the second half of the quart of cleaned strawberries to make 2 cups of crushed fruit. Pour exactly 2 c. crushed berries back into large bowl.
  • Measure 4 c. sugar into separate bowl.
  • Add sugar to crushed fruit and stir. Let stand for 10 minutes and stir occasionally.
  • Heat 3/4 c. water and one box SureJell powdered fruit pectin in a small saucepan on high heat. Stir constantly. Heat to boiling and boil for one minute with constant stirring. Take off heat.
  • Add hot liquid pectin to sweetened crushed fruit and stir until no longer grainy and sugar has completely dissolved.
  • Ladle jam into plastic containers.
  • Cover containers with lids.
  • Test the jelly sticking to the bowl with a piece of bread.
  • Let containers sit undisturbed for 24 hours at room temperature.
  • Label contents and date before storing in the freezer.

Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need:

  • strawberries, 1 quart or 2 c. crushed berries
  • sugar, 4 c.
  • fruit pectin, 1 box (1.75 oz.)
  • water, 3/4 c.
Ingredients for Making Strawberry Freezer Jam
Ingredients for Making Strawberry Freezer Jam

Kitchen supplies we used:

five or six 1-2 c. plastic containers with lids
paring knife and spoons
large, flat-bottomed bowl
potato masher
2 c. glass liquid measuring cup
medium bowl
1 c. dry measure
small saucepan
1 c. liquid measuring cup

Basically, if you have a kitchen with a couple of bowls and measuring cups you’ll have everything you need, except maybe the potato masher.

Note – The pectin directions warn not to use a food processor to puree the fruit because one of the pleasures of jam is the little bits of fruit it contains.

Spread a tablespoon of this strawberry freezer jam on your favorite bread or a piece of buttered toast for a delicious afternoon treat!