Strawberry Jam
This easy strawberry jam recipe is made without pectin and uses less sugar than a traditional preserve. Takes 30 minutes on the stovetop—no canning required!
Servings: 16
Equipment
- Thermometer - highly recommended, but optional
Ingredients
- 1450 g strawberries ~3 lbs, washed, hulled, and roughly diced
- 435 g sugar 30% of the weight of the strawberries
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wash, hull, and roughly dice the strawberries.
- Add the strawberries and sugar to a large pot, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- As the mixture boils, it will start to foam up. Add the butter to help reduce any foaming and prevent the jam from boiling over onto your stovetop.
- Boil the jam for about 30 minutes, stir occasionally. As it thickens and the water cooks off, the bubbling will slow down, and the color will darken to a deep red.
- Check if Your Jam Is Done: If using a thermometer - The jam is ready when it reaches 217–220°F.If you don’t have a thermometer - Use the plate test: Place a small plate in the freezer to get nice and cold. Spoon a little jam onto the chilled plate and let it cool for a few seconds. Push it with your finger—if it wrinkles slightly and holds its shape, it’s done. If not, keep boiling another 5–10 minute and test again if you need to. (Cooking time will vary depending on batch size.)
- Remove jam from heat and stir in a pinch of salt and the lemon juice. This step is optional but highly recommended—the salt enhances the flavor, and the acid brightens up the jam.
- Let the jam cool slightly until safe to handle. Carefully transfer it into jars and let it cool to room temperature before storing.
Notes
To Store Homemade Jam: Keep it in the fridge for 3 weeks or freeze for up to a year. This is not a shelf-stable, canned jam.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!