My Favorite Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam
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Today I am super excited to share the strawberry freezer jam recipe my grandma passed down to my mom, who then passed it down to me. It’s an incredibly special secret, so promise not to tell, okay?
Who am I kidding? This recipe can be found right on the instructions inside the Certo box. I figure why mess with something so simple and amazing? I willingly admit I do not go through great lengths to get the best-tasting strawberry jam in Southwest Florida.
I’m all about keeping it simple (especially with strawberries!), and so this has been my go-to recipe for years. I’m sure you can probably figure out how to make it yourself, but sometimes the extra tutorials and tips can really help.
Plus, if you stick around, there’s some fun printable labels you can use for your own jars of sweet goodness….and they’re free!
How to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam
Step 1: Hull 2 pints of strawberries and cut in half. I make Joseph help with this part! I also find that it’s a little bit easier to use a strawberry huller because it doesn’t take off as much of the “good stuff” as a knife would.
Step 2: Crush strawberries with a potato masher, then mix with a lot of sugar — 4 cups to be exact. This is precisely why I try to stock up on sugar during the holidays when baking supplies are on sale!
Step 3: Let strawberries and sugar sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, add pectin and lemon juice together.
Right now, I’m pretty content with using Certo. It’s easy, and a quick way to help the jams and jellies set, but I did find how to make your own pectin, and it really doesn’t sound that hard. I might have to dabble in that next!
Step 4: Stir pectin into sugar and strawberry mixture until it no longer sounds grainy {about 3 minutes}.
Step 5: Pour jam into washed and sterilized jars, leaving at least a 1/2 inch headroom for it to expand in the freezer.
Step 6: Screw on lids and leave at room temperature for 24 hours until set.
I also like to add a finishing touch with a simple label, but this has even greater benefits than just looking pretty. If I have to dig around in a deep freezer, it saves time by knowing exactly which jar of jam I need!
You can download this set of Strawberry Jam Labels for FREE, but make sure to print them on the Avery 8293 size, which you can find in office supply stores and on Amazon. And if you’d like to say a quick thanks, I’d love for you to pin or share one of the images below!
Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
Skip store-bought jam and make your own! This simple strawberry jam recipe keeps for months in the freezer and adds a hint of sweetness to your english muffins, toast, and sandwiches. Plus, it’s super easy to make. In fact, you’ll kick yourself for not trying it sooner!
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed strawberries
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 pouch Certo (pectin)
Instructions
- Wash 4 or 5 jars with tight fitting lids in hot water.
- Hull and slice 2 pints strawberries. Crush fruit with a potato masher.
- Measure exact amount prepared fruit into a large bowl, measure sugar into separate bowl. Stir sugar into prepared fruit. Mix well. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Stir pectin into lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Stir pectin mixture into prepared fruit. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy, about 3 minutes.
- Pour into prepared containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top for expansion during freezing. Cover and let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, otherwise store in freezer for up to 1 year.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: homemade jam, strawberry jam
Total Cost:
$5.79/batch or $1.45/jar
Homemade strawberry freezer jam is pretty comparable in price per ounce to store bought, but I think it tastes SO much better from scratch that I’m more than willing to put in the effort to make a few batches each year. You might be surprised at how much we go through jam in this household of two!
What is your favorite kind of jam to make?
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This recipe is similar to mine except that I don’t use lemon juice. And I use a powder pectin which you have to boil with water for 1 minute before you stir it into the strawberry/sugar mixture–it also gels for 24 hours. I just made sixteen 16-oz jars of freezer jam to hopefully last me until next year! It’s the only kind of jam my kids will eat =)
I’ve never even seen a powder pectin – interesting!
I love freezer jam! I have tried the blueberry strawberry and its great. I use the instant pectin and Eileen said the regular is better? Have you done both? Preference?
Did you like the strawberry corer better than a knife?
I’m pretty sure what I use is not the instant kind, because it has to gel for 24 hours before using or freezing. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as instant! Something to test out for sure.
Yes – the corer is much better than a knife. I felt like I was wasting much less in the strawberry department!