“She wanted only her own strawberry farm, the fragrance of the fields and the cedar trees, and to live simply in this place forever.” – David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars
There’s something about standing in the middle of a field of strawberries. There, the air is different; heavy with a sweet sugary perfume that can only come from berries warmed long by the sun. It’s a simple pleasure to fill a basket with berries picked fresh off the vine.
It’s equally as satisfying to take those sweet berries home and make homemade jam.
There’s no pectin added — the generations-old recipe I use doesn’t include it, and in my experience, it doesn’t need it. Pectin is merely a thickening agent, it’s used to give that jelly-like texture and consistency. However, by simply boiling down the crushed berries with sugar, this jam thickens-up beautifully and sets well overnight.
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb fresh strawberries, washed, hulled & halved
- 3 ½ cups sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Add a small glass plate to the freezer – you’ll need this a little later to check if the jam is done, and the plate will need to be ice cold.
- Add the strawberries to a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot. Mash them to desired consistency (I use a metal potato masher for ease) noting that the strawberries will break down more as they cook.
- Over low-medium heat, add lemon juice and sugar and stir until the sugar completely dissolves – you’ll know when it's properly dissolved when there are no more grainy bits on the bottom of the pan, don’t forget to stir from the sides of the pot, too.
- Turn up the heat and bring the contents to a full boil. Boil until the mixture thickens and reduces, about 20-30 minutes; gently skimming any white foam that accumulates on the top.
- Note that the jam will still be quite loose when it’s hot and will thicken-up significantly as it cools. To test if the jam is ready – add a thin layer of jam (a scant spoonful) to the frozen plate. Return the plate to the freezer for 1 minute, then run your finger through the jam. If the line you’ve created with your finger remains there and the jam doesn’t come back together, it's set. If the jam is not set, continue to boil for another 10 minutes and test again.
Notes
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8 Comments
Katy clayton
Im so glad I found a similar recipie too what my mom used to make when i was little. Its so good. Making tons from my berries from harvest this year!
Chasing the Seasons
This warms my heart Katy. I’m happy you came across this recipe, too. I love when a recipe connects us to a memory and the people we love. 🙂
Marian C Greely
Hi,
I’ve been to making strawberry jam with our local sweet, super ripe berries for the last couple of weeks.
It takes hours & I mean hours to get it to 220. I have to keep constant watch so it doesn’t burn. You don’t give any hint of how long it takes to get to 220.
Am I making too big a batch? I’m using 3.5 lbs of berries, 3 cups sugar & 1/4 cup lemon juice.
I even invested in a digital candy thermometer.
HELP!!
Please respond quickly. I’m spending waaaaay to much time over a very hot pot of jam.
Chasing the Seasons
Hi Marian, I’m so sorry it’s been taking you a long time to make jam. I don’t use a thermometer, rather I bring the contents to a full boil and then do a periodic freeze test. However, two things can be preventing you from reaching 220 F. You mentioned you are using super ripe berries. Fully ripened fruit has less natural pectin, so make sure about 1/4 of the berries you’re using are underripe. Heavily ripened fruit also contains more water. Lastly, are you letting the contents come to a full, rapid boil? The mixture has to be at a rolling boil, complete with foam, and without being stirred (introducing air will fluctuate the temp). Those would be the most direct contributing factors. I sincerely hope this helps you. I’d love if you checked back in to let me know.
Matt
Marian, you could you use a double boiler to keep the stuff from burning.
Chasing the Seasons
Great tip to avoid an initial burn. A double boiler to combine the sugar and fruit – but then direct heat to bring to a full boil. Thank you, Matt!
Colleen
So easy to make and SO good!
Chasing the Seasons
Oh, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! It really is so easy. Try with other berries or a combo of berries too for a twist. Thanks so much for the feedback!! 🙂