Strawberry Freezer Jam

I’m not a fan of store-bought jams and never buy them, but I always try to have freezer jam in the fridge and freezer. My local market was selling 4-lb boxes of strawberries, so  I made this strawberry freezer jam recipe. This homemade freezer jam was fun and easy to make, and tasted delicious.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of crushed strawberries (exactly 4 cups)
• 3 cups of sugar (exact amount)
• 1 packet of Sure-Jell (Less Sugar Needed) Premium Fruit Pectin
• 1 cup of water
• Freezer jam containers (1-2 cup size) with tight-fitting lids, washed and dried

How to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam

Remove stems from strawberries, wash, and slice them in half. Mash fruit with a potato masher for best results.

If you use a food processor, pulse to chop. DO NOT PUREE. The jam should have bits of fruit.

Note: Reducing sugar, water, pectin, or strawberries will result in set failures. USE EXACT AMOUNTS. Add exactly 3 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, and one packet of pectin to a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Quickly stir crushed strawberries into the hot sugar mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into clean containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top for expansion during freezing; cover. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set.

Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Otherwise, store in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Note: If you are using a different pectin than the one pictured above (Sure-Jell for use in less or no sugar), you need to follow the instructions from your pectin package, not this recipe. Different pectins call for different amounts of sugar and fruit.