Classic Strawberry Jam
During season, when strawberries are seen flooding the market and are available at reasonable rates, I buy large stocks and freeze a few batches to work with them later on. This way I can enjoy them year long, even when they are not in season.
frozen strawberries in a zip-lock bag
To freeze fresh Strawberries: Wash the strawberries and drain them. Remove the leaves and spread them out on a kitchen towel for 30-45 minutes so that they air dry. Then, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze them for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, transfer the strawberries to a zip-lock bag and remove as much air as possible from the bags and seal them air tight. Freeze the frozen strawberries in the bags until needed.
Classic Strawberry Jam
Ingredients:
Strawberries – 850 gms (around 1.8 pounds), fresh/frozen
Granulated sugar – 2 cups
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Strawberry jam
Method:
Cut off the top stalk part of the frozen/fresh strawberries. In a large glass mixing bowl, add the frozen strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Later, transfer it all to a food processor and pulse just until the strawberries are just chopped. DO NOT MAKE A PUREE. Transfer this to a saucepan, and bring to a boil and high heat, once boiling let cook at medium heat for 30-45 minutes or until a jam consistency is reached. Add butter to reduce the foam. Keep stirring and keep a close eye on it. During the last 15 mins, lower the heat to medium low. Remove from heat once done. Spoon the prepared jam into a sterilized Mason canning jar ( I recommend using 1 cup jars instead of one large jar for the jam) and seal the jar according to instructions. Once it is at room temperature, refrigerate the jar to store.
Note: This is a preservelike spread and not a true preserve and must be refrigerated to avoid spoilage, because it contains a higher proportion of fruit to sugar and retain more fresh fruit flavor.
Luv,
Mona
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January 14th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
I love strawberries . The jam looks so tempting ..i bet i can eat it all by myself :)Never tried freezing strawberries,its a brilliant idea ..seems like my freezer is going to welcome the new addition pretty soon 🙂
January 14th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
What a great post Mona! With this grey and cold winter I like to be cheered up and this jam did it! I like that you don’t use pectin (like me) and thanks for the tip on using butter to reduce foam.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Jam looks gorgeous Mona, love the color
January 15th, 2010 at 5:24 am
salaamz mona jee… i am sure ur hubby is very very lucky person to have you as his wfe inshallah may Alllah gve you more skills so that u can share with all of us….my husband had brought a bag full of strawberries last night i was screaming at him that what should i do with this bag full now look at this Allah made u to make a recipie to me…:P if u have strawberrie ice cream recipie plz do let me know thanks mona takecare
January 15th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Hey Mona,
This looks like a great recipe. I would love to give it a try in the summer. I would have thought the jam required pectin or something similar? I didn’t realise it was so simple. JazakAllah for the recipe.
Cosmic Cook, you can add pectin which is available in the market, but I like the jam to be a little bit on the soft side so that it is easily spreadable on bread. ~Mona
January 15th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Nothing tastes better than homemade Jams, yummy.
January 15th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
oh it looks yummy Im waiting for summer to try it out!
January 15th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Mona, does pectin act as a preservative? Also, how long does your strawberry jam last?
Cosmic Cook, I am not sure if pectin acts as a preservative, but it helps in jelling. I have used lemon juice, the acid in it helps in jelling process here. Also Sugar is a natural preservative.
The jam that I have prepared usually lasts for about a month approximately, but I make sure I use a dry spoon whenever I use the jam from the jar for its long life. ~Mona
January 16th, 2010 at 4:49 am
Mona, first time here. Loved your site template.
I’m waiting to try any home made jams. Adding lemon juice as preservative is new to me. That is one valuable info!
Keerthana, The use of lemon juice is for 3 reasons. 1) The acid in the lemon juice helps in the jelling process for the jam (because I am not adding pectin). 2) Also because strawberries are low in acid and lemon juice adds the acid content. 3) Lemon juice also gives a refreshing flavor to the jam. ~Mona
January 16th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Wow, this is what I was planning to make this week.
I make mine slightly differently but also don’t add pectin or any preservative.
I’m curious about the addition of butter? Does that impact the jams shelf life in any way? Or the flavor? How long does yours last? I keep mine in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. It’s usually all gone by then. So I make a new batch.
Grapefruit, I like my jam a little bit on the soft side, so I do not add pectin. Sugar is a natural preservative and the acid in the lemon juice helps in the jelling process
You should add butter when you see the foaming starts. There is not much effect on flavor with the addition of butter in jam. I feel so.
I try to finish off home made jams that I prepare in less than a month. It does not last very long. ~Mona
January 17th, 2010 at 6:23 am
AOA
VERY GOOD RECIPES, JAZAKALLA
January 19th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Mona, Thanks so much for your comment on my site! It has led me to your treasure chest of Hyderabadi and other recipes. My dad loves mirchon ka salan and bagharay baingan, will definitely be checking out your archives for some yummy treats!
P.S. The strawberry jam looks divine 🙂
January 22nd, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I love strawberries and this is simply superb!!Drool!
January 24th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Great recipe Mona! I always check a recipe for jam and if it has lemon juice and no pectin, I know it is going to be a good one!
January 24th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Look at that color. Ever since I made my first one last summer, I never bought it from the store again. I do not use butter in mine tho’.
January 24th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
That’s a captivating bottle of jam.
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:38 am
hi. ur recipe is great. but i have few questions for u.
1. what happens if we add water……i am asking because, if i cook this in the pan -wont it thicken up and start burning/ reducing. ?
2. can we add preservatives to this. i wanted to know that how long will tis jam last? do u know any preservatives which can be added?
Harsha, there is no need to add water in this recipe. The juices of the fruit after they are lightly crushed in the food processor is enough for the jam to cook. The whole idea behind the preparation of the jam is to reduce the fruit to a pulp and make it set. You have to be careful and keep a close eye so that it does not burn. Sugar is a natural preservative. I do not recommend adding any additional preservatives to the jam here. However I suggest you follow these tips for a jam’s long life: 1. use good quality fruit for making jam; 2. use sterilized canning jars; 3. use a dry spoon whenever you are using the jam. ~Mona
January 2nd, 2011 at 9:03 am
assalamu alaikum mona,
thanks for the recipe. cant wait to try it. if i want to make guava jelly do i follow the same steps but just use fresh guava instead?
btw- love your blog!
thanks
WaAlaiKumAsSalaam Mariyam, inshallah I will try to put up the recipe for guava jelly on my blog very soon in the near future.
July 19th, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Hi Mona,
I just happened to stumble upon your site, truly amazed me. Indeed a treasure of recipies, so valuable. May you be blessed for your efforts. Ramadan Kareem !