Making homemade strawberry jam is a seasonal pastime in our house. We love everything from picking the berries to canning them into jam. Try this easy recipe and see why you’ll never want to buy storebought again!
Due to yesterday’s lovely weather, I opted to stay inside and make strawberry jam. We don’t buy jam and were running low on our stash from last year, so I knew it was time!
Have you ever made jam? It’s really very easy. I prefer the cooked method because, even though it takes a bit longer, the taste is so worth it. Cost-wise, making your own is slightly cheaper, but what it lacks in cost savings, it makes up for in taste!
Making Strawberry Jam
The ingredients list is very simple for jam- fruit, pectin & sugar. I made strawberry jam since strawberries are on sale right now. I tried the “low sugar” jam for the first time and was pleasantly surprised- I liked it better, and it used half the sugar! I think I’ll make it this way from now on!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s easy. While a tad time-consuming, making homemade strawberry jam with pectin is actually very easy and pretty foolproof. Just prep the berries and cook them down into a jam as directed before placing them into jars and sealing.
- It tastes better than storebought. Not only that, but you can adjust the sugar content by simply following the directions on the back of your box of pectin. Low-sugar options can really be a healthy change of pace for your morning toast.
- Jars of homemade jam make for great gifts! Handing out a jar of homemade jam is like handing out little jars of love. The time and effort that went into the gifts are heartfelt and always appreciated.
Strawberry Jam Ingredients
Strawberries– You will need 1 1/3 cups of crushed strawberries that have been washed, hulled, and smashed with a potato masher.
Fruit Juice- Use 1/3 cup of flavored unsweetened fruit juice (like frozen juice concentrate), or water will work too.
Pectin– This is what gives us the consistency we want with our jam. Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of Ball® RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin.
Sugar– You will need 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, a sugar substitute, or even honey to make this recipe.
Jars and lids- To have a container to place your strawberry jam into, you’ll need 2 mason jars with fitted lids and bands. This is what keeps them airtight.
How to Make Homemade Strawberry Jam
Start with several pounds of strawberries. I did a double batch, so I have 8 lbs worth of berries (minus a few we ate for dessert!)
Wash, hull and cut up the strawberries.
Get all your jars ready. This means to get them cleaned well with soap and water and to have them warmed as well so that the hot jam mixture doesn’t enter cold glass jars (this can cause them to break).
Make sure glass jars and lids are recently cleaned & still hot. I like to fill up a sink full of soapy hot water, clean the jars, then replace the soapy water with just super hot water, rinsing the jars, then re filling the sink and letting them sit.
Next, mash the strawberries with a potato masher or use the “low” setting on a food processor. I like to use the food processor because we like our jam less chunky. Either way will work!
Combine prepared fruit with fruit juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in the pectin.
Add sugar, sugar substitute or honey, if using. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.
Turn jars over upside down, on top of a clean dishcloth. Do not move jars for 24 hours. You’ll begin to hear lids popping & sealing within an hour or two!
Once 24 hours has passed, you can turn jars right side up and then store them in a cold storage or refrigerator. They’re not technically “processed and sealed” but I find my jam stays fresh for about a year using this inversion method!
The cooking process takes about 15 minutes and you’ll have to stand and stir the entire time. I made sure I did this while most of my kids were taking a nap!
After ladling the jam in the jars I turned them upside-down. This method of canning is called the “inversion” method and works really well for jellies & jams that won’t be stored longer than a year.
Yet cooking the jam is worth it! In the end you have this beautiful, deep red strawberry jam that tastes incredible!
It’s worth it though- yum!
How to Waterbath can this Recipe
- Before starting the recipe, prepare the waterbath canner, jars, and lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions if preserving. Prepare the jam as directed.
- Place filled jars in a canner, ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring water to a gentle, steady boil.
- Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude*. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and let the jars stand for 5 minutes.
- Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. The lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed. Clean and store according to manufacturers’ instructions.
Enjoy!
Homemade Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups crushed strawberries wash, hull, then crush one layer at a time using potato masher
- ⅓ cup unsweetened fruit juice thawed fruit juice concentrate, or water
- 1 ½ tablespoons Ball® RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin
- ½ cup granulated sugar sugar substitute, or honey (or less, depending on taste)
- 2 Ball® or Kerr® Half-pint 8 oz Jars with lids and bands
Instructions
Prep
- Wash, hull and cut up the strawberries.
- Get all your jars ready.
- Next, mash the strawberries with a potato masher or use the “low” setting on a food processor. I like to use the food processor because we like our jam less chunky. Either way works though!
- Make sure glass jars and lids are recently cleaned & still hot. I like to fill up a sink full of soapy hot water, clean the jars, then replace the soapy water with just super hot water, rinsing the jars, then re filling the sink and letting them sit.
Jam
- Combine prepared fruit with fruit juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in the pectin
- Add sugar, sugar substitute or honey, if using. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
- Ladle hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.
- Turn jars over upside down, on top of a clean dishcloth. Do not move jars for 24 hours. You’ll begin to hear lids popping & sealing within an hour or two!
Processing/Sealing
- Once 24 hours has passed, you can turn jars right side up and then store them in a cold storage or refrigerator. They’re not technically “processed and sealed” but I find my jam stays fresh for about a year using this inversion method!
- The cooking process takes about 15 minutes and you’ll have to stand and stir the entire time.
Nutrition
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
Is making homemade jam cheaper than buying storebought?
This is how much a double batch yielded- about 136 oz. My jam cost me about .11/oz. I figured a bottle of Smuckers on sale would be about .14/oz, so I did save some money.
Is pectin needed for strawberry jam?
Yes, if you don’t use the pectin your strawberry jam will be much more like strawberry syrup. This is because strawberries are naturally low in pectin, which is a thickening agent needed to get the jam to set up. Using the pectin means we get a thicker, spreadable consistency (like jam).
How long does homemade strawberry jam last?
Processed and sealed jars of strawberry jam can last up to a year on a shelf in the pantry, but only a few months if opened and kept stored in the fridge.
Check out these other delicious jam recipes
- RASPBERRY PEACH FREEZER JAM
- KOOL-AID STRAWBERRY JAM
- APRICOT CHERRY JAM
- LEMON BLUEBERRY JAM
- SPICED PEACH JAM
- EASY BLUEBERRY JAM
- STRAWBERRY JAM WITHOUT PECTIN
- CROCKPOT PUMPKIN APPLE BUTTER RECIPE
Making homemade strawberry jam is a seasonal pastime in our house. We love everything from picking the berries to canning them into jam. Try this easy recipe and see why you’ll never want to buy storebought again!
Elaine Pytel says
Thanks for so many yummy recipes.
patricia says
how much sugar in this recipe? there is no amount shown.