STRAWBERRY JAM WITHOUT PECTIN

Published by Jessica on June 12, 2019

Homemade Strawberry Jam made with just 3 ingredients and NO store-bought PECTIN. Making strawberry freezer jam has never been easier or more delicious!

My family absolutely adores the bright, fresh flavor of homemade strawberry jam. I make at least 1 batch each year and I don’t even freeze it- we eat it that quickly! I guess it does help that I have 5 kids, right?! I love this recipe because it calls for ingredients I usually have on hand. It’s even actually better if you use store-bought lemon juice because the acidity level is more consistent! Win, right?! So grab some fresh strawberries now when they’re inexpensive and perfectly sweet, then make yourself some homemade jam.

Why do you put lemon juice in strawberry jam?

Lemon juice plays two parts in a strawberry jam recipe. First, it prohibits bacteria growth, so your jam lasts longer. Second, it is a natural pectin booster. Fresh berries have pectin that’s released when we heat the jam. However it’s not able to help the jam set without the addition of an acid, enter lemon juice! Neat, huh? And so tasty!

Can you use frozen fruit to make jam?

Yes! You absolutely can use non-sweetened frozen fruit to make jam. Just run it under warm water to thaw, then cut into chucks and proceed with the recipe. Frozen fruit usually gives off a bit more water than fresh fruit, so you may have to add 5 minutes to the cooking time.

Help! My freezer jam didn’t set! What did I do wrong?

Nothing. I’ve been making jam for years and years and I’ve decided that sometimes, jam just doesn’t set. The good news is, you can fix it! First, remember that freezer jam is often softer and needs 24-48 hours to properly set. If you’ve waited that time and you still don’t like how thin your jam is, use a rubber scraper and place jam back in a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp cornstarch. Whisk together and add to jam that’s just barely come to a boil. Boil another 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit the 24-48 hours again.

Remember too, that even if your jam is a little thin, it still tastes great! Sometimes it happens to me and I don’t even bother to fix it. We just use a spoon when spreading jam to make sandwiches.

Easy No-Pectin Strawberry Jam Recipe ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this strawberry jam:

–strawberries- the more ripe, the better! Ripe strawberries are the sweetest!

–sugar (about 3/4 cups of sugar for each cup of berries)

–lemon juice (2 TBSP lemon juice per cup of berries)

How to make Strawberry Jam without pectin

Smash cut strawberries with a potato masher or a Chop Stir. Or use a hand blender to blend strawberries to your desired consistency.
Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Place on medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and boil about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to glass canning jars, leaving 1/2″ of space from the top of the jar for expansion when frozen. (You’re welcome to use any other jar or container you’d like!) Cool to set.
Place one jar in the fridge to use immediately and place the other jar in the freezer. Will keep for 4-6 weeks in the fridge and 2-3 months in the freezer.

Enjoy Strawberry recipes? Here are more to try:

Easy No-Pectin Strawberry Jam Recipe

Homemade Strawberry Jam made with just 3 ingredients and NO PECTIN. Making strawberry freezer jam has never been easier or more delicious!

4.80 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Jams/ Jellies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: strawberry jam

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Calories: 106kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

4 cups cut strawberries
3 cups sugar about 3/4 cups of sugar for each cup of berries
1/2 cup lemon juice 2 TBSP lemon juice per cup of berries

Instructions

Smash cut strawberries with a potato masher or Chop Stir. Or use a hand blender to blend strawberries to your desired consistency.
Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Place on medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and boil about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to glass canning jars, leaving 1/2" of space from the top of the jar for expansion when frozen. (You're welcome to use any other jar or container you'd like!) Cool to set.
Place one jar in the fridge to use immediately and place the other jar in the freezer. Will keep for 4-6 weeks in the fridge and 2-3 months in the freezer.

Video

Nutrition

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