Simple Strawberry Jam, European style
User Reviews
3.8
Simple Strawberry Jam, European style
Description
This recipe makes strawberry jam by combining fresh strawberries with an equal weight of sugar and lemon juice, which acts as both a flavor enhancer and natural pectin source. The sugar draws juices from the fruit through maceration before boiling, allowing for thorough dissolution and release of natural pectins. Continuous stirring during boiling prevents scorching and helps achieve an even consistency.
Cooking lasts about 20 to 30 minutes, with a plate test used to check gel formation—a traditional method for determining readiness. Once set, the hot jam is carefully ladled into clean jars, which are then sealed and inverted to create a vacuum seal as they cool. This preserves the jam's freshness and safety without added preservatives.
This jam yields a bright strawberry taste with a smooth texture that captures the fruit’s natural sweetness and acidity. It is suitable for spreading on bread, accompaniment to cheeses, or use in baking. The process emphasizes careful measurement and patience to ensure a successful batch with consistent quality.
Ingredients
- 3 pints strawberries fresh, ripe, rinsed and trimmed
- sugar equal amount by weight
- lemon juice of 1
- 5 or 6 clean 1/2 pint jars
Instructions
- Cut your berries in half or quarters if they are large, or leave them whole if they are small. Weigh the prepared fruit and put it in a large kettle or soup pot. My three pints of trimmed berries weighed almost 2 pounds.
- Weigh out an equal amount of regular sugar and pour over the berries. Stir the sugar and strawberries together, mashing some of the berries to release the juice. Cover and set aside for several hours to allow the juices to start flowing. Refrigerate in very warm weather.
- Add the lemon juice and bring the pot to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for about 20 minutes, and then test the jam by spooning a small amount onto a very cold plate. If the jam gels it is ready, if it remains liquid, keep boiling, up to about 30 minutes. Mine took the full 30 minutes. If you are in doubt, keep boiling.
- Ladle the hot jam (be very careful, it's super hot) into the jars, filling them almost full. Put the lids on and immediately turn the jars upside down.
- When the jam has cooled, turn the jars upright and store in the refrigerator. Note: US health standards dictate that jam bottled this way should be refrigerated and eaten within a few weeks. It is not shelf stable according to American requirements.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.8
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