Homemade Strawberry Jam (with fresh or frozen berries)

Strawberry jelly made with pectin results in a jelly that is more firm and thicker than one without it. However, it is important to note that strawberries have natural pectin in them, so just like raspberry and blueberry jam, if using fresh berries, you don’t have to use pectin. Plus when you combine the strawberries with the jello, it firms up nicely as well. No pectin needed for this jam recipe!

It does a few things. It lowers the pH of the jam and works to ‘set’ the jam (a bunch of science happening there) Also, strawberry jam tastes sweet, but adding a little bit of lemon juice can create a balance of flavors that really makes it shine. The acidity in the lemon juice helps to cut through some of the sweetness and adds brightness and zing to the jam. The lemon also helps preserve the color and flavor of the strawberries as well, preventing them from losing their vibrant hue.

Fresh berries that are nice and ripe or, frozen strawberries are best for making jam. Either will work.

Typically this doesn’t happen often with this recipe since we are using the jello, but if somehow you ended up with runny jam, there is something you can do.
You can try to thicken the jam by boiling it in a saucepan. Bring the jam to a vigorous boil and stir constantly until it thickens, usually about 5-10 minutes. You can also add a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water for each cup of jam and then bring it to a boil. This will help the jam thicken up more quickly. If the jam is still too thin even after boiling, you can place it in shallow dishes and refrigerate it until it reaches the desired consistency. But again, this is typically not a problem with this specific recipe.

Jam is traditionally made with pectin, which triggers the thickening process when heated. As the jam cools, it will continue to thicken as the pectin molecules bond together and form a gel-like structure that gives jam its signature texture. Additionally, some jams contain other thickeners like guar gum or xanthan gum to help create an even thicker consistency. So, yes, jam does indeed thicken as it cools.

Absolutely! If using fresh berries, just use 4 cups of fresh ones instead of the frozen ones. I have a recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam and that one uses fresh berries and doesn’t require any stovetop boiling (and it uses pectin not Jell-O).

No, although you will need other ingredients instead. If not using strawberry Jell-O for this recipe, be sure to add a 3-ounch pouch fo Certo liquid fruit pectin instead of the Jell-O and increase sugar to 4 cups of sugar.  

Certainly! This is a great recipe to make and store some extra away for later. To preserve this, use a water bath canning procedure. Follow the directions here. 

Yep! Just as I do in my Raspberry Jam recipe, you can use pretty much any berry. I’ve only ever tested this particular style of recipe with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries so it’s possible you may have to adjust amounts depending on how tart your fruit might be. Unfortunately, that is just one of those things you have to taste and test to figure out.

I remove the foam during homemade jam-making for a better-looking jar presentation, but it’s not necessary to remove it all. The foam doesn’t affect the taste, but rather it’s about creating a clear top when the jar is opened.

This recipe makes just over three 11 ounce jars of jam, or a little over four 8 ounce jars of strawberry jam. You fill find that you will have some leftover, which is nice to put in a smaller jar to give to friends or keep for yourself if you are giving the larger jars to friends and family.

To me, strawberry seeds are so tiny that you don’t really feel them in there but some folks swear they do or for whatever reason, just don’t want or like them in there. You will have to do an extra step of straining the seeds out through a mesh strainer. You’ll probably need to help push it through as well because it will be thick. I never do this as we all enjoy the whole fruit in there are a lot of health benefits to leaving the seeds in.

Homemade jam should be stored in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to a year.