I originally posted this recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam way back in 2012. I like to bump it back up to the top of the blog each spring, when local strawberries begin to show up, for several reasons. First of all, it’s simply delicious! I wanted to make sure that all of our newer readers had the chance to enjoy this recipe.
Secondly, we now have some pretty labels for the jars and thought some of you might like them for gift-giving as well as for keeping things organized. My freezer is getting re-stocked with glistening (labeled) jars of this wonderful jam. I thought you might want to make some too – before the fleeting local strawberry season disappears!
Spring has definitely sprung here in the mountains of North Carolina and summer is just around the corner. The days are cool, sunny and gorgeous with lovely blooms and trees now fully dressed in vibrant green.
One of my favorite aspects of this lovely time of year is enjoying the short, but gloriously delicious season of local strawberries. One bite of a deep red, juicy strawberry, picked just hours before, makes you realize that the store-bought variety you’ve been eating for the past few months… well, perhaps they weren’t really strawberries, after all.
Ingredients
2 cups crushed strawberries (about 4-5 cups whole berries before crushing)
4 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ounces (about 6 tablespoons) powdered fruit pectin
Instructions
Combine strawberries and sugar in a large bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
In a saucepan, bring water and pectin to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Stir hot pectin and lemon juice into strawberry mixture. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. Fill sterilized freezer-safe jars or other containers, leaving about ½-inch of headspace. Quickly cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Freeze for up to 12 months or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Thaw frozen jam in the refrigerator and stir before serving.