One of the things I enjoy most in reading blog tutorials is the demystification process that occurs in seeing people create fantastic things picture by picture, step by step. I often leave the post thinking, “Oh my gosh, I can totally do that!” Well, if you have ever said to yourself that homemade jam is just too complicated, I am here for you. Nothing could be further from the truth. Seriously. If you can follow directions, you can make jam.
Let’s make some together!
Step one: Pick your berries. Although I’m sure you can probably make jam from supermarket strawberries, I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll totally lose your homemaker burb cred. Just think that as you give a shiny red beauty away as a gift you’ll be able to brag, “Oh, here is some of my homemade jam from some hand-picked strawberries I made just for you.” It has a nice Martha’y ring to it. So much better than, “I bought these strawberries at Kroger’s mixed in some Sure Jell and made you some jam.” Of course if you really want to wow them then grow your own berries, pick them, and jam them yourself! I’m not that cool yet, so I simply grabbed myself some cute farmer boys, headed to our local strawberry farm, and got to picking!
These berries were a bit tart for my taste but not for Z’s. In all honesty, we really should have weighed Z before and after picking for all the strawberries he “sampled”. A isn’t much of a strawberry fan, but he has done this enough times to know how to pick ’em!
Right after I took this shot of Z, he proceeded to take a juicy bite out of all four strawberries!
However, we did manage to come home with some teeth-mark-free-ones!
(Image by Little Page Turners)
Step Two: Wash your strawberries in a colander and take off the stems. The jam seems to set up best if you work in small batches. I have no idea why, but doubling the recipe seems to confuse it. You want to wash enough berries to equal two cups mashed. This will be about 2 1/2 cups premashed berries.
Step 3: Mash. If you have any pent up aggression, this is a fun step! Using a potato masher, crush the berries until they scream for mercy. Or, just mash them until they are mostly crushed with some fine chunks.
Step 4: Pour your mashed berries into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, making sure it is exact. Pour the berries back into the bowl and add 4 cups of sugar. That wasn’t a typo. Yes, FOUR cups. Yikes. Just don’t think about it. It will taste so fantastic when you are done you won’t even care that you are putting yourself into a sugar coma.
Step 5: Mix sugar into prepared berries and allow to stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Step 5: Sure Jell. This is your magic ingredient. After 8 minutes of allowing your berries to absorb the sugar, mix 3/4 cup water with one packet of Sure Jell in a small saucepan.
Stirring mixture constantly over high heat, bring it to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Keep stirring!
Step 6: Pour Sure Jell mixture into your berries and stir some more.
Keep continuously stirring for about 3 minutes or more.
Step 7: Ladle mixture into jelly jars. Girlfriend you just made jam!
Step 8: Let your jam sit for 24 hours before freezing. Freeze all jars until ready to use. Store “in use” jars in the refrigerator.
Step 9: Make adorable labels and give as gifts! I am in Virginia right now so don’t have access to my burlap, grosgrain, and color printer. The gifts will have to wait. In the meantime, here are some adorable label ideas for you.
(Image and label tutorial by Kristen@Domestifluff)
(Image and label download by Amy@EatDrinkChic)
(Image and pdf labels by Sara@Sweet Summer)
(Image and label by Misspicklespress)
Now go forth…and make jam!
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I made strawberry and red reaspberry jam freezer jam, let it sit for 24 hours but it does not appear to be setting up, still kind of runny, any advise?
I got 16# of strawberries to freeze this morning and am picking up more for jam on Monday. I love making jam and didn't have time last year.
However, if I picked that many, I wouldn't be walking much for a few days, so it's the grocery store for us.
I don't know how I missed this post! We're going strawberry picking now that the boys are out of school- I can't wait to try this recipe out- perfect gifts for teachers, etc come the holidays! Thanks so much!
I have always wanted to do this!! So some jams you boil in the jars, these you don't? Or is that something else? Or am I talking crazy? This is so easy, I'm totally doing it!
I wanna pick some strawberries now! I have never made jam but this is so inspiring! The picture of your boys is too precious – love it! Thanks for sharing Beth!
This was soooo ridiculously easy!! I almost fell in the floor from my delight in the smell of those fresh picked berries! Yummm!! I can't believe how fast this was! Thanks for the great post! How did you put the lid on yours? Did you go all technical and use a "canner" or did you slap the lid on it like I did and hope for a good seal? Your blog is always amazing Beth! Have a blessed week!
-Sara
sara.garrison@yahoo.com
Thanks for this post! I LOVE Freezer Jam but have never made it. I have to bookmark this for a month from now… Strawberries aren't ready unitl mid June in Michigan.
I recently made freezer jam also(with berries we had picked in the summer).
http://ourlifeinaclick.blogspot.com/2010/03/freezer-jam.html
We tried the 'no cook' method and it couldn't have been simpler.
Love your photos!
-heather
Oh wow, these photos are PERFECT (like a magazine)!! Your blog truly just keeps getting better and better, which is amazing, lol. 🙂
Yummy jam Beth! I love freezer jam. What fun. And it looks so cute in the bottles with the labels. What a great gift!
Cute pictures of your boys too!
XOXO
Jen
Beth it looks so delicious. Yum! I love the rosy cheeks on them. Precious boys! 🙂
Mmmmmm, LOVE me some homemade strawberry freezer jam! That's all we eat here (I don't like all the high fructose corn syrup in the stuff from the store). I usually make 4 batches at a time and then just grab some when we need it 🙂 OR when I need a quick gift!
What a timely post–We just picked strawberries this morning!! Love your photos. My 19 month old daughter was surprisingly skilled at picking berries (she's had lots of practice picking "flowers" (clover).
yummy!! and loved the labels!
Thanks for the tutorial. We went out to breakfast last Sat and my husband asked me what freezer jam was and I explained and said I'd always wanted to try it so this is perfect timing. He loves strawberry so I'll do that for him but we are overrun with blackberries in the summer (which I love) and will make some then too!
I love this kind of jam! My mom has made it for years, and I gave it a shot last year. I procrastinated on the whole berry-picking thing, so I was only able to get enough berries for one batch. I stored it in baby food jars that I had saved, and I fully intended to use them for Christmas gifts with some homemade bread or something. We actually ended up eating them ourselves, so i hope to try again this year. I just have to drag my boys out to the field in the next few days!
depending in the year and moisture content of the strawberries, I can actually get away with 2/2.5 cups of sugar if I add more pectin… it's definitely dependent on the moisture, but what is neat when you go that route is even if you screw up and get a very viscous jam, it's a fine addition to yogurt either way…so you can't truly screw up!
Your post brings back memories…my mom, aunt, my sister & cousin & I and sometimes my grandma would all go to a PYO patch. It's not there anymore, but my mom still makes freezer jam. This years batch is going to be a little more special as I will be giving her strawberries from my OWN garden!! I have 75 strawberry plants growing & blooming right now! Can't wait until the end of the month to see what we get. I also have plans to freeze a ton of berries and maybe even dehydrate some for cereal??
That is so funny that you posted this today! My MIL is coming for the weekend, but has to go home on Monday to pick strawberries for her jam. I mentioned that there is a pick your own strawberry place down the road and she said we could make some ourselves! Now you have shown me exactly what to do, so I am on it! I can one up the MIL with cute labels though!!! Ha ha!!
check out the recipe in the surejell pack for strawberry-blueberry jam. Its a keeper too. 🙂 We LOVE making our own jam and giving it away as gifts. Makes a really easy hostess gift. And great labels!!! very pretty!
Thank you very, very much! The strawberries around here are just begging to be picked. . . they're delicious and cheap. . . and my husband ADORES strawberry jam. I am about to win a good wife award, thanks to you. 🙂
I'm betting you were in Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day with your mom. I hope she had a great day–and that you did, too.
that is such a cute idea!!
Great idea! I bet I could do with blueberries or raspberries too huh? I'm allergic to strawberry always lookin for a great way to make our own yummo gifts and of course great tags and labels!
I love those label ideas. I will have to remember these for gifts!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have 62 strawberry plants that are just LOADED, and didn't write this recipe down last year. You have saved me! Thanks again SO much. Have a wonderful week! Sandi
I just made some last night!
The exact same way 🙂
Something about making jam gives me the warm fuzzies. Your photos turned out beautifully. They look professional. I especially like the black and white with red berries shot.
I haven't made jam in several years. WHY? It's so easy! Thanks for the reminder. And, um, do you have the cutest little helpers evah? Yeah, I think so.
I've been making jam the last two summers. I want to check out the labels – too cute!!
I've always wanted to try this – thank you for the great post!