Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam

This Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam is a great first step in preserving your own food. As a child, I remember going to the U-pick strawberry farm with my mother and my sisters and brother. It was always sunny and hot and we kids probably moaned and groaned a little bit. After picking, we’d return home with loads of strawberries to make strawberry preserves. Our job was always to remove the green stems and it seemed so daunting because my mother made a lot of jam! I’m sure I took for granted that we always retrieved our jam from the freezer as opposed to the grocery store. As I got older and was exposed to “store bought” jams and jellies, I began to realize just how lucky I was!  

As strawberry season approaches, having a no-fail recipe for freezer jam is a must. I reach for this jam from my freezer throughout the year whether it’s to top warm biscuits in the winter, combine with butter for a luscious addition to a charcuterie board or mix with homemade yogurt to create the perfect summer snack! Once you make this jam, you’ll never visit the jelly section at the grocery again. An added bonus is the look on your husband’s face when he sees the jars of jam on the counter the day you make it!

Homemaking Notes

Homemade freezer jam was the first thing I ever preserved as a homemaker. On the simplicity scale, it is very simple. Granted, the first time I made it, it didn’t gel as thick as I wanted it, so I labeled it “ice cream topping” and called it a day. But I tried again, and the results were amazing. I guess that seems to be the story with so many parts of homemaking. We try something new, sometimes we fail, but we try again, and our confidence is strengthened. As frustrating as failure is, it’s necessary for learning.

Whether it’s freezer jam, homemade sourdough bread, or hosting guests for the weekend, learning along the way is the essence of homemaking. Eventually, I figured out the freezer jam, and that led to preserving other things. Most new projects seem so big at first, but once you tackle them, they just become part of your routine. Trust me and try this freezer jam. The artful display of beautiful red jam on your table is a great reward and one you’ll enjoy all year long.

Freezer jam vs. cooked jam?

• Obviously, if you don’t have ANY freezer space, this jam is not for you. However, one recipe doesn’t really take up that much space and I think it’s so worth it. And if you do have the freezer space, you’ll want to make several batches to enjoy when winter comes, and a taste of spring is just what you need.
• Strawberry freezer jam tastes so much like fresh strawberries. It’s bright in taste as well as color. When you make cooked jam, it just takes on a different taste, as well as a different color.
• No worries about jars sealing. You don’t need any experience with canning to successfully make this freezer jam. In fact, you just fill your jars with the prepared jam, screw on the lids and it’s ready to go in the freezer. If you are the type to worry about canned products going “bad,” then freezer jam is the jam for you! It lasts at least a year in the freezer, and up to four weeks once you put it in the refrigerator.
• Freezer jam is a little runnier than cooked jam. As a result, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich might be a little messier, but it will taste so good!
• Freezer jam is just beautiful. It’s like nature’s art. When I set it on the breakfast table for guests, it just turns an ordinary table into something special.

Helpful Hints for Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam

• I have always used Sure Jell fruit pectin for my freezer jam. Pectin is a substance that occurs naturally in fruits, especially citrus fruits, and is necessary for jams to thicken. It comes in a variety of forms, but I’ve always had success with the powder version. I follow the steps on the instructions inside the box, with a few helpful hints, and I get very consistent results.
• Because freezer jam is not cooked, making sure your sugar dissolves in the process is very important. Otherwise, you could end up with a “grainy” texture in your preserves. I’ve learned over the years that allowing the mashed strawberries and sugar mixture to sit longer than the ten minutes the instructions recommend takes care of this. In fact, I often combine the mashed strawberries with the sugar, give it a good stir and walk away to do something else on my list for the day. I stir it every 30 minutes or so just to keep the sugar dissolving. Then, when I return to the berries, maybe even two hours later, I just continue the process according to the instructions. No worries about grainy jam!
• We don’t want any berries to go to waste because our jam doesn’t “set up” or gel properly. This happened to me the first time I made jam, and it was so disappointing. I kept it and labeled it “ice cream topping” and we used it for smoothies and such. But what I really wanted was jam! To prevent this from happening, be precise with your measuring. Level your cups of sugar and measure your mashed strawberries accurately. In addition, don’t double the recipe. I’m a big believer in doubling and tripling a lot of my recipes to get the most out of my baking and cooking efforts. BUT, not with freezer jam. It’s so tempting but restrain yourself and just make one batch at a time.

Equipment for Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam

• Two large bowls, one for measuring sugar and one for mixing the jam. It’s always best to measure the sugar in a separate bowl, because if you lose count of the cups of sugar (which I have done), you can start over. If you’ve already started adding it to the strawberries, starting over is not an option.
• A kitchen scale. You don’t have to have a scale, but it not only simplifies the process, it makes it more accurate. When I’m making multiple batches, I simply place each bowl on the scale and pour sugar until it gets to the desired weight. Again, not essential, but extremely helpful.
• A stick blender is really handy, but not essential. With the stick blender I just blend until it looks the way I want it. With freezer jam, you can leave larger bits of strawberries, rather than pureeing them. I like to see bits of fruit throughout my preserves. You can also use a pastry blender, a food processor, or even mash the berries with your hands!
• Small saucepan for cooking Sure Jell.
• Jars, lids, and seals.
• Ladle and funnel for adding jam to the jars.
• Don’t let equipment keep you from making this jam. Remember, you don’t have to have fancy jars. Any container with an airtight lid will work in the freezer. These suggestions are just that, to perhaps make the process easier, but freezer jam can likely be done with what you already have in your kitchen!

The Process for Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam

1. Start by washing your jars and lids in the dishwasher or just washing them in hot soapy water.
2. Wash strawberries and remove stems. Crush them to desired consistency. You can use a stick blender, pastry blender, or even your hands. Don’t puree them; you want little bits of fruit still visible.
3. Measure exactly two cups of crushed fruit into a large bowl. Alternatively, you can weigh 480 grams of washed and stemmed strawberries, crush them and proceed.
4. Measure exactly four cups of sugar by leveling a dry cup with the flat edge of a knife or measuring it with a kitchen scale (800 grams) and add to crushed fruit. If you have a kitchen scale, I always recommend using it for the most accurate measuring. Give it a good stir and walk away. Go have a cup of coffee, take a walk, prepare dinner, or anything else that you’d like to do for a couple hours. Give the strawberries a stir every 30 minutes or so. This will just aid in dissolving the sugar well and preventing graininess in the end product.
5. In the small saucepan, add the packet of Sure Jell to 3/4 cup water. Bring to boil and allow to boil, stirring constantly, for one minute.
6. Add pectin mixture to crushed berries and stir for three minutes until sugar is dissolved, or until no grainy sugar can be felt between your fingers.
7. Pour into jars, leaving 1/2-inch space at the top to allow for expansion when frozen. Place lids on jars.
8. Allow to sit on counter at room temperature for 24 hours, then place in freezer. I always put one jar directly in the fridge to enjoy immediately.
9. Toast some bread or make some biscuits and enjoy!

Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family has. We love pairing this jam with our favorite Multigrain Bread, Sourdough Bread and mixed homemade Greek Yogurt. I also use this jam in our Homemade Popsicle Recipe! Let us know what you think!