Chunky Homemade Strawberry Jam

Day 4 of Strawberry Week (only 1 day left!). Another classic: strawberry jam. This was my first time attempting to make homemade jam or to can anything. I wouldn’t wholeheartedly recommend this recipe – it’s a lot of effort for little return. On the other hand, it uses a lot less sugar most other jam recipes and it is still very sweet and flavorful.  You’ll especially love it if you like chunky pieces of jam.

See what I mean? It’s basically like eating preserved strawberries. You can definitely break them up more if you prefer a smoother jam, but I love these juicy chunks.

Chunky Strawberry Jam

Makes around 12 oz.

• 2 lbs. strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced in half or quartered (small ones can be left whole)
• 1-1 1/2 C sugar (depending on sweetness of berries)
• Juice of 1 lemon

In a nonreactive bowl (i.e. glass, plastic, stainless steel) combine all ingredients and toss together. Cover and let sit for 3-4 hours on the counter or 6 hours-overnight in the refrigerator, mixing occasionally.

Once the sugar is completely dissolved, you should have bright red juices and slightly smaller strawberries in your bowl. Put strawberries and their juices into a large nonreactive pot. Bring to a frothy simmer, and simmer for only 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour back into bowl. Cover and let sit for 3-4 hours on the counter or 6 hours-overnight.

In the meantime, clean and sterilize your jars. Wash in warm soapy water, then place in large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Pour strawberries through a colander set over a large pot. Set berries aside and bring juices to a boil. Stir frequently and boil until liquid has reduced about half and is thick, sticky and syrupy. Add strawberries, crushing slightly with a potato masher. Simmer for around 8-10 minutes, until mixture has thickened. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4″ space at the top, and seal them. If you want to keep them in the pantry, you will need to seal the jars by placing in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Otherwise, you can freeze the jam. It should keep for about 1 year.