Making jam sounds like a very labor intensive and scary process, better left to Laura Ingalls Wilder and cute little old ladies…am I right? WRONG! At least for freezer jam. It is so amazingly easy!! No more making excuses. You need to make this.

This was my summer project as a kid. My parents decided since I was the one eating all the jam that I needed to be the one making it (My sister had to do the pickles for the same reason).  Somehow, though, I had forgotten about making freezer jam until recently. I usually snag a jar or two when I visit my parents, but I guess lately I’ve been flying and haven’t taken any food, cause I was all out of strawberry jam!

Since I’m a spoiled brat and won’t eat store-bought jam, it was time to make my own. Throughout the past few months I’ve been cutting and freezing strawberries as they were on sale, so I already had plenty to use. Fresh or frozen works fine for this recipe! I like a lot of big berry pieces, so I just use a potato masher. You could use a food processor, just don’t turn it into a strawberry puree. You want it chunky!

Now, let’s talk about pectin. I used Sure-Jell. I would imagine you could use any kind of powdered pectin with this recipe, but I don’t know that for a fact. Any one else know?? If for some reason you can’t find Sure-Jell or want to use a different powdered pectin they all come with freezer jam recipes on them…just follow those! Don’t use that an excuse for not jamming this summer 🙂

Last but not least, should we address the elephant in the room? The four cups of sugar in this recipe?? Please don’t freak out. It’s ok, I promise. I mean, do we even want to know what is in the store-bought kind? At least you know exactly what is in this homemade jam: “a few strawberries and a whole lotta sugar”. Thank you Dad, for that enlightening tip when I asked for the recipe 😉

But really. Go make this jam! It’s the.best.jam.EVER. I eat this with a spoon. I would drink it with a straw if the chunks of strawberries didn’t get in the way. Have I convinced you yet? You’ll be feeling all Little House on the Prairie in no time!

~Stephanie

Strawberry Freezer Jam (recipe from Sure-Jell Pectin packet)

• 4 c diced strawberries
• 4 c sugar
• 3/4 c water
• 1 pack Sure-Jell pectin

1. In large bowl, stir sugar into berries. Let stand 10 minutes.
2. In a small sauce pan, whisk pectin into water until dissolved. Bring to a boil.
3. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Pour into strawberries and continue to stir for 3 minutes, until mixture is no longer grainy.
5. Ladle into freezer safe containers (makes ~5 cups). Let sit on counter for 24 hours with lids on.
6. If using immediately, put in refrigerator. Otherwise keep in freezer for up to 1 year.