Homemade strawberry jam made with Sure-Jell is one of my favorite ways to preserve fresh strawberries during strawberry season.
Whether you're using fresh or frozen strawberries, this thick, spreadable jam is a delicious way to enjoy summer berries all year long. Plus, it makes a thoughtful homemade gift!
Strawberry jam ingredients:
This easy strawberry jam recipe is perfect for beginners, with step-by-step instructions and tips to avoid common problems like runny jam or jars that don't seal.
Recipe Card?
To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.
Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?
Not with Sure-Jell Original. The sugar is essential for the set and preservation. If you want less sugar, use Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed pectin and follow that package's specific instructions and ratios.
Super easy to make homemade jam
Was super easy to make, and it tasted amazing. My adult kids are trying to steal the jars of jelly now.🤣
- Jenn M ~ Pinterest
Step-by-Step Instructions
This recipe moves fast once the jam starts cooking - have your jars sterilized, your lids hot, and your canning funnel ready before you start. Read through all the steps first so nothing catches you off guard.
Sterilize your jars and lids
Place jars and lids in simmering water for at least 10 minutes. Keep them hot until you are ready to fill. Cold jars filled with hot jam can crack.
Prepare the strawberries
Wash and hull the strawberries.
Crush
Crush using a food processor, potato masher, or immersion blender.
Measure
Measure out exactly 5 cups of crushed strawberries - not whole, not estimated. Precision matters here for a proper set
When to add the lemon rind
If using lemon rind for a firmer set, add it now.
Cook the fruit and pectin
Add the crushed strawberries to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in 1 package of Sure-Jell Original and ½ teaspoon butter. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil - one that does not stop when stirred - over high heat, stirring constantly.
Add the sugar
Once at a full rolling boil, add all 7 cups of sugar at once. Stir to combine and return to a full rolling boil. Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring the entire time. Do not guess on the time - set a timer.
Remove from heat and skim foam
Take the pan off the heat. Skim any foam from the surface with a metal spoon. A small amount of foam is normal - this is purely cosmetic.
How do I know when my jam is ready?
To test if your jam is set, place a small spoonful on a chilled plate. If it wrinkles when pushed with your finger, it's ready.
Fill the jars
Using a canning funnel, ladle hot jam into hot jars, filling to within ¼ inch of the top. Wipe jar rims clean with a damp cloth - any residue will prevent a proper seal.
Seal and process
- Place a new lid on each jar and screw the ring on until fingertip tight.
- Lower jars into the boiling water bath using jar tongs. Make sure jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water.
- Once the water returns to a full boil, process for 10 minutes.
Adjust for altitude: add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level.
Safety First
Always use canning jar tongs to handle hot jars, and be careful to avoid burns.
Cool and check seals
- Remove jars from the canner and place on a towel-lined counter.
Do not disturb for 12 to 24 hours. - Press the center of each lid once fully cooled - no springback means a good seal.
Any jar that did not seal should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks.
Store
Sealed jars keep in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.
Did you make this recipe?
Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah
Seasonal Favorite
This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
Storage Instructions
Properly sealed jars of this strawberry jam are one of the most reliable things in a home pantry.
Here is exactly what to expect:
- Sealed jars: Up to 1 year in a cool, dry, dark place. Flavor is best within the first 6 months.
- Opened jars: Refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.
- Refrigerator jam (no water bath): Up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Freezer jam: Up to 1 year in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, use within 3 weeks.
Did not seal? Do not re-process. Refrigerate immediately and use within 3 weeks.
5 Days To Canning Confidence
Can you put too much pectin in jam?
Too much pectin in jelly or jam can result in a softer texture when making jam. The ratio between sugar acid and pectin can cause distorted and uneven jams and jellies.
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
In my experience, the secret to getting thick strawberry jam is the addition of lemon rind to the jam when it is cooking down. Don't forget to remove the rind before canning.
The lemon rind is packed with pectin, especially the white pith, which helps thicken the jam. While lemon juice also contains pectin, the rind provides even more!
To use it, simply quarter a freshly scrubbed lemon, remove the flesh, and add the rind to your jam while cooking. Remove the rind before ladling the jam into jars.
(Tip: This is a great way to use organic lemons-save the fruit for lemonade or other recipes!)
Strawberry season varies by location, typically running from January to July. (Lucky Floridians can start picking as early as January, while here in Pennsylvania, we wait until later in the spring!)
No matter when your local season hits, it's the perfect time to make this easy strawberry jam. It's the same recipe my mom used when I was growing up-I loved it so much, I took a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school every single day!
Sure jell is a commercially produced combination of dextrose, citric acid, fruit pectin. It is extracted commercially from left-over orange peels. That tart, sour white part of the orange will help make your jelly gel. This is why I will also use a lemon rind from time to time to increase the firmness of a jam.
The most common causes are not reaching a full rolling boil before adding the sugar, not boiling for the full minute after adding sugar, or measuring crushed strawberries inaccurately. Make sure you are measuring 5 cups of crushed fruit - not whole berries. If your jam is already made and too soft, it can be recooked. Empty the jars back into a saucepan, bring back to a boil, add another half package of Sure-Jell dissolved in ¼ cup water, boil 1 minute, and re-jar.
Yes. Thaw completely and drain off any excess liquid before crushing. Measure the crushed amount after thawing. The set and flavor hold up well with frozen fruit - good news for making this recipe outside of strawberry season.
Once the jars have cooled completely - at least 12 hours - press the center of the lid. A properly sealed lid will be slightly concave and will not flex or spring back when pressed. If it pops up and down, the jar did not seal. Refrigerate it and use it within 3 weeks.
Over-boiling is usually the cause. Boiling past the 1-minute mark after adding sugar causes the pectin to over-activate. Too much pectin can also cause this - make sure you are using one standard package, not more. Very thick jam is still safe to eat. Stir a small amount of warm water into individual servings to loosen it if needed.
Properly sealed jars keep in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 weeks. Freezer jam lasts up to 1 year frozen and 3 weeks once thawed.
10 minutes at elevations under 1,000 feet. Add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level. At 3,001 to 6,000 feet, process for 15 minutes. At 6,001 to 8,000 feet, process for 20 minutes. Begin timing once the water returns to a full boil after the jars are submerged.
Ingredients
- 8 Cups Strawberries crushed down to 5 cups
- 1 package Sure Jell Original
- ½ Teaspoon Butter
- 7 Cups Sugar
- lemon rind
Instructions
- Wash strawberries and remove the stems.
- Puree the strawberries in a food processor, crush with a potato masher OR use an emersion blender.8 Cups Strawberries
- Measure out 5 cups crushed strawberries and place in a large sauce pan.
- Stir in 1 package of Sure Jell original and ½ a teaspoon butter. The butter will help reduce the foam.1 package Sure Jell Original, ½ Teaspoon Butter
- If using lemon rinds for thicker jam, now is the time to toss in the lemon rinds and stir to dissolve the powdered pectin.lemon rind
- Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that will not stop when stirred.
- Boil for 1 minute.
- Add 7 cups of sugar and return to the rolling boil.7 Cups Sugar
- Boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring the entire time.
- Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal or wooden spoon.
- Remove lemon rind
- Ladle jam into containers using a canning funnel, filling to within ¼ inch of the top. Wipe jar rims clean.
- Add a NEW, clean lid and ring. Finger tighten. For shelf-stable jam, follow the Hot Water Bath Canning Instructions in the Notes section. For refrigerator jam, skip to Step 15.
- Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from the water and allow to cool completely.
- Check that lids sealed after 24 hours.
- If lids did not seal, refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.
Nutrition
Notes
- Ladle the hot jelly into hot jars, filling each jar to within ¼ inch of the top.
- Wipe the jar rims of any jelly.
- Cover with a fresh, new lid and screw on a ring. Be CAREFUL! It is going to be hot.
- Using jar tongs, lower the jars into the simmering water. Make sure the jars are covered by 1-2 inches of water.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the hot water bath and allow to cool completely. Listen for the 'ping' of the lids setting.
- Once cooled, check for seals by pressing on the centers of the lids. If there is NOT a spring back the jar is sealed! Congratulations!
- If not sealed, refrigerate the jelly and use within 3 weeks.
- If sealed the jars should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year.
published in May 2017.
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Kim Lund says
I made this yesterday and the jars set up beautifully! I've never used the lemon peel tip before. Will that be ok to use in other fruit jam recipes?
Lisa Ogan says
I followed the receipt but my jam didn’t thicken. Is there a way to thinker it now?
Sarah Mock says
have you let it cool completely? While jam is still warm, it can have movement to it.
Debra says
The recipe says 8 cups strawberries then it says 5 cups…which is it supposed to be?
Sarah Mock says
Technically, it is both. Start with 8 cups of whole strawberries and then crush them down to 5 cups. BUT depending on the size of the strawberries, you might need more of less than 8 cups. You want to end up with 5 cups CRUSHED strawberries. I hope that helps.
Meghan says
The recipe tastes great and set perfect! My friend tasted it, loved it, and asked for the recipe. She is concerned about the acidity; the recipe doesn’t contain lemon juice. She recommended I empty the jars and re-boil w the addition of vinegar. Thoughts?
Sarah Mock says
Meghan, I love that my recipe worked for you and your friend wanted the recipe. That is always my goal... to pass along recipes that people love to share. It is also awesome that your friend knows about maintaining a pH level in canned goods. If using commercial pectin, such as sure-jell, there is citric acid IN the pectin. No need to add extra lemon juice. But if you are not using a commercial pectin, you should add commercial, bottled lemon juice. The bottled product has been tested for acidity and pH where as some fresh lemons have had the acidity breed out of them. I hope that makes sense and I hope that put you at ease.
Sarah
Meghan says
Thank you sooo much for explaining!!! ❤️
Sarah Mock says
Whew! Glad I was able to explain it in a way that made sense and was helpful to you!
Sarah
Sally says
I have made this recipe a couple of times. First attempt I added the sugar at the start rather than letting it come to a full boil. My jam did not set up so it was a bit runny. We called it sauce. Good on pancakes or ice cream. I followed the recipe the next time and it set up great. I used 2.5 lbs whole strawberries to get 5 cups of crushed strawberries.The result was 9 half pints of jam.
Sarah Mock says
I am so glad you were able to pivot and call the first batch 'sauce'. Canning and baking is as much of a science as it is an art and you can see that when you did the steps in the right order and got the correct results. I am so happy you were able to share your experience with this recipe with us!
~Sarah
Eileen says
Where can I buy Sure Jell? Since my husband is diabetic, I try to reduce sugar. Have you any good tasting jams recipes that doesn’t include harsh tasting chemicals?
Sarah Mock says
Eileen,
I find surejel in my local grocery store. Ask your grocery manager if you are unable to find it. I also provide links to Amazon if you would like to have it shipped to you. https://amzn.to/3C4LRdp
T says
The ingredients say to use 8 cups of strawberries but the instructions show 5 cups of strawberries. Which is correct?
Sarah Mock says
Technically both. As per the instructions, take 8 cups of berries and crush them. Measure out 5 cups of crushed berries. I hope that helps!
Sarah
Jean says
This was my first time ever making strawberry jam. It came out perfect! Sooo good! Thanks for sharing!
Mike says
Mine came out runny will it thiken as it cools? I followed your directions too a t
Sarah Mock says
Yup! Give it at least 12 hours to set.
Mike says
Mine came out runny will it thicken ? followed your directions to a t
Sarah Mock says
Be sure to let it sit 12-24 hours for it to set properly. I guess I need to update the questions and answers portion on this post. Thanks, Mike!
Kathy Utz says
Thank you for the reply about the lemon rind…..the only reason I asked is that one of the picture of jam looked like it has a lemon rind in it. Lol ….I suspected they were removed!
Kathy says
Do u take the lemon rinds out before putting the jam in the jars?
Sarah Mock says
Kathy,
Thank you for your question.
Yes, remove the lemon rinds before putting the jam into the jars. I will see how I can make this a bit more clear in the instructions. I appreciate you letting me know I needed to be more clear.
Sarah
Sharon caves says
If I don't use the lemon rind will the jam be runny or will it still thicken
Sarah Mock says
Yes! It will still thicken. My family just likes their jam THICK. But there are years where I skip the lemon rind and see if they notice.... they notice.
Becky says
Came out perfect! thanks!!
Nita says
Can I use frozen strawberry’s for this recipe?
Sarah Mock says
Most definitely! I freeze them just for this recipe!
Candy L says
We just picked TOO many straw berries at the farm. Now I am am going to have SO MUCH jam. Love this recipe.