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strawberry jam in a jar with 3 strawberries on the side
cookingwithmykids

Strawberry jam

Homemade strawberry jam is surprisingly easy to make and really delicious. It's much nicer than shop bought jam and so most definitely worth the effort.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
bottling time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 jars
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: British, scottish
Calories: 1437
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 kg strawberry approx
  • 2 kg jam sugar approx
  • Juice from one lemon
  • Knob of butter

Equipment

  • Strawberry corer
  • Digital scales
  • Preserving pan
  • Jam jars
  • Jam thermometer
  • Wax discs

Method
 

  1. Pop a small plate or saucer into your freezer to chill (unless you're using a jam thermometer) and sterilise your jars.
Prepare the strawberries
  1. Start by weighing your strawberries then give them a quick rinse Then hull them and chop them into smaller pieces, unless you like pieces of strawberry in your jam.
Cook the strawberries
  1. Tip the strawberries into a large preserving pan. Pop it on your hob and turn the heat on.
  2. Let the strawberries warm for a few minutes. Mash them with a potato masher until you have a nice strawberry pulp. Leave them to cook for five minutes.
Add the sugar and lemon juice
  1. Tip the sugar into the strawberries and squeeze in the lemon. Stir the sugar and lemon in then bring it all to the boil.
    Boil the strawberry jam for 5-10 minutes, then remove it from the heat and test it to see if it's ready.
  2. If you have a kitchen thermometer you can use that to check whether the jam is ready. It's setting point is when it reaches 105C (220F).
    If you don't have a jam thermometer, or if you'd like to double check the jam, pop a little bit of jam onto your chilled plate. Put it back in the freezer for a minute. Now push your finger through the jam – if it wrinkles when you do this its ready. If it doesn't wrinkle on top and still looks a little runny, boil the jam again for a few more minutes then check again.
  3. When your jam is ready it might look like it has some scum or sediment on top. Use a spoon to skim as much of the sediment off the top as you can. An easy way of getting rid of any remaining scum is to melt a little knob of butter on the top. I find this also gives it a nice shine.
Put your jam in the jars
  1. Pour or ladle the jam into your jars – this is easier if you have a little jam funnel. If you don't have a funnel, you might prefer to ladle some of the jam into a heatproof jug then pour it into your jars from there. Pop a wax disc on top if you have them, the put the lid on and leave them to cool.