Strawberry freezer jam was a mainstay in our house while growing up and reminds me of my grandma, who was the maker of all that wonderful jam. I asked my mom what her recipe was, and found out it’s the one from Certo.
So, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And this jam is the best jam ever, so there’s no point in finding another recipe.
Ingredients needed:
4 cups of crushed strawberries
3 1/2 cups of white sugar
1 box of Certo light pectin crystals
Jars to hold approximately 6 cups of jam.
Wash, hull and crush the strawberries one layer at a time. I left mine fairly chunky, as you can see below. I like strawberry chunks in my jam, but you do need enough thoroughly crushed strawberries mixed in with it to give you the “jammy” base you need.
Combine 1/4 cup of sugar with the Certo.
Mix the sugar/certo with the crushed strawberries, gently. This isn’t mentioned in the directions in Certo, but you can get air bubbles and make the jam too frothy if you stir too hard. Learn from my mistakes.
Let the jam sit for 30 minutes and stir gently once in a while.
After 30 minutes add the rest of the sugar and stir for 3 minutes. I did not add the whole 3 cups, I would add 2 cups then adjust to your taste. Mine was just perfect with slightly over 2 cups, and it still set perfectly.
The Certo directions say not to adjust the amount of sugar, so try at your own risk. Mine set wonderfully, but perhaps it was a fluke.
Get your slave labor to start cleaning the mess.
When the sugar is dissolved, pour it into your containers and fill to about 1/4 inch from the top. Cover and let the jam set for 24 hours at room temperature.
I used large containers which isn’t recommended but it was all that I had. The jam will stay for 3 weeks in the refrigerator and last 6-8 months in the freezer. Small containers are perfect for pulling out of the freezer and using in the fridge.
Recipes for different fruit jams are found right inside the Certo box, so pick one up and have fun! I am going to try Saskatoon jam next.
A couple more tips:
Do not double the recipe.
Use fresh, ripe fruit or thawed frozen fruit.
- 4 cups of crushed strawberries
- 3½ cups of white sugar
- 1 box of Certo light pectin crystals
- Jars to hold approximately 6 cups of jam.
- Wash, hull and crush the strawberries one layer at a time. I left mine fairly chunky, as you can see below. I like strawberry chunks in my jam, but you do need enough thoroughly crushed strawberries mixed in with it to give you the “jammy” base you need.
- Combine ¼ cup of sugar with the Certo.
- Mix the sugar/certo with the crushed strawberries, gently. This isn’t mentioned in the directions in Certo, but you can get air bubbles and make the jam too frothy if you stir too hard. Learn from my mistakes.
- Let the jam sit for 30 minutes and stir gently once in a while.
- After 30 minutes add the rest of the sugar and stir for 3 minutes. I did not add the whole 3 cups, I would add 2 cups then adjust to your taste. Mine was just perfect with slightly over 2 cups, and it still set perfectly.
- The Certo directions say not to adjust the amount of sugar, so try at your own risk. Mine set wonderfully, but perhaps it was a fluke.
- When the sugar is dissolved, pour it into your containers and fill to about ¼ inch from the top. Cover and let the jam set for 24 hours at room temperature.
- I used large containers which isn’t recommended but it was all that I had. The jam will stay for 3 weeks in the refrigerator and last 6-8 months in the freezer. Small containers are perfect for pulling out of the freezer and using in the fridge.
- Recipes for different fruit jams are found right inside the Certo box, so pick one up and have fun! I am going to try Saskatoon jam next.
- A couple more tips:
- Do not double the recipe.
- Use fresh, ripe fruit or thawed frozen fruit.
thekitchenmagpie
thekitchenmagpie
thekitchenmagpie
thekitchenmagpie
thekitchenmagpie
thekitchenmagpie
Thank you for the response. Man, thats a lot of sugar. My teeth hurt just reading it ...lol
I enjoy less sugar. Would cutting the sugar in half cause a problem with the recipe? Thank you, Tony M
The consistency won't be the same, so it depends what you are looking for. The Certo needs sugar to set, so the jam will be less "jelly" like without that sugar in it. The problem is I also like less sugar in the jam, but like the jam to not be runny. It's on my to-do list to look into how to cut the sugar and keep the jam-like quality of it. When my jam was frozen then defrosted it wasn't the same as the fresh, THAT must have been a lack of sugar.
Kerr makes a low-or-no-sugar pectin which is designed for reducing the amount of sugar in jams. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm thinking about using it to make a stevia-sweetened jelly in the future..
Ohhhh...cool idea! I'm going to have to try this! Thanks for sharing. :)
Oh, I love freezer jam! I made strawberry last year that turned out great. I was too chicken to try lessening the sugar though, since it was my first attempt. I'll definitely have to try it next time, since it worked for you. :) Thanks!
I've never made freezer jam-but oh! I should. Thanks for posting a recipe for jam that isn't too daunting!