homemade strawberry jam

Strawberry season is one of my favorite times of year.  The berry choices in northern California are superb.  Every farm has different options which feature distinct flavor profiles and all seem to taste best when you sample them right at the market when the sample basket has been in the sunlight for a bit.

This year, the berries have tasted better than I can remember in recent years and so I've been buying them in huge quantities.  The are so beautiful!

I've wanted to make my own jam for a really long time, but have always been intimidated by the amount of time, effort and steps required by traditional preserving methods.  A friend recommended trying out a 'refrigerator jam' recipe.  These don't last as long, but they take less time and are truthfully so simple.  I am so trained to eat seasonally that making something fresh that will last right in season doesn't bother me.  Sure, it would be nice to crack open a jar in the middle of winter and be reminded of the flavor of summer, but for now, this will do.


Homemade Strawberry Refrigerator Jam
Adapted from Leite's Culinaria (which adapted from Tessa Kiros | Apples for Jam) and personal taste

2 pints of fresh strawberries (I prefer local & organic where available), rinsed and hulled
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar, more or less to taste*
Juice of 1 lemon

Process

1. Quarter the strawberries or, if they are large, cut them up into smaller slices.  Place them in a non-aluminum bowl, add the sugar and lemon juice, and toss them around to distribute everything evenly. Cover and let them rest overnight (or about 12 hours) in the fridge to draw out the berries’ juices.  Stir the mixture a couple of times to mix the flavor through.
2. After resting, drain off all the liquid from the strawberries into a large heavy-bottomed pan or wide saucepan. Add half of the strawberries and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until the juices are thickened somewhat, about 15 minutes. Let rest for at least 10 minutes.
3. At this point, you have a choice.  The original recipe recommends transferring the mix so far to a blender.  I found that I was able to obtain the consistency I wanted by simply mashing the mixture with a wooden spoon and/or potato masher.  Return the mixture to the pan, add the rest of the strawberries, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes more. To test if the jam is ready, drop a heaping teaspoonful onto a plate and slightly tilt the plate. The jam should not run off, but cling and slowly glide down. If the jam isn’t ready, put it back on the heat for a while. It should be a lovely red hue and look quite sticky.
4. Spoon the jam into small jars and refrigerate or spoon into resealable plastic containers and freeze. You need to keep it in the fridge and use it up fairly quickly.

*Note:  I made this with 1/2 cup of sugar, but the berries were so sweet naturally that this was almost too sweet for my personal taste.  I believe that you could always add more during the cooking process if needed, so start slowly.