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Monday, January 25, 2010

Homemade Strawberry Jam



It’s really not that hard. Really! Don’t you believe me?

I completely understand that the idea of making jam is daunting. Especially after seeing people pull jars out of boiling pans of water with tongs and all this worry about food safety.



But I have found a solution. Make a small batch of this jam, put it in a jar in the fridge, and eat it all week. Then, do it again. It’s not hard. I promise.



Because, in this case, this isn’t an exercise in preserving fruit—it’s an exercise in soul therapy. The idea that every morning (or night) when you eat your toast with jam, that you are tasting your own sweet success. Oh, and did I mention you can eat this drizzled in yogurt or on sugar or shortbread cookies?



Plus, I made this jam super simple. It just uses fresh strawberries, sugar (and I might add here that I used MUCH less sugar than the normally recommended quantity which is equal to ½ of the amount of fruit you put in, which in this case would have been 350 grams!!!), and a little special touch…some lemon and lemon zest. What could be easier?

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Makes about 2 cups of Jam
750 grams Strawberries, washed with stems removed (make sure they are ripe)
100 grams White Sugar
Zest of ½ Lemon
Juice of ½ Lemon

Mash all ingredients together in a pot. Don't worry about the mixture being a little chunky! It will make nice fruit bits throughout the jam.
Simmer for 30 minutes, skimming occasionally. After 30 minutes, remove from heat and let cool for about 30 minutes. Put jam into clean jars and cool completely. Place lid on and place in the fridge. It’s that simple! Will keep for about 1 week.

3 comments:

  1. I love homemade jam but it scares me! I admit it. It's a lot like candy making which scares me too. But I am working through those fears and I made my own strawberry rhubarb jam in the summer and wow, tastes like summer. Nothing better.

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  2. There is nothing better then homemade jam. Last yr. I made Peach, Cherry, Strawberry and Blueberry. THis yr. I can't wait to make more...

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  3. All of the boiling and sterilizing has always turned me off of making jam, but you're right - I need to make a small amount at a time so I don't have to deal with that part. This is a great way to use the sweet strawberries fo the season.

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