Discover the unmatched taste of homemade strawberry jam with fresh, organic strawberries. Perfect for spreading on bread, PB&J sandwiches, and homemade english muffins. Learn the benefits of preserving and canning for your family.
As the days grow warmer here on the farmstead, our organic strawberries are just a few weeks away from being ripe. We’ve dedicated a plot specifically for strawberry jam and an everbearing plot for enjoying these delicious berries all summer. For our large family, canning our preserves is a must. We use strawberry jam on everything from toasted bread and PB&J sandwiches to smothering on homemade English muffins.
A Taste That’s Simply Unmatched by Store Brands.
Homemade strawberry jam offers a taste far superior to store-bought versions. Fresh strawberries provide a natural sweetness and vibrant flavor that can’t be replicated by anything found on a supermarket shelf. Each spoonful of homemade jam bursts with the essence of ripe strawberries, delivering a deliciously sweet and slightly tart experience perfect for various dishes.
Why These Ingredients?
- Fresh Strawberries: The key to exceptional strawberry jam is using fresh, ripe strawberries. Our farm's organic strawberries are grown without pesticides, ensuring they are as healthy as they are flavorful. Fresh strawberries contain natural pectin, which helps thicken the jam naturally without adding preservatives. Their peak ripeness enhances the jam's sweetness and depth of flavor, creating a preserve that genuinely captures the essence of summer.
- Sugar: Sugar is essential in jam-making, not only for sweetness but also for preservation. It helps to set the jam and ensures it has a smooth, spreadable consistency. Additionally, sugar acts as a natural preservative, extending the shelf life of your homemade jam. Controlling the sugar you use can create a perfect jam that suits your taste preferences.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a touch of acidity, balancing the strawberries' sweetness and enhancing their natural flavor. It also helps activate the fruit's pectin, aiding in the setting process. The slight tang from the lemon juice adds a refreshing brightness to the jam, making it even more irresistible.
The Benefits of Preserving and Canning Your Fresh Strawberry Jam.
Canning your strawberry jam has numerous benefits, especially for a large family. It allows you to enjoy the taste of fresh strawberries year-round, long after the harvest season has ended. Canning is a beautiful way to preserve your garden's bounty, ensuring no fruit goes to waste. It also provides you with the satisfaction of knowing what's in your food—no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. Home-canned strawberry jam is incredibly versatile. It's perfect for spreading on toasted bread, creating classic PB&J sandwiches, or topping homemade English muffins. It can also be used in baking, as a filling for cakes and pastries, or even as a topping for ice cream and yogurt. The possibilities are endless, and having a pantry stocked with homemade jam makes meal and snack preparation much more manageable.
Why Swap out the Store Brands to Make It at Home?
Making strawberry jam at home is more than just a culinary project; it’s a way of embracing sustainable living and returning to basics. Here on the homestead, we grow a year’s worth of food, practicing self-sufficiency and reducing our reliance on mainstream grocery stores. Making our jams and jellies ensures that our family enjoys the freshest, healthiest ingredients while minimizing our environmental impact. Growing and preserving our food is an enriching experience that connects us to the land and the homesteading traditions. It’s a practice that fosters a greater appreciation for the food we eat and the work that goes into growing it. Plus, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of seeing jars of your homemade jam lined up in the pantry, ready to nourish your family throughout the year.
Now is the perfect time to start if you’ve never made your strawberry jam. My easy and authentic Strawberry Jam recipe is in my Back to Basics ebook. With strawberry season just around the corner, you can capture the fresh, vibrant flavors of the fruit and enjoy them all year long. The process is simple, and the rewards are immense. Whether you’re an experienced canner or a novice looking to try something new, homemade strawberry jam is a delightful and delicious endeavor.
Next time you find a bounty of ripe strawberries, consider turning them into homemade jam!
Kathe says
Do you know of jam recipes using a sweetener other than sugar? My husband is diabetic and there just aren't enough choices in the stores. Thanks much.
tinyfarmbigfamily says
I am not sure of any. However, there is low sugar pectin that you can probably use with honey.
TAMERA LE BARRE says
I'm diabetic also and have found that using Truvia sugar. It is a specific one for baking, the bag is mainly white with purple lettering. It's still sugar but doesn't raise my # much. If you do go this route remember that you DO NOT use the same amount as regular sugar, it's a bit less.