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How to Make Jam

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Inside: How to Make Jam

Last summer I had a huge crop of figs. Quickly, I learned how to make jam. I ended up making over a dozen jars of fig jam. If you visited me last summer, you were going home with a jar of homemade fig jam.

Now that I no longer have a fig tree and am down to the last bit of fig jam {fi-nuh-lee}, it is time for a change.

When we were moving a couple of weeks ago, I had to empty the freezer and found a bunch of strawberries that I had frozen about a month before. Yippee ~ no more fig jam.

And, while I’m at it ~ no more jars of jam. Instead, I am all on board with making a small batch of jam. That’s right, one jar at a time. And, it is so fast and easy I am never going back to putting up jam for the rest of my life.

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam

Add 3 C. of sliced strawberries into a wide pan. Using something like a skillet will help the moisture evaporate quickly.

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

Add 1 C. Coconut Sugar. (affiliate) Coconut sugar is full of minerals and vitamins. In addition, it has a very low glycemic index and is minimally processed. This makes it perfect for jams and jellies.

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

Add in 2 T. Lemon Juice

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

On the stove, turn the burner to high and start cooking. Stir constantly for 5-8 minutes. I use a potato masher to crush the strawberries while they cook. It helps break them down faster.

Test the jam’s readiness by dropping a small amount onto a chilled plate. If it remains firm, the jam is ready. If it’s runny, keep cooking for another 2 minutes.

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

Once the jam shows signs of firming, carefully pour into a sterilized jar. It is best to have a canning funnel for this since the jam is so hot. Check the canning aisle at Walmart ~ they are very inexpensive.

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

At this point you can use traditional water bath canning for storage. Since this is a single batch of jam, I am going to put mine in a sterilized jar and, once cooled, it will go into the fridge. We will start using it right away.

Yield: 15 Servings

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam

The Easiest 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam Ever

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 C. Fresh Strawberries (sliced)
  • 1 C. Coconut Sugar
  • 2 T. Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions

  1. Add strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice into a wide pan. This will allow excess water to evaporate.
  2. Turn heat to high and start cooking. Stir constantly for 5-8 minutes. You can test jam’s readiness by dropping a small amount onto a chilled plate. If it remains firm, the jam is ready. If it is runny, keep cooking for 2 more minutes.
  3. Use a funnel to transfer to a sterilized jar. Once in jar, refrigerate and use right away.
  4. You can also use a traditional water bath canning method to store long term.

Notes

Adapted from: http://cookingupastory.com/small-batch-fresh-strawberry-jam

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 61Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 0g

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73 Comments

  1. This is a great way to make a jar of jam. I have ripe peaches. Do you think I could make peach jam or nectarine jam the same way as the strawberry jam?
    Thank you for sharing
    Irene

    1. I am sure it would work just as well. I think the trick will be in cooking out a lot of the moisture ~ which is different in each fruit. Keep us posted. I’ve love to know how it turns out.

  2. hope you don’t mind, I pinned you to pinterest, there is alot of people repinning your jam. I’m sure you’ll get more people to join. Plus I look forward to all your email. I’ve learned a few things so far about different feet for the sewing machine.
    TKS
    Kathy

  3. I’ve never heard of coconut sugar! Looks wonderful and easy for a beginner jam maker (me)!
    popping over from a peek into my paradise party
    Cheers
    Christina

    1. Once you start using coconut sugar you will never go back. No sugar spikes, no hyper kids, and loaded with essential vitamins and minerals.

      1. I have just made the jam and it’s fricking DELICIOUS!! Thanks for the recipe!! Just wondering how long you think it will keep in the fridge?
        Cheers!

    1. They sell large bags of coconut sugar at Costco. Smaller containers can be found at health food grocery stores, Whole Foods, etc.

    1. I understand about the being ‘done’ with putting up a year’s supply. Now I’m all about small batch.

  4. Wow, I love how easy and delicious this looks! I like how you showed the step by step process too, I’ve always wondered how to make my own jam. Definitely going to try this!

  5. This looks delicious and so easy to make! I’ve got strawberries in my freezer, too, that I picked about 3 weeks ago, so I’ll definitely have to try making this jam! Thanks for the recipe!

  6. Hi there,

    Just wondering how long this jam would last approx?? I don’t want to make too big a batch and it go off… also can it be frozen??

    xx

  7. I’ve been looking for jam recipes with coconut sugar!! Thank you!!!! Do you think I could substitute coconut sugar for any jam or is it only for this recipe? I’m still new to canning and I’m not sure what the long term storage effects would be. If any with the coconut sugar

    1. Since this recipe is for a single batch I’m not sure about how long a properly canned recipe would last. The coconut sugar should work with any jam. I’m planning to do some peach jam this week.

  8. Thanks I was just curious cause my canning book says you have to use only the sugars labeled and its just too much white sugar I can’t deal with that lol I love my coconut sugar and want to can with it but wasn’t sure if its the same

  9. Hi there! I have been searching and searching for a recipe for raspberry jam without white sugar and would love to use coconut sugar ! This is the closest thing I could find. I’ve been canning jam for a few years now and am wondering if I would use the same amount of coconut sugar as white sugar? Any advice, much appreciated!!!

  10. Hi – I’m actually looking for a freezer jam recipe (using coconut sugar) for my small batch of figs, but I couldn’t find it on your website? Thanks much!

  11. I just made this and it is perfect. I had som BALL brand freezer plastic containers and used those. The recipe made enough for 2 of them and one is now in the freezer and the other in the fridge. I had to try it before it even had time to really set up but it is perfect. I really wanted to find a good recipe for jam with coconut sugar and this is the only one that truly fit the bill.

    As another blogger stated, DO NOT leave the dishes until later. The coconut sugar makes the jam stick even worse than regular sugar does! You must rinse out the pan and utensils immediately after use. I let them sit while I finished up putting them into containers and the strawberry mixture was stuck so completely to the utensils I had to soak them for quite a while to get them clean!

    Thanks for a great post.

  12. Hi Leslie, I scoured the internet for recipes that don’t use refined sugar and was so inspired by your 3 ingredient recipe! I’ve made jam all my life but have followed a Paleo life style for 3 years, so sugar and pectin are now a “don’t”.
    Our plum tree is full, so I used those instead of strawberries. I was short of coconut sugar so I added a bit of maple syrup, and just for fun I also added about a tablespoon of liquid ginger. The result is outstanding! The jam is so flavorful and not overly sweet. Thank you for giving me that extra push to make jam!
    Laura

    1. It really depends on the actual amount of strawberries and any extra liquid you would use. However, 2 cups is a good estimate.

  13. I’ve been jamming since 2006 and experiment constantly with different fruits and sweeteners but didn’t discover coconut sugar until this year. Have found that it adds a distinct “burnt” flavor. Almost like caramel. It is also a bit sweeter than regular sugar, although they say that it is a 1 to 1 measure, be careful if you don’t like too sweet. It also adds a dark brown color that you might not like for peach jam. Couldn’t see the difference in color with blackberry but in peach, well it’s a bit odd color. I’ve also used coco sugar with apple jam- caramel flavor works better with apple and the color is very Fall. Light tan apples floating in a base of dark brown. Just think about how you are using it – it has a different flavor and definitely darker than regular sugar. It also costs more than regular sugar but you may find organic coconut sugar in Costco as I did.

    1. I agree. We have come to love, love, love the caramel-y flavor that coconut sugar adds to food. Best part, no blood sugar spikes. We’ve gotten so used to it, that when we eat something super sweet, it’s almost too much.

  14. Can coconut sugar be used when canning jams and are there recipes somewhere online? Thanks for any help you can give. Thanks for a great tutorial!

    1. They are similar, but two different products. Coconut sugar is from the coconut palm tree. That’s why it can be confusing.

  15. I am wanting to can a batch of healthy-we jam and this looks like a winner. Love that it uses coco sugar. I am concerned, though, that it won’t set up in the canning process without pectin or chia seeds. Just looking for some reassurance. Thanks!

  16. I’m writing to simply thank you for this! I’ve made it 5 times in a row so far, small batches and stays fresh! I have used half the amount of coconut sugar as I like them less sweet, they’re perfect every time, I love simple ingredients. have a great day!

  17. I’m so excited to find this recipe! I just started the autoimmune protocol. Just tried making my first loaf of grain-free “bread” and was hoping to find something jam-like to put on it. This looks perfect! Since I’m totally new to this process (have literally never made jam) – it looks to my eye like there is water added to the strawberries in the first step. Is that not the case? Just pure 3 ingredients and the liquid comes from cooking the strawberries down? Thanks for your help!

  18. I’m curious why you say to use plastic instead of glass to put this in the freezer. As long as you don’t put the glass in extreme temperatures right after the other it should be fine. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity.

  19. I made this jam for my son in law, he has lymes and can not have sugar, he loved it! Do you think I could use this recipe using rhubarb?

    1. I’ve never used rhubarb in anything, so I can’t really say definitively. But, I’d try it.

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