There is nothing sweeter than the strawberry season. Enjoy Strawberry Freezer Jam with Sure-Jell all winter! The pop of a fresh strawberry straight from the field can be used on toast all year long.
Enjoy ripe, flavorful strawberries picked at their peak all year long. This homemade strawberry freezer jam is the same one I made with my mom. I am now teaching my kids how to make this strawberry jam, too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Classic Freezer Jam Recipe
- Quick And Easy
- Lasts All Year Stored In The Freezer
Featured Ingredients
- Ripe Strawberries - Freshly picked ripe berries are the best.
- Sugar - White granulated sugar.
- Sure-Jell Pectin - The yellow box.
- Water - Good ole H2O
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash and dry the mason glass jars or freezer-friendly plastic containers with covers.
Step 2: Wash the strawberries and remove the hull. Discard the strawberry stems.
In my house, this is a kid-friendly job. I give them a straw, and they push the hull right off through the bottom of the berry. It works like a charm, and everyone gets to help!
Step 3: In a large bowl, mash strawberries with a potato masher.
Step 4: Measure the exact amount of sugar in a large bowl. Do not reduce the sugar, or it will not work.
Step 5: Add the crushed berries to the sugar. Set the timer for ten minutes. Stir this mixture every other minute. Stirring the mixture will help dissolve the sugar, which is what you want. Nobody wants a grainy jam.
Step 6: In a small saucepan, add the water and the Sure-Jell fruit pectin. Bring the water to a boil. Stir constantly. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute. Remove from heat.
Step 7: After ten minutes, add the pectin mixture to the strawberry mixture.
Step 8: Stir constantly for three minutes. It is ok if a few sugar crystals remain.
Step 9: Fill the containers immediately, leaving at least ½ inch space on the top because the mixture will expand during freezing.
Step 10: Let the covered jam containers stand at room temperature for twenty-four hours. Refrigerate for up to three weeks. Or freeze for up to 1 year. However, after a year, I found a rogue jar in our freezer, which is still delicious! Thaw the jam before eating.
Tips and Tricks
Shortcut Idea: Use an immersion blender or a food processor to crush the strawberries. Just be aware the "electric methods" can quickly obliterate any strawberry pieces, and the berries will become liquid. You want small bits of fruit in your strawberry jam, just like what you buy from the grocery store.
Variations
Less Sugar Sure-Jell: An excellent option for a low-sugar strawberry freezer jam and can be found in the pink Sure-Jell box. It uses less sugar and more crushed strawberries. This type of fruit pectin is dissolved with the sugar in a medium saucepan, boiled, and added to the fruit.
Liquid Sure-Jell (Certo) - This is my favorite way to use fruit pectin. There is no water to boil, and it uses lemon juice, which I love! Liquid pectin has fewer steps. It also has the same amount of sugar as the yellow box of fruit pectin. Also, something worth noting, there are two pouches of liquid pectin in one box, so two batches of freezer jam per box. For complete instructions, review Strawberry Jam With Certo recipe.
Storing and Freezing
Store: Because this is a freezer jam and has not been canned in a water bath or pressure cooker, it must be kept in the freezer until you are ready to use it. Defrost before using.
Freeze: Jam can be kept in the freezer for a year. After a year, the quality of the jam will begin to deteriorate.
FAQs
The strawberry freezer jam needs to sit at room temperature for twenty-four hours to allow the pectin to be fully set.
It could be ratio between fruit and sugar was off. Or the sugar didn’t fully dissolve. Another option is the pectin was expired.
It will last in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Truthfully, it is a lot of sugar combined with fresh fruit and Sure-Jell fruit pectin. In order for freezer jam to work, you need to use the exact amount of sugar the recipe calls for. This will ensure it will set up and preserve the fresh strawberry flavor.
The little boxes of Sure-Jell have been around since 1934. That is many, many batches of jam! Sure-Jell creates a homemade, easy strawberry freezer jam recipe that lets you know exactly what ingredients are the jam you put on your toast!
Yellow Box of Sure-Jell - is the original.
Pink Box of Sure-Jell - is the lower sugar option. It is formulated to use less sugar.
Blue Box of Sure-Jell (Certo) is liquid pectin, has fewer steps than the other two options of Sure-Jell, and uses lemon juice in its recipe.
How To Use Strawberry Jam
- Pour jam over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Add jam to strawberry shortcake.
- Pour it over Swedish oven pancakes.
- Use it as one of the toast topper options.
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Strawberry Freezer Jam with Sure-Jell
Equipment
- Potato Masher
- Mason Jars or Plastic Freezer Containers
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh, ripe strawberries crushed
- 4 cups white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 box Sure-Jell, Yellow Box (Note 1)
Instructions
- Wash and dry the mason glass jars or freezer-friendly plastic containers with covers. Set aside.
- Wash the strawberries. Remove the hull and stems from the strawberries and discard.
- In a large bowl, mash strawberries with a potato masher.
- In another large bowl, add the sugar. Make sure it is exactly 4 cups of white sugar. Any less and the jam will not set.
- Next, add the crushed strawberries to the sugar. Stir. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the water and the Sure-Jell packet of pectin to a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- After 10 minutes, add the saucepan Sure-Jell mixture to the fruit sugar mixture. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. This will dissolve the sugar and create the jam. It is okay if a few sugar crystals remain.
- Using a ladle and a wide funnel, fill the jars immediately. Leave at least ½ inch space on the top because the jam will expand during freezing. Add the covers and set aside.
- Let the covered jam containers stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Then refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.
- If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before using.
Gail says
You didn’t give me any proportions, such as how much sugar, or how much fruit
Venessa says
If you look at the recipe card there are the measurements for how much sugar, crushed strawberries, water for one box of Sure-Jell (yellow box). If you are looking proportions for the other Sure-Jell boxes, such as the low sugar (pink box) or the liquid Sure-Jell (Certo) look at the measurements on the box. The instructions and measurements in this recipe are for the yellow box of Sure-Jell. Does this help answer your question?
-Venessa
Jennifer says
I have kiwi to use up can I use kiwi and strawberries and make the crushed amount for both total 2 cups and use the same amount of sugar etc and make the same way? Or even use with peaches in season? Thank you!
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi Jennifer,
The kiwi and strawberry combination sounds great! I would try it - just make sure you keep the ratios of sugar and fruit the same. I have never tried peaches and I do not know how much mashed peaches you need for the correct ratios. Although it sounds delicious. Give it a try - even if it doesn't set you will have a great ice cream topping. 🙂 - Venessa
Joy Lohman says
How many cups do you use when using the pink box? I know the yellow box says 2 cups strawberries and 4 cups sugar. All the directions say 2 quarts strawberries and 3 cups sugar. So how many cups of strawberries do I use?
Venessa Mandelkow says
Hi Joy-
For the Sure-Jell Pink Box (Low Sugar) you will need 4 cups of crushed strawberries and 3 cups of sugar. It will make about 6 cups of strawberry jam. Start with 8 cups of whole strawberries. I will create a low sugar Sure-Jell recipe with instructions during the next fresh strawberry season! - Venessa
Mary says
Why do NOT have these directions on the BOX!!!!!!!!!!
Venessa Mandelkow says
Mary -
I am not affiliated with the Sure-Jell company and no idea why the directions are no longer on the box.
-Venessa