Jam (recipe)
Soft ripe strawberries, hulled and powdered fruit pectin come together in this dish — 55 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: not verified. We could not confirm soft strawberries, fruit pectin from the ingredient list, so we make no dietary claim for this recipe.
Contains: Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Before you begin, place a small plate in the freezer to use for testing the set, and sterilise two clean jars and their lids by washing in hot soapy water and drying in a low oven.
- Crush the hulled strawberries in a wide heavy-bottomed pan with a potato masher, leaving a few small chunks for texture, then stir in the lemon juice and the pectin until evenly combined.
- Bring the fruit to a full rolling boil over high heat that cannot be stirred down, then add all the sugar at once and stir constantly until it has completely dissolved.
- Return the jam to a hard boil and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent catching, then add the knob of butter, which helps disperse any foam on the surface.
- Test the set by spooning a little jam onto the chilled plate and pushing it with a fingertip after 30 seconds; it is ready when the surface wrinkles, otherwise boil for another minute or two and test again.
- Remove from the heat, let the jam stand for 5 minutes so the fruit suspends evenly, then ladle into the warm sterilised jars, seal immediately, and leave to cool fully before storing in a cool dark place or the refrigerator once opened.
You'll use: Oven · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Jam (recipe) take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 5 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Jam (recipe) suitable for my diet?
We make no dietary claim for this recipe: at least one ingredient could not be resolved to a definite plant or animal source, so labelling it either way would be a guess. The full ingredient list is above.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Jam (recipe) is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Redcurrant jam recipe 11.jpg by Pohled 111, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.