Strawberry Freezer Jam (Refrigerator/Freezer Only, Not Shelf-Stable)

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1IMPORTANT: This is a freezer jam, not a shelf-stable canned product; it is never processed in a boiling-water canner and must always be kept refrigerated or frozen, unlike the other recipes in this collection.
2. 2Wash 5 clean half-pint plastic freezer containers or wide-mouth glass freezer jars (with straight sides, not shoulders, if using glass, so the jam can expand without cracking the jar) in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and dry completely; these do not need to be sterilized or heated since the jam will not be heat-processed.
3. 3Wash and hull 2 pounds of fresh strawberries, then crush them with a potato masher (leaving small soft chunks is fine) to measure exactly 4 cups of crushed fruit.
4. 4In a large bowl, stir together the crushed strawberries and the 3 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice.
5. 5In a separate small bowl, thoroughly whisk together the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and the entire box of instant freezer jam pectin until well combined, following the exact proportions on the pectin package, since freezer-jam pectin formulations vary by brand.
6. 6Add the sugar-pectin mixture to the crushed strawberries and stir constantly, by hand or with a mixer on low speed, for exactly 3 minutes (or the time specified on the pectin package), until the sugar and pectin are fully dissolved; the mixture will thicken slightly as you stir but will not be heated or boiled.
7. 7Ladle the jam into the clean freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace in each container to allow for expansion as the jam freezes.
8. 8Wipe the rims clean, snap on the lids securely, and let the filled containers stand at room temperature on the counter for 24 to 48 hours, until the jam has visibly thickened and set to a soft-gel consistency.
9. 9Label each container with the contents and the date.
10. 10Store containers you will use within about 3 weeks in the refrigerator; freeze any remaining containers, where the jam will keep well for up to 1 year, and thaw a container in the refrigerator before use.
11. 11This jam is never shelf-stable and must never be stored at room temperature for long-term storage or treated as a canned, pantry-stable product like the boiling-water-bath jams and jellies elsewhere in this collection.
12. 12For safety and proper set, do not alter the ratio of crushed fruit, sugar, and instant pectin specified by the pectin manufacturer, and do not attempt to can this particular jam in a boiling-water bath, since it is formulated and tested only for refrigerator/freezer storage.