Freezer Jam – Grandpa Cooks

Freezer jam is an easy and delicious way to preserve the flavor of summer fruit without any heat needed!

Author Brandie @ The Country Cook

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 pounds fresh fruit
  - This recipe specifically used strawberries, tops sliced off and cut in half
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup water
- 1.75 ounce packet powdered fruit pectin (like Sure-Jell or Certo)

Instructions

- Place strawberries into a food processor and pulse them about 8-10 times to break them up. You still want to see some chunks (unless you want your jam to be super smooth). After they have been processed, you should end up with about 2 ½ cups of crushed strawberries.
- Place the crushed strawberries into a large bowl and add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, to the strawberries. Stir to combine; once the sugar is fully stirred in, add another cup and stir again. Continue this process until you’ve used all the sugar.
- Then stir in the vanilla extract. Let the strawberry mixture sit for about 10 minutes, then give it another stir. Note: this part of the process can take up to 2 hours. You’ll need to stir every 10-15 minutes to ensure it all gets dissolved. You can test it by putting a tiny bit of the liquid between your fingers, and if you feel any graininess, it’s not ready yet.
- Once the sugar is dissolved you can move onto the next step.
- In a small sauce pan, whisk together the water and the fruit pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once at a full boil, allow it to boil for a full minute while stirring constantly then take off the heat.
- Add the pectin mixture to the strawberries in the bowl and stir it in well.
- Lay out the clean jelly jars and pour in the strawberry jam evenly into each of them; leaving at least ½ inch headroom at the top of the jar as the mixture may expand when frozen.
- Wipe the rim of the jars with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel and the lids and screw on the bands.
- Let the jars sit out at room temperature for about 4 hours to cool completely, then place them in the refrigerator. They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks or freeze for up to a year.

Notes

- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions
- This is a thinner jam with chunky strawberries in it compared to our other jam recipes I have shared.
- You have to use fresh strawberries, frozen ones won’t turn out properly.
- No food processor, no problem! Just use a potato masher to mash it all up.
- If you want to preserve this, check out the instructions I shared a link to in the FAQ section.
- This lasts for about a month in the fridge, or 6 months in the freezer.
- Don’t cut down on the sugar, you need it to help set correctly.

Nutrition

Recipe courtesy of www.thecountrycook.net

Modified (and untested) by GrandpaCooks. Preferably use Strawberries.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What’s the difference between freezer jam and regular jam?

Unlike regular jams, freezer jam does not need to be cooked on the stove. Note: It’s called freezer jam but it doesn’t have to be frozen. You can keep it in your refrigerator. Freezer jam also typically contains chunks of fruit since it’s not boiled.

Do you have to boil jars for freezer jam?

Only if you plan on preserving them to store in your pantry. But it is obviously a good idea to use clean cars with new lids and rings. I just clean all my jars in the dishwasher before using.

Is pectin necessary for freezer jam?

Yes. You can usually find pectin in the baking aisle near other cake supplies or if your store has an aisle dedicated to canning and preserving, you’ll find it there. Look for a box of dry powdered pectin (see my ingredient image below so you’ll have an idea of what to look for). Pectin can also be purchased online. If you’re in the United States, the two most common brands are Certo and Sure-Jell.

Can I make this sugar free?

You can certainly buy pectin that is specifically made for jams that will be lower in sugar or no sugar. However, I have never made this with any sugar substitutes so I’m not really familiar with the options. My guess is it is certainly possible, I’ve just never tested it. If you have recommendations, please leave them in the comments below!

Can I preserve this freezer jam?

Sure, you can process this longer storage. Use the directions here for proper canning procedures.

How long does freezer jam last?

This strawberry freezer jam will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks, or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Why is this jam thinner?

This freezer jam may be a bit thinner than you might expect. Like most freezer jams, they are not super thick because the strawberries are not cooked down with pectin and sugar to thicken the mixture. By avoiding boiling the berries, the jam retains a super fresh and fruity taste.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

No worries, instead use a potato masher to mash the strawberries up a bit. It will just take a bit longer. I don’t recommend a blender since most blenders tend to chop up what is only on the bottom and may not crush them up evenly but use your best judgement.

Can I use frozen berries?

Unfortunately, it won’t work well with this particular recipe. Frozen strawberries have too much moisture and wouldn’t let this jam set properly since we’re not cooking it on the stove like a traditional jam. If you want to use frozen berries, try my other Strawberry Jam which can be made with fresh or frozen strawberries and uses Jell-O instead of pectin.

How much jam does this make?

This will make about 4 1/2 (11 ounce) jelly jars or a little over 6 (8 ounce) jelly jars.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

fresh strawberries – as I state above, it needs to be fresh strawberries. Please see my other jam recipes if you want to use frozen.
granulated sugar – Please see my FAQ above about sugar substitutes.
vanilla extract – this just adds a layer of flavor but you can leave it out or use strawberry extract.
powdered fruit pectin – I haven’t tried this with liquid pectin. I’m sure it would work but I am not sure of the conversions.