This week the kids and I ventured out to do some strawberry picking. My goal was to make Strawberry Jam and to also freeze some more for this winter. Freezing fresh strawberries is easy, keep reading to find out how, and also how to make deliciously fresh homemade Strawberry Jam.

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Published June 30, 2023
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Why can your own jam?

So, with nothing on my “to-do” list, I made jam! It really is simple, as long as you have the right tools. Do not be afraid to try canning, trust me, homemade jam is SO much better tasting that store bought jam. Canning your own jam is additionally cheaper than buying store-bought jars.

First thing you need to can, are jars. I love wide mouth jars for jam. It makes it easier to get every last drop out. I invested in jars about 8 years ago and was so glad I did! They have risen in price so much since then! It is insane. I love having a canning funnel, jar lifter, magnet, canning pot, and canning rack. Having a large enough pot is essential. 6-Quart or larger is best as the jam can expand while cooking.

To save money on buying canning supplies, try looking at a second-hand store or thrift shop as you can often find huge pots to use for processing your jam or jelly. A brand new 6-Quart pot can be well over fifty dollars, and if you find one slightly used at Goodwill for under twenty, you have just saved yourself thirty dollars!

Cost Breakdown for Strawberry Jam

Store bought strawberry jam is so expensive in my opinion, and if you are like me and want to cut costs, making food from scratch is the way to go! When you buy jars of jam, or jelly, from the store, you pay for only what you buy. The joy of canning your own jam is for the time invested and the ingredients you then have many jars available to use. Personally, I have never canned an amount less than ten jars of jam.

The price for one jar of strawberry jam is $2.55 at a local grocery store, which is for the ALDI brand. Typically, our family does not like jelly and lean more on the side of jam for our desired consistency and texture. Click for the link for Sure Jell from Amazon.

If you were to buy your own ingredients for canning jam, the prices are similar to buying a jar of jam.
2-pound bag of sugar is $2.65
1 package of Sure Jell Fruit Pectin is $3.39
All of my jars were no cost as I already had them. Win!!!

The cost for each jar of Strawberry jam was $0.65 for strawberries.

Since 2021, the prices for canning supplies have jumped so high. I recently updated this post and did update my numbers to reflect the increased prices. The price of a 2-pound bag of sugar has gone up thirty cents while the Sure Jell has gone up one dollar.

These prices are from 2021.

Prep the jars

Prepping the jars and other items you will be using, ahead of canning, is the most important step. Making sure the jars are washed in warm water, or sterilized, helps cut down on bacteria and harmful things that can end up in your jam.

When canning jam, for the cooked jam version, doing a 10-minute water bath is also a key step in making sure the jars AND jam is safe. Make sure you read the directions on the Sure Jell Fruit Pectin instructions for how to properly prepare your jars ahead of time.

Procure the Strawberries

Strawberry season in Wisconsin is a win this year. This week, three of our kids and I went to Glendale Farms, a local strawberry farm, to pick our crop. You-Pick strawberries cost $2.10 per pound there, and we purchased $78.00 worth of strawberries. We picked 37.14 pounds of strawberries. Not bad for a few hours work!

To keep them fresh, even when a double batch used 8.8 pounds, we still froze most of the berries in 4.4-pound bags.

To prep your berries, make sure they get washed and then the stems get cut out. A pairing knife works well for this.

Then, cut the strawberries in half and place in a freezer bag. When the bag is full, place it in the freezer until needed. Freezing fresh fruit can help you have the freshest fruit all year long.

Sadly, I am allergic to strawberries, so wearing these gloves while picking AND processing the fruit helps me to not have hives. Because, yes, I get hives from strawberries. The family loves Strawberry Jam, and giving it as gifts is amazing, so making it has become a tradition every few years.

Homemade from Scratch Strawberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients for Strawberry Jam

4.4 pounds Strawberries (5 cups)
7 Cups Sugar (needs to be an accurate measurement so the jam sets properly!!!)
1/2 tsp Butter
1 Package Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

Directions for Strawberry Jam

1. In a large pan, 6-Quart works perfect, place clean and cut in half strawberries and then add Sure Jell Pectin and butter, which helps cut down on the frothing.

Feel free to use a potato masher to help smash the strawberries into smaller bits.

2. Bring the fruit to a boil over high heat making sure to stir constantly.

3. Add the measured sugar and stir well until you feel the sugar dissolved, then bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.

4. Remove the pot from heat and then skim off any froth that has formed on the top, then ladle into sterilized pint jars with a canning funnel leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles from the jam by sliding a knife along the edges.
This long green tool is magnetic and is so helpful to remove lids and seals from the hot water bath prior to sealing your jars. The tongs are rubber tipped for a non-slip grip on any size can. Both are my essential tools used while canning.

To make sure air bubbles have not been trapped inside the jar, run a bubble popper around the edges of the jar, gently shifting the food, so that any trapped air is released. Convenient measure marks on one end for measuring the head space in your jars to avoid overfilling.

6. Wipe all of the rims clean with a clean and damp towel.

7. Place lids on jar and screw on bands until fingertip tight. Do not tighten the lids all the way!

8. Place jars in a canner rack and then carefully place rack into canner with simmering water. Make sure the water is 1 to 2-inches above the jar lids.

9. Bring to a boil and then process the Strawberry Jam jars for 10 minutes.

10. Remove the jars from the water using a jar lifter tongs and rest until cool on a towel or cooling rack.

11. After 24 hours, check lids to make sure they popped. If not, that jar can go right into the fridge. If sealed properly, store in a cool dry place, remember to additionally add a date and name on the jar so you know what is inside.

Enjoy!
~Monica

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