Making strawberry freezer jam is simple and straightforward, and takes only about 45 minutes to make - including the time it takes to prep the strawberries!
Rinse clean freezer containers and lids with boiling water.Clean and hull the berries. The hull is the white part attached to the leaves at the top of the berry. We use a strawberry huller to do this; however, you can also hull strawberries with a small, sharp paring knife. Remove the hull and discard.
Using a potato masher, squish the cleaned strawberries a cup or so at a time. You can also break down the berries in a blender or food processor; however, if you prefer, pulse rather than pulverize them.
Measure out exactly 3¼ cups of mashed berries into a large mixing bowl.
Measure out exactly 4½ cups of white sugar into a medium bowl, and then set it aside.Do not put the sugar into the berry mix yet.
Measure out lemon juice. Stir the lemon juice into the mashed strawberries.
Sprinkle the pectin on top of the strawberry and lemon juice mixture and stir it in. Do this a little at a time to avoid little pectin lumps in the jam mixture.Stir the strawberry and pectin every five minutes or so, for 30 minutes total.
Once the pectin has been stirred in for 30 minutes, begin adding the sugar a little at a time, stirring after each addition.Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved; about 5 minutes. Test the mixture between a finger and thumb to confirm that all the sugar has dissolved.By the time the sugar has completely dissolved, the jam will have thickened a little. Don't worry if it is still runny though - it takes about 24 hours to achieve optimum jamminess.
Pour freezer jam into freezer-safe containers, leaving a half-inch headroom.
Allow your strawberry freezer jam to to sit out for 24 hours to allow it to fully set up before putting it in the freezer.Hint: You do not need to wait 24 hours to eat it - it's ready right away!
Notes
1 Tablespoon = 1 servingFreezer jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, and in the freezer for up to a year.IMPORTANT: This tutorial is written for use with MCP Regular Pectin. If you use any other kind of pectin, please consult the directions provided. The process is generally the same; however, the amounts may differ slightly.