Do you want to know how to make strawberry jam with frozen strawberries? If you’ve picked a huge batch of ripe, locally grown strawberries, chances are you do. While you can freeze fresh strawberries in a single layer on a plate before pureeing them (you don’t even need to thaw them out first), if they’re already frozen, they won’t work well in recipes like jams and jellies.

Frozen Strawberry Jam

I’ve never made jam before in my life, and suddenly got the urge to try. When I looked up recipes I realized I was lacking the exact ingredients called for, so I improvised with what I had, and the result was so fantastic, I just had to share! This recipe is pectin free and made with frozen berries.

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Recipe Summary

Prep:

5 mins

Cook:

20 mins

Total:

25 mins

Servings:

8

Yield:

1 jar

Ingredients

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Original recipe yields 8 servingsIngredient Checklist

• 2 (16 ounce) packages frozen sliced strawberries
• 3 squeezes lemon juice
• 1 cup granular sucralose sweetener (such as Splenda®), or to taste

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Place strawberries in a pot over low heat; add lemon juice. Mash with a potato masher as strawberries thaw. Stir in sweetener when strawberries are the consistency of your liking.
• Step 2Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Continue to cook until reduced and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Step 3While jam cooks, place a small plate in the freezer.
• Step 4Put a small amount of jam on the cold plate and run your finger straight through, dividing it in half. If the mixture runs back together, continue to cook until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes more; if it stays divided, jam is ready to serve.

Cook’s Note:

I put mine in a recycled jar. Since it’s going to be used, and not stored for a long period of time, you don’t need to boil jars and lids. You can store in any container in the fridge.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM

Easy to make, homemade strawberry jam with extra tips for using frozen strawberries, what to do if you don’t have a sugar thermometer and what to do if your jam doesn’t set.

Jam-making is one of those things that remind my of my childhood, or more specifically visiting my grandparents down in Devon. They lived up in the hills on the edge of a village and had a big garden full of homegrown goodies. At breakfast and tea time there was always a jar of homemade jam on the table whipped up by my Granny from something they’d grown (or blackberries we’d picked from along the lane). My absolute favourite was my Granny’s bramble jelly, made with apples and blackberries. I have a pile of her old cookbooks upstairs and I really need to go through and hunt out that particular recipe, as I’d love to try making it myself.

Strawberry jam is a fantastic way of using up a glut of strawberries (or in my case a lack of planning meaning I had a lot of frozen strawberries to use up – I really need to start checking what I have in before I go shopping!). I only recently started using frozen strawberries for jam after reading somewhere that it didn’t work and deciding that I wanted to give it a try (yes, I know that’s odd, but for some reason someone telling me I can’t do something makes me want to do it). It turns out that they were wrong and that frozen strawberries make excellent jam, you just need to tweek the cooking times a little bit to get all of the strawberry flavour out of them.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM

Easy to make, homemade strawberry jam with extra tips for using frozen strawberries, what to do if you don’t have a sugar thermometer and what to do if your jam doesn’t set.

Active Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Cooling & setting: 1 hour

Servings: 1 litre of jamCook Mode

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INGREDIENTS

• 700 g strawberries – I like my jam chunky so keep my strawberries whole, if you prefer it smoother then cut them into smaller pieces before you start
• 700 g jam sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Equipment

• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon – or similar
• Sugar thermometer – you can still make jam without one – I’ve added some extra tips below to tell you what to do
• Jars
• Jam Funnel – not essential but it’s much easier to get the jam into the jars without getting sticky if you have one

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place a medium-sized saucepan over a low heat and once the pan is hot add the strawberries (700g). Fry for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly, and then add the jam sugar (700g) and lemon juice (2 tsp).
• Stir all of the ingredients together. Continue stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved – you can tell if the sugar has dissolved by dipping a spoon in and looking at the back to see if any grains have stuck to it.
• Once all of the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat to medium/high. Let the jam bubble until it reaches 105ºC – make sure you move your thermometer around a bit to ensure it’s all at the right temperature.
• Once your jam has reached 105ºC pour it into sterilised jars (if using) and leave to set.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY PRESERVES WITH FROZEN STRAWBERRIES

Strawberry Preserves are super easy to make at home, but I have always made them with fresh strawberries… until now!

I wasn’t even sure if frozen strawberries could be used, but it turns out they work just fine when you follow a few simple instructions. So, grab those frozen strawberries and let’s learn how to make Strawberry Preserves with Frozen Strawberries!

This post isn’t going to be like most of mine are because I didn’t take pictures along the way. Mostly because I wasn’t sure it would work and secondly, I hate taking pictures in my kitchen… the lighting is horrible.

I also only tested this recipe once and a member of Ninja Foodi 101 tested it the second time for me. I’m rushing this one out right now because I know people are trying to use what they can find in stores and what they have on hand to make great food and I dont’ want to delay it.

I will update the post after I film the video and include more process shots, until then, here are the basics and the recipe.

I really hope you give this one a try and it’s delicious spread over this toasted No Yeast Bread (that is shown in the picture) It’s so delicious!

TIPS FOR MAKING STRAWBERRY PRESERVES USING FROZEN STRAWBERRIES

SUGAR VERSUS SUGAR SUBSTITUTES

Use real sugar in this recipe for the best outcome. If you want to try using a sugar substitute and aren’t used to making preserves or any kind of jams/jellies, make sure to get a low sugar powdered pectin and only substitute half of the sugar with a sugar substitute.

POWDERED PECTIN VERSUS LIQUID PECTIN

I used powdered pectin in this recipe, but I’m sure you can use liquid as well. The difference between the two are the order in which they are added. If you are using powdered pectin, you will follow the instructions in this recipe.

If you want to use liquid pectin, you will need to boil the strawberries with the water and sugar first. Bring it to a boil that can’t be stirred down and then add in the liquid pectin and bring back up to a boil that can’t be stirred down for one minute.

A general rule of thumb is to use 2 Tbsp of liquid pectin to replace 4 tsp of powdered. Please note that I have NOT tested this recipe using liquid pectin, but I think it will be just fine.

You can find powdered pectin at Walmart and some grocery stores, I linked to Amazon so you can see what the package looks like that I used, but please check your prices and make sure you don’t pay too much!

CAN I USE FROZEN BERRY MIXTURE INSTEAD OF JUST STRAWBERRIES.

Yes, you can. I haven’t tested this recipe that way, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work just fine.

DO I HAVE TO HAVE A THERMOMETER TO MAKE STRAWBERRY PRESERVES?

No, you don’t. I usually use one just to double check myself, but it can be done without one. The most important thing when making any type of jam/jelly/preserves or marmalade is bring the sugar to a high enough temperature that it gels. This is even more important when pectin isn’t used.

Since this recipe uses pectin to help gel the strawberry preserves, being exact with temperatures isn’t as important. Here is a short video showing what to look for. Even though this is me making orange marmalade, the process is the same.

CHANGES IN THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE ORANGE MARMALADE

The most important thing is to add the ingredients in the right order and cook it long enough so the little bit of water used evaporates.

When the recipe talks about bringing the mixture to a boil that can’t be stirred down, this means that when you stir the mixture, it continues to boil. That is when you know your preserves are ready.

If you do have a thermometer, you certainly can use it and my target temp for this recipe was about 223℉/106℃

You can watch me make this delicious Orange Marmalade recipe if you want to get a feel for what the boiling phase looks like. I had to cook the marmelade a lot longer because I wasn’t using pectin, but the process is the same!

Orange Marmalade Video

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE IN THE NINJA FOODI PRESSURE COOKER AND AIR CRISPER?

Absolutely! That is how I did it! I love making jams/jellies/preserves/marmalades in the Ninja Foodi because the pot is nice and deep and I don’t have to regulate the heat like I do on my gas stove.

Just follow the instructions in the recipe and use the high sear/sauté to bring it a boil. You should be able to make the recipe without adjusting the temperature at all.

CAN I ADD ALL THE STRAWBERRIES IN AT ONCE?

You can add all three cups in at the beginning, but you will end up with jam and not preserves. The frozen strawberries break down so much during the boiling process that they turn to fruit pulp, zero chunks of fruit.

If that is how you like it, by all means, add all three cups in at the very beginning.

If you want chunks of fruit though, you will have to add that last cup at the end.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY PRESERVES FROM FROZEN STRAWBERRIES

This is so easy to do, it shocked me! You don’t even have to thaw the strawberries!

Simply measure 3 cups of frozen strawberries out and remove 1 cup for later. My strawberries were various sizes, some were whole and some were in pieces, so no need to be too exact here. If all of yours are whole, you might want to add an extra ½ cup.

Place 2 cups of frozen strawberries (2 ½ cups if they are all whole) into the bottom of medium to large stock pot. Add ½ cup of water and 4 tsp of powdered pectin. Give it a stir and turn the heat on high.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently and breaking up the berries. I used my Mix ‘N Chop from Pampered Chef from start to finish and it worked great!

Continue to boil until the boil cannot be stirred down. This means, when you stir, the mixture continues to boil. This took about 7-10 minutes.

Add in the 2 cups of sugar all at once and stir. Once again, bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down and boil for at least 1 minute. Be careful that you don’t scorch the sugar, stir frequently.

If you have a thermometer, check the temp and when it reaches 220-223℉/104-106℃ turn the heat off.

Add in the extra cup of strawberries. They will be partially thawed now. and break them up just a bit. Ladle into jars or other container with a lid and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Serve & Enjoy!

How to make Strawberry Preserves from Frozen Strawberries

Don’t have Fresh Strawberries? No problem! Grab a bag of frozen strawberries and let’s make some delicious strawberry preserves!

PREP TIME5 mins

COOK TIME20 mins

COOLING TIME4 hrs

TOTAL TIME4 hrs 25 mins

COURSECondiment

CUISINEAmerica

CALORIES88 kcalI’m cooking!

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INGREDIENTS US CustomaryMetric

• 3 cups frozen strawberries divided in recipe
• ½ cup water
• 4 tsp powdered pectin
• 2 cups sugar

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Remove 1 cup of strawberries from the 3 cups and set aside. Place 2 cups of frozen strawberries in a medium to large pot with ½ cup of water and 4 tsp powdered pectin. Stir. Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down. This takes 7-10 minutes.
• Add sugar and continue to cook on high, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down and hold the boil for 1 minute. Temp should be around 220-223°F/10-106℃
• Turn off the heat and add the remaining cup of strawberries. Break them up a little and stir. Ladle into jars or containers and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

How To Make Homemade Strawberry Jam

Making homemade strawberry jam is quite simple and you only need a few ingredients. You can use both fresh or frozen berries. This homemade version has a smooth texture that isn’t too stiff, with just the right amount of sweetness, not cloying at all. 

Homemade jam in January? Yes! I’m here to tell you that you can make jam any time of year. Strawberry season has just about arrived here in Florida and will soon be in full blast, so for my fellow Floridians, if you go strawberry picking, you’re all set with a recipe to make jam. The rest of you don’t have to hate us while you shovel snow and bundle up against the cold, because you can make jam too and make your kitchen feel like spring at least.

When I lived in New York, our family would go strawberry picking every year and come back home with buckets and buckets of gorgeous red beauties. We would eat until we could eat no more and of course we would still be left with a huge amount of berries. Berries spoil so fast, you have to work fast, or else all that hard work will be wasted. If you’re ambitious and have extra time, you can make jam right away, but another option is to freeze the berries while they are still at their best. You can use it for smoothies all throughout the year and make jam when you have some pockets of free time in the midst of your busy life.

Since I live in an urban area and have to travel many miles to get to any strawberry patch, I have discovered an awesome way of using really fresh and ripe strawberries without spending the time and energy to pick the berries myself. I just buy a bag of frozen strawberries and it makes wonderful jam. Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak of freshness, which means they are ripe and full of flavor. Many times supermarket berries aren’t all that great – you probably know what I mean, kind of bland and watery. Since the berries are already washed and hulled, it really cuts down on prep work.

Last but not least, there’s another really special thing about this recipe – it has HALF as much sugar as most typical recipes. I know that you need a lot of sugar for the jam to set properly, but I’ve been playing around with this recipe for years now, and finally came up with a jam that isn’t cloyingly sweet. I’ve been making it this way for about 5 years now (probably more, just don’t want to unintentionally exaggerate) and it works really well. The jam sets, it’s not too sweet and my husband loves it. It’s so much better than store bought jam. I love using this jam in many recipes, especially as a filling in yeast buns, danishes, puff pastries and more commonplace ways like on toast and crepes.

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Ingredients:

4 lbs strawberries (frozen or fresh)

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

juice of 2 lemons and zest of 1 lemon (about 5-6 Tablespoons of lemon juice, you can use bottled lemon juice)

Instructions:

Cooking the Jam

Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Do you realize how easy this recipe is? Using frozen berries is such a time saver. No washing, hulling, slicing, etc. In most of my local grocery stores, you can find 4 lb bags of strawberries, so you don’t even have to weigh the berries. (That’s why I developed the recipe this way, to use up the whole bag.) I like to use a dutch oven, because it is wide, big and very sturdy.Using lemon zest is so brilliant in jam. I got this idea from Ina Garten and it gives so much flavor to the jam.

The lemon juice not only gives acidity to the jam, but also prevents the growth of bacteria in the jam. Most importantly, it has something really important – pectin. Pectin is what makes sure that the jam gels properly and isn’t a runny mess.

Cover the pot, and stirring every once in a while, bring the mixture to a boil.Since the berries are frozen, keep stirring everything until the sugar starts to dissolve and the berries start to melt. Soon, the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest will be evenly distributed and coating the berries. Keep the pot covered until the berry mixture comes to a boil.

Uncover, reduce the heat to low and keep simmering the jam for 35-45 minutes. Skim the foam off the top while the berries are cooking.If you’re using frozen berries, it will take longer to bring the jam to a boil and take a little bit longer to reach the right consistency, since the berries are frozen and will have more liquid than fresh berries. It will take longer for the extra liquid to evaporate. If you’re using a pot that isn’t wide, it will also take longer, since the smaller the surface area, the slower the evaporation.

How Do You Know When the Jam Is Finished Cooking?

The jam is finished cooking when it has thickened and reached 215-220 degrees Fahrenheit.A simple test you can use if you don’t want to use a thermometer is the cold plate test. Chill a plate in the freezer before you start making jam. When the jam seems to have reached the proper consistency, place a dollop of jam on the plate and let it stand for a minute of two. It should start to gel and shouldn’t be too runny. If you run your finger through the center, it shouldn’t run back together.When the jam is done cooking, crush the berries with the back of a spoon, a potato masher or an immersion blender. It should be really easy to do it, since the berries are really soft at this point. You can make it as chunky or smooth as you like.Don’t be too worried if the jam seems to be thinner than you would like, because it will become much thicker as it cools and sets. As long as you cooked it long enough and it reached 220 degrees Fahrenheit, it should be ok.

Fill sterilized jars with the jam and close with sterilized lids. Store at room temperature up to a year for best results. Refrigerate after opening.

Sterilizing the Jars

Wash the jars and lids in hot and soapy water. Then I place the glass jars in a 200 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes.In a medium pot, place the lid rings covered with water. Bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the lids. Let them stand in the boiled water until you are done canning, at least 10 minutes.

Filling the Jars With Jam

Pour the hot jam into the hot and sterilized jars. Wipe the edges with a wet cloth to make sure they are clean.Place the lids on top of the jars and close with the lid rings.Place the jars into boiling water and make sure they are covered with water up to the top of the jars. Boil for at about 10 minutes. Take the jars out of the boiling water. Cool the jars in a towel for about 12 hours. The lid should be concave.