I went strawberry picking! If you haven’t been following my strawberry-picking chronicles then here’s a refresher—I’m obsessed with picking my own berries and am currently in a sweet state of strawberry euphoria thinking of all the ways I can bottle up the summertime memories I created today!
Alrighty, so now that you’re all caught up, let’s get to business! Inspired by my bountiful yield of berries, I decide that there truly is no better way to preserve summer than to quite literally bottle up the flavours of a warm day and save it for when the sun seems to be playing hide and seek in the sky and your tan has started to vanish.
Naturally, I had to make jam! I knew it wouldn’t be the same kind of haul of mason jars that I usually set out to make at the end of summer as potential Christmas gifts. However, I needed to make at least one jar in honour of the superbly sweet summer day I had in the strawberry fields laughing and chatting with my gal pals!
Even with this insane summer heat, I still love making jam. I always do. And I think I inherited that from my Grandma Sylvia, although she uses pectin in her crabapple and cherry jams making them a lil more jelly in texture. I, on the other hand, don’t use pectin but just good old berries and sugar cooked low and slow for a thick and chunky, textured jam.
That said, if you like a #thicc jam, then stick around because you’re gonna love this recipe so much that it might contribute to giving you a #thiccass ! All jokes aside, this jam is delicious and may entice you to eat a couple of PB&Js and maybe some straight spoonfuls of this candied condiment.
Like most of my recipes, this jam is fairly easy and doesn’t involve very many ingredients. Plus, this recipe is also kinda great because it yields a single jar of jam, perfect for times when you don’t feel like spending all day canning!
Super sweet and crimson in colour, this strawberry jam has a secret ingredient that adds just a little extra bit of oomph thanks to freshly-cracked black pepper. With a little bit of zest and subtle heat, this insanely sugary spread becomes balanced with this out of pocket ingredient!
Slathered inside a PB&J, spread on a crostini with prosciutto and brie, drizzled over ice cream or heaped on top of cheesecake slice, this jam is a vibrant (and sweet!) addition to your fav childhood snacks, charcuterie fixings and a great condiment to add on anything and everything!
Give this recipe a try today and I guarantee that you’ll fall in love with fresh strawberries all over again. Grab your berries and get stirring!
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Strawberry Jam
*Makes 1 jar*
INGREDIENTS
1 (500 mL) mason jar
2 1/2 cups strawberries
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice and some zest
1/4 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
METHOD
Sterilize your jar in boiling water for 15 minutes. Set aside.
Roughly chop strawberries and set aside into a bowl. Add the sugar and let macerate for half an hour.
Add your macerated berries to a deep pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Make sure to stir continuously so that the jam doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
Drizzle in lemon juice and zest, alongside the cracked black pepper. Continue stirring for half an hour until the mixture has thickened and all the liquid has essentially evaporated.
Pour the jam inside your sterilized jar and seal. Add the jar to a pot of boiling water once again and boil for 15 minutes to finish the preservation process.
Remove from water and let cool on a countertop. Store in a cool place until ready to enjoy!
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What’s your favourite way to use jam? Share it with me below!