{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Recipe","url":"https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/strawberry-jam","markdownUrl":"https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/strawberry-jam/recipe.md","name":"The Best Simple Strawberry Jam Recipe (No Pectin, 3 Ingredients)","description":"The best simple strawberry jam recipe: easy homemade strawberry jam with just strawberries, sugar and lemon juice, no pectin needed. Small batch, thick and glossy. Printable card.","summary":"The best simple strawberry jam is made from 2 pounds of ripe strawberries, 2 1/2 cups of sugar and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, with no added pectin. Macerate the berries in the sugar for 30 minutes, then boil hard in a wide pot, stirring and skimming, until the jam reaches 220°F on a thermometer or wrinkles when pushed on a frozen plate, about 20 to 25 minutes. Lemon juice supplies the acid the fruit's natural pectin needs to set.","author":"Trevor","publisher":"Trevor's Kitchen","datePublished":"2026-09-06","dateModified":"2026-09-06","category":"Jams & Preserves","cuisine":"American","keywords":["strawberry jam recipe","simple strawberry jam","easy strawberry jam","homemade strawberry jam","strawberry jam without pectin","no pectin strawberry jam","small batch strawberry jam","how to make strawberry jam","strawberry preserves","3 ingredient jam"],"prepTime":"PT15M","cookTime":"PT25M","totalTime":"PT1H10M","yield":"About 3 cups (three 8-ounce jars, 48 tablespoons)","servings":48,"ingredientGroups":[{"name":null,"ingredients":[{"amount":"2","unit":"pounds","name":"ripe strawberries","note":"900 g, about 6 cups hulled and halved","text":"2 pounds ripe strawberries, 900 g, about 6 cups hulled and halved"},{"amount":"2 1/2","unit":"cups","name":"granulated sugar","note":"500 g","text":"2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 500 g"},{"amount":"3","unit":"tablespoons","name":"fresh lemon juice","note":"from 1 large lemon","text":"3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon"},{"name":"Pinch of fine salt","text":"Pinch of fine salt"}]}],"steps":[{"step":1,"name":"Prepare","text":"Put two small plates in the freezer for testing. Wash three 8-ounce jars and lids in hot soapy water and let them dry. Hull the strawberries and halve or quarter the large ones.","tip":null},{"step":2,"name":"Macerate","text":"In a wide, heavy pot, toss the strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice and salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice, until the sugar has mostly dissolved and the berries are sitting in syrup.","tip":"For a smoother jam, mash the berries with a potato masher now."},{"step":3,"name":"Bring to a boil","text":"Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring to dissolve the remaining sugar. Skim off any pale foam that rises to the surface.","tip":null},{"step":4,"name":"Cook to the gel point","text":"Boil hard, stirring more and more often as it thickens to prevent scorching, for 20 to 25 minutes. The bubbles will become slow and glossy. The jam is done at 220°F on a thermometer, or when a spoonful on a frozen plate wrinkles when pushed after 30 seconds.","tip":null},{"step":5,"name":"Jar","text":"Remove from the heat and let the jam sit for 5 minutes, then stir to distribute the fruit. Ladle into the clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Let cool to room temperature, then cap and refrigerate. The jam will finish setting as it chills.","tip":null}],"equipment":["Wide, heavy pot (at least 4 quarts; a Dutch oven or wide saucepan)","Candy or instant-read thermometer","Two small plates, frozen, for the set test","Ladle and three 8-ounce jars with lids","Long-handled wooden spoon"],"notes":["Use a pot that is much bigger than you think; jam foams up dramatically when it boils.","Do not reduce the sugar in this no-pectin version, or the jam will not set. Use the pectin variation for a lower-sugar jam.","The jam looks loose while hot; it thickens considerably as it cools."],"storage":["Refrigerate for up to 1 month.","Freeze in freezer-safe jars with 1/2 inch of headspace for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator.","For shelf-stable jam, process filled jars in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes following standard USDA canning guidelines."],"variations":["With pectin (lower sugar): use 1 1/2 cups sugar and one 1.75-ounce box of regular powdered pectin, following the package timing for a firmer set.","Strawberry vanilla: add a split vanilla bean to the pot and remove it before jarring.","Strawberry rhubarb: replace 1/2 pound of the strawberries with chopped rhubarb.","Balsamic black pepper: stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper at the end, wonderful with cheese."],"faqs":[{"question":"Why didn't my strawberry jam set?","answer":"It was not cooked long enough, or it was cooked in a pot too small for the mixture to reduce. Return it to the pot and boil until it reaches 220°F or passes the frozen-plate test. Very ripe berries have less pectin, so adding an extra tablespoon of lemon juice helps."},{"question":"Can I make strawberry jam with less sugar?","answer":"Not in this no-pectin recipe; the sugar is what allows the jam to set and keeps it from spoiling. For a low-sugar jam, use a pectin made for low-sugar recipes and follow its ratios."},{"question":"Do I need to sterilize the jars?","answer":"For refrigerator or freezer jam, clean, hot-washed jars are enough. If you plan to water-bath can the jam for the pantry, sterilize the jars and process them according to USDA canning guidelines."},{"question":"Can I use frozen strawberries?","answer":"Yes. Thaw them completely and add all the juice to the pot. Frozen berries make a slightly softer jam but the flavor is excellent, especially in winter."},{"question":"How long does homemade strawberry jam last?","answer":"About a month in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer. Properly water-bath-canned jars keep for at least a year in the pantry."}],"nutritionPerServing":{"calories":45,"fatGrams":0,"saturatedFatGrams":0,"carbohydrateGrams":11.5,"fiberGrams":0.3,"sugarGrams":11,"proteinGrams":0.1,"sodiumMilligrams":2,"cholesterolMilligrams":0}}