Every June I end up with more strawberries than I know what to do with.
We pick them fast because that’s how strawberry season works around here. One week they’re not ready. The next week they’re everywhere. And if I don’t do something with them quickly, half of them go soft before we even get through them if we don’t store them in mason jars right away.
That’s how I started making this jam. I wanted something I could put on a shelf and pull out in January when fresh fruit feels like a distant memory. This canned strawberry jam does exactly that!
It’s a classic recipe, crushed strawberries, sugar, Sure-Jell pectin, and a water bath canner that is perfect for a beginner canner!
If you’re not ready for canning yet, I have a strawberry freezer jam that’s a great place to start, no canner needed. And if you just want to save your berries before they go soft, here’s how to freeze strawberries to keep them on hand all year.
But if you want jars on the shelf — this is the one.
What You’ll Need to Make This Jam
You don’t need a lot. Here’s what to have ready before you start:
- A water bath canner or large stockpot — it needs to be deep enough that your jars are covered by at least an inch of water. If you’re just getting started, a dedicated canner makes the whole process easier.
- A canning tool kit — the jar lifter is the one tool you really can’t skip. The funnel is optional but it makes filling jars so much less messy.
- Half-pint (250ml) mason jars with new lids and bands
- A large heavy-bottomed pot for cooking the jam
- A potato masher for crushing the berries
Ingredients
This recipe makes approximately 7 to 8 half-pint jars.
Recipe Tips
Don’t double the batch. Make one batch, then start another if you need more. A larger amount doesn’t cook evenly and you’ll end up with runny jam.
Measure carefully. This is one recipe where eyeballing doesn’t work. Exact amounts matter for the set.
Give it time to firm up. Pectin jam continues to set as it cools. Don’t panic if it looks loose when it’s hot, give it a full 24 hours before you decide something went wrong.
Instructions
- Prep your canner and jars: Fill your water bath canner about halfway with water and start heating it. You want it close to a simmer by the time your jam is ready.
- Wash your jars in hot soapy water or run them through the dishwasher. Keep them warm until you’re ready to fill, cold jars and hot jam don’t mix well.
- Crush your strawberries: Hull and rinse your strawberries. Crush them in batches with a potato masher. You want small chunks, not a smooth purée, a little texture is nice in the finished jam. Measure out exactly 5 cups of crushed berries and add them to your large pot.
- Add the pectin and lemon juice: Stir the full box of Sure-Jell pectin into the crushed strawberries along with the lemon juice. Add the butter if you’re using it. Bring everything to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. A full rolling boil means it keeps boiling even when you stir it, don’t rush this part.
- Add the sugar: Add all 7 cups of sugar at once. Stir to dissolve and bring it back to a full rolling boil. Once it’s back to a hard boil, set a timer for exactly 1 minute. Stir the whole time. After 1 minute, remove from heat. Skim off any foam from the top with a spoon.
- Fill your jars: Use your canning funnel to ladle the jam into warm jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth. Place the lids on and screw the bands on fingertip-tight — snug but not cranked down.
- Process in the water bath: Lower your jars into the canner using the jar lifter. Make sure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes adjust for altitude if needed (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level). When the time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
- Cool and check seals: Set the jars on a towel and leave them alone for 12 to 24 hours. You’ll hear the little “ping” as the lids seal, one of my favourite sounds. Once they’re fully cooled, press the centre of each lid. If it doesn’t flex up and down, it’s sealed. Any jars that didn’t seal go in the fridge and get used first.
Storage
Properly sealed jars keep in a cool, dark place for up to 2 years. Once you open a jar, store it in the fridge and use it within 1-2 months.
What To Do With Your Jam
We go through it faster than I think we will every year. Sourdough toast is the obvious one. But it’s also good stirred into plain yogurt, spread on biscuits, or used as a filling in thumbprint cookies.
It’s also one of my favourite things to give as a gift. There’s something about handing someone a jar of jam you made yourself that feels a little more personal than anything you’d buy at a store.
If you’re in full strawberry mode right now, I also have a post on storing strawberries in mason jars to keep your fresh berries lasting weeks longer in the fridge.
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Similar Recipes
Easy Small Batch Strawberry Jam for Canning
Equipment
- Canning jar lifter
- Half-pint mason jars with lids and bands
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Potato masher:
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 5 cups crushed strawberries about 4 lbs fresh berries
- 7 cups granulated sugar
- 1 box 1.75 oz Sure-Jell original pectin
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon butter optional
Instructions
- Fill your water bath canner halfway with water and begin heating. Wash jars and keep them warm.
- Hull and rinse strawberries. Crush in batches with a potato masher and measure out 5 cups into a large pot.
- Stir in the pectin and lemon juice. Add butter if using. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add all 7 cups of sugar at once. Stir to combine and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring the entire time.
- Remove from heat. Skim foam from the surface.
- Ladle jam into warm jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean. Apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.
- Lower jars into the canner. Make sure they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes before removing.
- Set jars on a towel and leave undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals before storing.
Notes
- Do not double this batch. Cook one batch at a time for the best set.
- Measure all ingredients exactly, the ratio of fruit, sugar, and pectin is what makes the jam set properly.
- Jam continues to firm up as it cools. Wait a full 24 hours before deciding it hasn’t set.
- For elevations above 1,000 feet, add 1 minute of processing time per 1,000 feet.
- Unsealed jars should go straight into the fridge and be used within 3 weeks.
