Strawberry Jam

Strawberry Jam © kvalifood.com

Strawberry jam made from preserving strawberries gives a firmer and more concentrated result than the large table varieties. Lemon zest cooked in the syrup adds a fresh bitterness. The berries are separated from the juice and cooked separately, so the jam keeps the whole berries rather than turning into a purée.

Ingredients

Makes ca. 4–5 jars

  • 1 kg preserving strawberries
  • 600–650 g sugar
  • 2 strips lemon zest
  • 1 tsp preserving liquid

Method

Preparation

Rinse and hull the strawberries. Peel 2 strips of lemon zest with a vegetable peeler — keep the skin thick enough to get the flavour through, but avoid the white pith, which adds bitterness. Layer the strawberries with the sugar and lemon strips in a pot. Set the pot in a cool place and let the berries macerate for 2–4 hours until they release their juice.

Heating

Heat the pot slowly to boiling point. Remove from the heat and let the berries rest for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Separating

Lift the berries out with a slotted spoon and distribute them into clean, scalded jars.

Reducing

Pour the juice back into the pot and reduce uncovered for 15–20 minutes until it thickens. Remove from the heat, discard the lemon strips and stir in the preserving liquid.

Filling the jars

Pour the hot juice over the berries in the jars and seal immediately.

Notes

  • Add 2 tbsp cognac or rum to the reduced juice before pouring over the berries, for a more grown-up jam
  • Half a vanilla pod cooked in the syrup gives a soft, rounded flavour — popular in many modern recipes
  • Preserving strawberries are a small, firm variety bred for preserving — they hold their shape better than table varieties
  • Store in a cool place; shelf life 6 months unopened