8 Best Strawberry Jam Recipes with Whole Berries for the Winter

Fragrant and delicious, strawberries don't have a long shelf life, so they're often used for preserves. By making jam with whole ripe strawberries, you'll be able to enjoy this delicacy all winter long. Jam can be made using a variety of recipes, each with its own unique ingredients and cooking techniques.

The specifics of strawberry jam with whole berries

When making strawberry jam, it's important to understand some important details. Since jam should be not only delicious but also beneficial, it shouldn't be cooked longer than recommended. Overcooking the jam will lose its beneficial properties, including minerals and vitamins. Store the finished treat in a cool, shaded place, such as a cellar, cupboard, or pantry.

How to choose and prepare garden strawberries

Only ripe, firm berries are selected for making jam. These specimens will retain their original shape throughout all stages of cooking. If you use soft strawberries, they will leak a lot of juice, resulting in a runny finished product.

When choosing berries, it's also important to pay attention to their size. Very large berries are not suitable, as they take longer to cook and therefore lose their beneficial properties. It's best to choose medium-sized berries, which are considered the sweetest. To prevent the berries from losing their shape or becoming damaged, wash them gently under low-pressure water using a colander or large bowl.

What container is suitable for rolling?

Strawberry jam is placed in glass jars. One-liter jars are ideal. Before use, the jars are washed with a baking soda solution and sterilized. Sterilization involves heating the jars to a temperature of 60-80 degrees Celsius in water. If the jam is poured into jars while still boiling, sterilization is not necessary.

The best recipes

There are a variety of recipes for making jam from sweet berries. When choosing a suitable recipe, it's recommended to familiarize yourself with the list of necessary ingredients and the preparation method, as well as determine your own preferences for the taste and consistency of the finished treat.

Classic version

The simplest recipe is the classic version. The ingredients used are:

• 1 kg strawberries;
• 1.3 kg of granulated sugar.

Before cooking, rinse the berries, place them in an enamel bowl, and mix with sugar. After 7-8 hours, the berries will release their juices, and you can begin cooking them for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. During the cooking process, carefully skim off any foam, being careful not to damage the berries. Cool the finished mixture and repeat the cooking process twice, reducing the time to 3-4 minutes. Then pour the jam into jars and seal tightly with lids.

Thick and clear strawberry jam with whole berries

Thick strawberry jam is often used as a filling for baked goods. First, half of the selected berries are mixed with sugar, and in a separate container, the remaining sugar is dissolved in water. Once the berries release their juice, the juice is drained and mixed with the syrup, after which the mixture is brought to a boil. After the liquid has simmered for 4-5 minutes, the berries are added to the pan.

Thick jam needs to be cooked twice, with a break for cooling.

A recipe with thick syrup without cooking the berries

This recipe calls for making the syrup by mixing sugar and water over medium heat. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, pour the resulting solution over the strawberries. Spread the hot mixture evenly over the berries and let it cool completely.

Five-minute juice with citric acid

The berries are placed in a saucepan, sprinkled with sugar, and left for several hours to release the juices. Then the ingredients are brought to a boil and simmered for 5 minutes, skimming off the foam regularly. The simmering process is repeated three times, allowing the mixture to cool each time. After the second cycle, citric acid is added, which acts as a preservative and imparts a slightly tart flavor to the sweet syrup. Citric acid also brightens the jam's color.

A fragrant treat with agar-agar

To make this aromatic treat, combine strawberries with sugar and blend with an immersion blender. Most often, the mixture is made to resemble jam, with whole fruit pieces remaining.

Add a little citric acid to the whipped mixture to enrich the flavor. Place the mixture over low heat, bring to a boil, and simmer for 25-30 minutes. During cooking, skim off any foam and add 10 g of agar-agar, pre-mixed with 50 ml of water.

Delicious strawberries in gelatin

By thickening the berry mixture, you can make jelly. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Gelatin is mixed with water and left to swell.
2. The selected strawberries are washed, stemmed, placed in a saucepan and covered with dissolved gelatin.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, constantly skimming off the foam.
4. The boiled fruits are crushed with a wooden spoon, the mixture is strained into a new pan and squeezed out.
5. The remaining juice is brought to a boil again, a little sugar is added and cooking continues until it dissolves.
6. Add some more sugar and continue cooking the jelly.
7. At the end of cooking, add the swollen gelatin, stir and bring to a boil again.
8. The finished jelly is poured into sterilized containers and sealed with lids.

Multicooker preparation option

Cooking with a slow cooker is useful for beginners with no culinary experience. To prepare a dish, simply place all standard ingredients in the slow cooker bowl, run the appropriate program, and skim off any foam periodically.

Sugar-free jam

Without using sugar, mix the berries with citric acid. Place the ingredients in a saucepan and cook for three cycles, cooling in between. Pour the finished jam into sterilized containers and seal tightly.

Duration and rules for storing blanks

Strawberry preserves should be stored in a cool, dark place, protected from direct sunlight. Refrigeration is also acceptable. The average shelf life of jam is 1 year, provided the jars are sealed tightly.