TOP 10 recipes for jam from garden and wild strawberries for the winter, in a slow cooker and on the stovetop

Homemade wild berry jam will be a source of pride for any home cook, and it's incredibly simple and incredibly delicious. There are several classic and new recipes for making homemade jam from aromatic strawberries, with and without additives. Instead of searching online, you can find a wealth of useful information in this article.

Features of making strawberry jam

Fragrant and with a unique flavor, wild berries are extremely beneficial for your health: they contain vitamins, especially E and B, and are superior in quality to their cultivated counterparts, bred for growing in summer cottages and gardens. They also make excellent jam, perfect for wintertime enjoyment with family or friends. This dessert will appeal to both adults and children.

Making jam requires knowing the right proportions: how much berries and sugar to use, how long to cook, and at what heat. But despite all the obvious advantages of wild strawberries, they're not easy to harvest, so preference is given to cultivated varieties such as Roshchinskaya, Koralka, Mysovka, Chernobrovka, Saxonka, or Komsomolka.

The cooking process begins with choosing a pot of the appropriate size. A wide-bottomed pot with a capacity of 2 to 6 kilograms is best. Copper, brass, or stainless steel pots are recommended—they will prevent the jam from sticking. If you're using a large number of ingredients, it's best to divide them into individual portions and cook them in several stages.

Important. Making homemade jam takes a long time, requiring the syrup to heat up and even boil. Therefore, the container should be generously sized to prevent the contents from spilling, ensuring the strawberry jam is delicious and prepared correctly.

How to prepare jars for canning

Carefully selecting containers for storing finished jam and following preservation techniques are essential steps in preparing this sweet, nutritious product. Despite technological advances, traditional approaches to preserving fruits and berries have remained virtually unchanged: the best way to preserve the vitamins and minerals in summer's bounty remains storing jam in clean, thoroughly washed glass jars.

The optimal capacity is 0.5, 1, or 2 liters; larger (or smaller) sizes are used less frequently. Before filling, the jars must be sterilized, either in an oven or with steam at 100°C. There should be no moisture in the jars; they should be wiped dry.

How to select and prepare berries for winter storage

Regardless of the type of berries used for jam—garden, meadow, or field strawberries—preparing them for preservation requires special attention. Damaged, unripe, or bruised fruits are removed immediately, while the remaining ones, after sorting, are carefully cleaned of leaves, stems, and other debris.

There's no consensus on how to wash the berries: some recommend a mandatory shower, while others find a gentle spray of water is sufficient. In any case, after this step, the berries are left to drain for a while, removing excess liquid, before proceeding directly to cooking.

Important: The taste, color, and quality of the finished jam depend on the careful selection of strawberries and the degree of purity, so it's best not to neglect this procedure.

In addition to the well-known varieties, berries can be found in exotic varieties, such as white or wild, as well as everbearing varieties, which are perennials and particularly suitable for growing in the garden. Combining several varieties is also possible; this will only enhance the final product's characteristics, adding a touch of piquancy and sophistication.

Strawberry jam recipes

Making jam, like any other dish, follows certain rules, relying on proper proportions, selecting ingredients, and maintaining the correct temperature. Over time, several classic recipes for cooking strawberries in sugar syrup have evolved.

With the addition of water

To cook according to this recipe you will need:

• strawberries – 1 kilogram.
• granulated sugar – 1 kilogram.
• water – 1 glass (250 grams).

Preparation begins with sorting the berries—they should be whole and clean. For wild varieties, it's even permissible to leave the calyxes on (they will impart a special flavor to the jam). The washed berries must be thoroughly dried. Next, pour the sugar into a pre-selected wide-bottomed container, add water, and heat over medium heat until completely dissolved. Next, add the berries to the syrup, bring to a boil, simmer for 5-6 minutes, and then cool completely.

The almost ready jam will need to be heated again to a boil over low heat, simmered for about 5 minutes, and then rolled into pre-prepared and sterilized jars.

A simple recipe for Five Minutes

One of the most basic methods—even inexperienced cooks can make it. This dessert requires almost no cooking, and you'll need 2 kilograms of wild strawberries and granulated sugar. Clean, sorted strawberries are placed in a jam-making container, sprinkled with sugar, and left for 5-6 hours. Then, place the container on the stove, bring to a boil over low heat, carefully skimming off any foam, and simmer for no more than 5 minutes. Leave in a cool place (or on the same burner) for 10-12 hours, then bring back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring.

The jam is delicious, with whole berries, and most importantly, it's quick and easy to make. The finished product is sealed in a glass container.

Strawberry jam without cooking

An unusual way to make a delicious, aromatic berry dessert without any cooking. There are several tried and tested methods, one of which is to puree clean strawberries in an enamel or porcelain bowl with sugar, using a ratio of approximately 1-1.5 kilograms of sugar per 1 kilogram of wild berries.

Next, the resulting mixture is cooked: heated over low heat until the sugar grains are completely dissolved, and finally, a pinch of citric acid is added. The fresh jam is ready to eat and can also be stored like regular preserves—in jars with lids.

Important: It is not recommended to store jam prepared using the simplified method (without cooking) for a long time, as the berries may ferment. There are also recipes for cooking without any fire at all – simply sprinkle strong wild berries with sugar, cover them in a jar with a lid and store them in the refrigerator.

Strawberry jam in a slow cooker

This jam is for modern housewives who also own a multicooker. It's recommended to remove any odors from the appliance before cooking. To do this, pour water into the bowl, add a lemon slice, and set the multicooker to the "Soup" setting. Then empty the multicooker and wipe it dry. The jars are sterilized using the standard method, so we proceed directly to the cooking process. Additional equipment you'll need:

• skimmer;
• wooden spoon;
• a deep plate for collecting foam.

You should use approximately 1 kilogram of berries per 1.7 kilograms of granulated sugar. The berries should be clean, ripe (not rotten), without leaves, twigs, or cups. The washed berries are placed in a bowl in layers, alternating with sugar, then left for 5 (or even 7) hours to release the juice. Use the "Stewing" setting on a multicooker for 60 minutes, preventing the jam from boiling over and skimming off any foam promptly. Sometimes, adding citric acid is recommended—it's a matter of taste.

Strawberry jam with almonds

An unusual, savory recipe that allows you to create a delicious dessert. You'll need:

• strawberries or wild strawberries (500 grams);4
• granulated sugar (400 grams);
• clean water (100 grams);
• clean, sliced ​​almonds (70 grams);
• lemon juice (1 tablespoon), can be replaced with acid (2 grams);
• Amaretto liqueur (70 grams).

First, prepare the syrup: mix water, lemon juice, and sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a boil. Then add the almonds and berries, which will need to be sliced ​​3-5 mm thick beforehand. Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Finally, add the liqueur, turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool. After half an hour, the jam is ready to jar.

Strawberry jam with rum

This recipe requires 1 kilogram of clean, ripe strawberries, 1.4 kilograms of sugar, 50 milliliters of rum, and half a glass (about 100 milliliters) of water. The strawberries are soaked in a syrup made with half the sugar and full of water, then left for 3-5 hours.

The berries, once they have released their juice, are covered with the remaining sand and simmered in three stages, each for 5-6 hours, skimming off the foam periodically. Finally, rum is added, the jam is stirred, and sealed in pre-washed, sterilized jars.

Strawberry jam with mint and lemon

A delicious, moderately thick, sweet dish with a slight minty note can be made from the following ingredients:

1. Strawberries – 1.4 kilograms.
2. Granulated sugar – 1.8 kilograms.
3. Water – 700 milliliters.
4. Lemon – 2 teaspoons (about 10 grams).
5. Mint – about 5-6 small sprigs.

Place the peeled berries in a clear, grain-free syrup made from water and sugar and let sit for 5 hours. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Finally, add the acid and mint (3 minutes before the syrup is ready). Jam is rolled into jars like this usually under a tin lid.

Strawberries with gooseberries

Another tart recipe: gooseberries and strawberries complement each other in a bouquet, creating a unique flavor combination. The step-by-step recipe is as follows: sort the berries, wash, remove stems, calyxes, and leaves, then grind in a meat grinder.

The berry mixture is simmered over low heat until it begins to bubble (the boiling point begins), then removed from the stove and cooled. This process is repeated three times, after which the product is considered ready. The recipe does not contain sugar, but this gives it a unique, subtle flavor. The jam is stored in sterilized jars with tin lids.

Strawberry jam with lavender

To make this jam properly, a decoction of freshly picked lavender flowers is typically used, but a sachet of dried lavender can be substituted. The jam preparation begins somewhat unusually: a sachet of lavender (50 grams) is added to 100 milliliters of water, brought to a boil, steeped for 10 minutes, and strained. Next, sugar syrup is simmered in this solution, followed by the berries themselves—approximately 1 kilogram of strawberries to an equal amount of granulated sugar. The resulting jam is sweet, delicious, and aromatic.

Strawberry jam without bitterness

To create a truly sweet jam without the slightest hint of bitterness, various ingredients are added, such as red currants. For 3 cups of strawberries, use 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of currants. Clean, sorted strawberries are covered with sand and left until they release their juices (6 to 12 hours). Red currants, known for their rich, tart flavor, are added at a ratio of 1 part sugar to 6 parts strawberries.

Cook the mixture briefly—no more than 5 minutes—before bringing it to a boil. Stir well and skim off any foam. The finished jam is poured into clean glass jars, sealed with lids, and left until completely cool.