Strawberry jam, grandma’s recipe for what is actually a preserve. By now you already know: marmalades are made with citrus fruits, so we have Orange marmalade with peel or Lemon marmalade, while the rest of the fruit becomes preserves like quince preserves or walnut preserves. Today, however, we’re here to discover together how to make the most classic of preserves: grandma’s strawberry preserves! Preserves and marmalades are, as you know, the best way to keep the flavor of fruit all year round, so if, like me, you go crazy for strawberries and would like to enjoy them out of season by turning them into a delightful homemade preserve, you can savor their wonderful taste even in winter, autumn, or summer. Let’s go to the kitchen: I’ll tell you how my grandmother used ripe strawberries and made a delicious, deep red, enveloping preserve—the simplicity of the recipe will surprise you, I’m sure! Before rushing to the stove, as always I remind you that if you want to stay updated on new recipes you can follow my page Facebook and my profile Instagram.
Do you love marmalades and preserves? Have a look at:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: about 4 1/4 cups (1 L)
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb strawberries (about 6 2/3 cups chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (about 5 tbsp + 1 tsp)
Tools
- Bowl
- Pan
Preparation
To make the strawberry preserves you’ll need ripe strawberries: rinse them, drain them, remove the stems, and cut them into pieces that are not too small. Gather them in a bowl, add the sugar,
the lemon juice, and mix very well for a couple of minutes. Let them macerate for one hour or, better, two if you have the time. Then pour them into a large, heavy-bottomed pan and start cooking over medium heat.
Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring often (if you increase the amount of fruit you will need to extend the time). Typically the preserve is ready when a drop placed on a small plate and the plate tilted does not run or runs very slowly. Strawberry jam is a bit of an exception to this rule because it can seem loose and then thicken as it cools. I usually spoon a teaspoon onto a plate, stir it, and once it has cooled I evaluate the consistency of the preserve to decide whether to continue cooking for a few more minutes or not.
While the preserve is cooking, sterilize the jars by immersing them in cold water and bringing it to a boil for 10 minutes. Then remove them from the pot with tongs and place them on a clean cloth.
The ready preserve keeps well in the refrigerator for about ten days if stored in an airtight container. To make long-term preserves as I did,
Tips
If a vacuum seal does not form, transfer the preserve to another jar, close it, and place the jar in a pot filled with water so that it is completely covered. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes and let cool in the pot; then check for the vacuum seal. If it still hasn’t formed, store in the refrigerator and consume within 10–15 days.
