Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe (No Pectin)
This easy strawberry jam recipe without pectin needs only 3 ingredients. In just a few minutes, you’ll be on your way to a delicious fruit spread perfect for spreading on sandwiches, toast, or into yogurt or oatmeal.
Some things are worth the little bit of extra effort to make rather than buy at the store.
Strawberry jam is one of those things.
It turns an ordinary breakfast into something truly extraordinary.
And not only is it deliciously chock full of sweet strawberry flavor, but it is easy as pie to make.
Plus you don’t need any special ingredients to set the jam up.
How sweet is that?
Can you really make strawberry jam without pectin added?
Yes!
Pectin naturally occurs in strawberries which is why you don’t need to use any in this recipe.
However it is important to use fresh strawberries because the fruit looses its pectin as it ages.
And the less pectin the fruit has, the more chance the jam has of not setting properly.
Ingredients
To make this you only need 3 ingredients:
- Strawberries– Fresh, ripe strawberries. Hull them and chop them.
- Sugar– Granulated
- Lemon juice– Don’t skip this! It helps both offset the sweetness and set jam up since it also has pectin.
How to Make
This is the easiest strawberry jam you could ever make!
Just whisk together the sugar and lemon juice in a medium sauce pan over low heat.
Keep cooking it, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
Stir the strawberries into the dissolved sugar mixture and bring them to a low boil.
Let the mixture keep boiling for about 30 minutes over low heat.
During this time, the fruit will break up a bit and release its juices.
As it cooks it will thicken to the consistency of a chunky, but loose, jam.
At this point, remove it from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes.
The jam will continue to thicken some as it cools.
Serve as a spread for toast or sandwiches or stir into oatmeal or yogurt or even serve over ice cream!
Enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
After the jam has cooled for 15 minutes, divide the jame between two glass jars.
Seal the jars and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
What thickens jam without pectin?
The secret thickening agent in this recipe is simply time.
Letting the berries cook will cook out enough of the moisture for the jam to set.
Plus both the strawberries and the lemon juice do have some naturally occurring pectin which does help it thicken up.
Can I skip adding the lemon juice to strawberry jam?
No!
The lemon juice is super important in this recipe for a few reasons.
It cuts the added sweetness and makes for a better tasting jam.
Plus without the lemon juice, the naturally occuring pectin won’t activate and the jam won’t set up.
Do I need to stir the jam when it’s boiling?
Nope.
There’s no need to stir the jam when it boils.
In fact if you stir, it will change the temperature of the jam and can make it take longer to reach the point where it sets.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to use white granulated sugar only in this recipe and not brown sugar or a substitute.
- This jam will be chunky, but if you prefer a smoother finish, use an immersion blender in the cooled jam for a more jelly like finish.
- For a medium consistency, you can gently mash the strawberries with a fork or a potato masher to break them down further but not remove the bits of fruit from the texture.
Other Homemade Jams and Spreads
This easy strawberry jam recipe tastes better than anything you would buy in the store!
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other homemade jams and spreads?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this EASY STRAWBERRY JAM RECIPE WITHOUT PECTIN, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe (No Pectin Required)
This easy strawberry jam recipe without pectin needs only 3 ingredients. In just a few minutes, you’ll be on your way to a delicious fruit spread perfect for spreading on sandwiches, toast, or into yogurt or oatmeal.
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 lemon (juiced (or two tablespoons))
- 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
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Set a medium sauce pan over low heat then add in the sugar and lemon juice Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar’s completely dissolved.
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Stir the strawberries into the mixture, and continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes over a low boil.
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When the mixture’s thickened and the consistency of loose jam, remove the sauce pan from heat, and let it rest for 15 minutes.
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Use as a spread and enjoy.
- Make sure to use white granulated sugar only in this recipe and not brown sugar or a substitute.
- This jam will be chunky, but if you prefer a smoother finish, use an immersion blender in the cooled jam for a more jelly like finish.
- For a medium consistency, you can gently mash the strawberries with a fork or a potato masher to break them down further but not remove the bits of fruit from the texture.
