It’s strawberry season here in the South. I went and picked some strawberries the other day from a farm nearby. I bought enough to can and make this strawberry vanilla jam. The flavors in this jam are so delicious. It’s great slathered on a biscuit, on top of oatmeal or vanilla bean ice cream.
Ingredients
Fresh strawberries
Real maple syrup
Organic apple juice (no sugar added)
Madagascar ground vanilla powder
Calcium water
Fruit pectin
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Instructions
- Wash the strawberries. This is the best way to clean your strawberries. They will even stay fresh for 2-4 weeks using this method.
- Prepare the calcium water. Combine the calcium and water. Add 1/2 tsp of calcium to 1/2 cup of water. Stir until combined. You’ll have some left over, so place a lid on the jar when finished. It can go in the refrigerator for another use.
- Since it takes a while for the canner to heat up, go ahead and fill it up with water. Turn the heat to high. Prepare and clean your jars, lids and bands as well.
- Meanwhile, remove the stems from your strawberries. Cut the strawberries into slices. Place them in a bowl. Mash the strawberries, creating a juice.
- Now, add the strawberries, apple juice and vanilla powder into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir frequently with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. Turn the heat down to simmer.
- Next, add the calcium water and stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the maple syrup and pectin. Stir until the pectin is dissolved into the syrup.
- Bring the strawberry mixture back to a boil. Add the pectin/syrup mixture and stir frequently.
- Turn the heat off. Your strawberries should be starting to thicken like jam. They will also thicken after the canning is complete.
- Fill your hot jars with the strawberry jam. Place the jars in the canner, dropping the rack down into the water. Process the jars in the boiling water for 5 minutes (if you are at sea level) with the lid on. For proper canning guidelines in your state, please refer to this USDA book.
TIPS
- Feel free to use honey or any other liquid sweetener. If using white sugar, change the measurement to 1 cup.
- This recipe makes (5) 1/2 pint size jars.
- For a smoother consistency, use an emersion blender during the simmer process of the strawberries on the stove.
Beginner’s Guide To Water Bath Canning
Learn how to can fruits and other acidic foods so you and d can enjoy them all year long!
How to Consume Strawberry Vanilla Jam
I love eating this strawberry vanilla jam on toast, buttermilk biscuits, on top of oatmeal or waffles and even with a bowl of my favorite vanilla bean ice cream.
The Difference Between Jam, Jelly and Preserves
I often hear folks asking the difference between all three of these. They are all kind of different in their own way. Let’s dive in:
Jam
- Made with: Crushed or mashed fruit
- Texture: Thick and spreadable, with small bits of fruit throughout
- Look: Opaque
- Best for: Toast, biscuits, fillings
Jam is the most common homemade style. It’s smooth but still has fruit texture.
Jelly
- Made with: Fruit juice only (no pulp or pieces)
- Texture: Smooth and firm
- Look: Clear and glossy
- Best for: PB&J sandwiches, glazing meats
Jelly has the most refined texture. No fruit chunks at all.
Preserves
- Made with: Whole fruit or large fruit chunks
- Texture: Chunky
- Look: Thick syrup with visible fruit pieces
- Best for: Spoon-over desserts, yogurt, or warm biscuits
Preserves feel the most “old-fashioned” because you can clearly see and taste whole pieces of fruit.
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Strawberry Nutrition
Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. They also contain good amounts of folate (vitamin B9) and potassium.
They are rich in antioxidants and plant compounds, which may have benefits for heart health and blood sugar control. So, adding strawberries to your diet is a good thing. Aim for fresh or frozen, preferably organic.
Storage
The canned jars will last in your pantry for 12-18 months. Prior to putting them away (and once jars are cooled), make sure all of the lids have sealed. You will usually hear a “ping” while they are resting on the counter.
If for some reason a jar doesn’t seal, place that one in the refrigerator and use it up. It will be good in the fridge for a week. By using these 1/2 pint (8oz) jars, you will more than likely go through them quickly.
How to Keep Strawberries Fresh
Once picked, strawberries begin to mold within a day of bringing them home. Here is a tried and true way to keep them fresh for 2-4 weeks.
Items Used in This Recipe
Small Canning Rack – holds 4 jars (great for small batches)
Resources
Basu A, Nguyen A, Betts NM, Lyons TJ. Strawberry as a functional food: an evidence-based review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(6):790-806. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.608174. PMID: 24345049.
Giampieri F, Forbes-Hernandez TY, Gasparrini M, Alvarez-Suarez JM, Afrin S, Bompadre S, Quiles JL, Mezzetti B, Battino M. Strawberry as a health promoter: an evidence based review. Food Funct. 2015 May;6(5):1386-98. doi: 10.1039/c5fo00147a. PMID: 25803191.
Gao Q, Qin LQ, Arafa A, Eshak ES, Dong JY. Effects of strawberry intervention on cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Nutr. 2020 Aug 14;124(3):241-246. doi: 10.1017/S000711452000121X. Epub 2020 Apr 2. PMID: 32238201.
Strawberry Vanilla Jam
Ingredients
Method
- Wash your strawberries.
- Prepare the calcium water. Combine the calcium and water. Add 1/2 tsp of calcium and 1/2 cup of water. Stir until combined. You’ll have some left over so place a lid on the jar when finished. It can go in the refrigerator for another use.
- Since it takes a while for the canner to heat up, go ahead and fill it up with water. Turn the heat to high. Prepare and clean your jars, lids and bands as well.
- Meanwhile, remove the stems from your strawberries. Cut the strawberries into slices. Place them in a bowl. Mash the strawberries, creating a juice.
- Now, add the strawberries, apple juice and vanilla powder into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir frequently with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. Turn the heat down to simmer.
- Next, add the calcium water and stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the maple syrup and pectin. Stir until the pectin is dissolved into the syrup.
- Bring the strawberry mixture back to a boil. Add the pectin/syrup mixture and stir frequently.
- Turn the heat off. Your strawberries should be starting to thicken like jam. They will also thicken after the canning is complete.
- Fill your hot jars with the strawberry jam. Place the jars in the canner, dropping the rack down into the water. Process the jars in the boiling water for 5 minutes. (If you are at sea level) with the lid on.
Notes
- Here is the best way to clean your strawberries. They will even last 2-4 weeks using this method.
- Canning Guidelines: Every state has different guidelines for canning. This USDA book will come in handy.
- Feel free to use honey or any other liquid sweetener. If using white sugar, change the measurement to 1 cup.
- This recipe makes (5) 1/2 pint size jars.
- For a smoother consistency, use an emersion blender during the simmer process of the strawberries on the stove.
I hope you enjoy making this recipe and that it will benefit you and your family all year long. Please share this post over on Pinterest and tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see how you make yours.
Wendy Lea Walker, NTP
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
I’m Wendy. A wife, empty-nester mama, homemaker, homebaker, gardener and small-time farmer. I love sharing wisdom and mistakes I’ve learned along the way. Anyone can garden or homestead, no matter where you live. It’s a mindset. You just have to start somewhere. I believe food is medicine. Feed the body real whole foods and healing will begin. I’m an advocate for eating real food and enjoy sharing all my fresh-milled flour recipes. I’ve learned to slow down over the years from all the noise that came with life and enjoy creating a simple home.
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