Easy homemade strawberry jam with just 3 ingredients, no pectin! Instant Pot or stovetop method with tips on setting, frozen berries, consistency & storage.
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Some of my happiest memories have this jam in them. Be it my birthday party or a school snack or a picnic, my mom always packed a jam sandwich for me and I would look forward to enjoy it. Honestly, not much has changed. Even as a fully grown adult I often find myself spreading butter and this jam on a slice of bread just because its my childhood comfort food. Just one bite and it takes me back to my childhood.
So come strawberry season, it's my annual ritual to make a few jars of this jam.
Why this Jam works
Honestly, this jam did not come together perfectly in my first few attempts. Sometimes my jam was too runny, or too stiff, too sweet. So I stopped the guess work and spent time researching why I never got the perfect consistency. During my research I found out about the science of how lemon juice activates the natural pectin in strawberries, which is what helps set the jam.
Once I understood that, every batch became consistent. Along the way I learned a few more things,
- underripe strawberries have slightly more natural pectin.
- the jam will always look loose in the pot but firms up as it cools.
Patience is everything, trust the process.
Ingredient Notes
This is a 3 ingredient strawberry jam, so all you need is strawberries, sweetener and fresh lemons.
- Strawberries - when picking strawberries, I found that fresh strawberries yield a better flavor and texture compared to using frozen strawberries. The jams I made with frozen strawberries, needed extra cooking time for the excess liquid. So slightly underripe strawberries will work in your favor, as they have more natural pectin. Living in Germany taught me that the smaller the strawberry the more concentrated flavor. Overripe or mush berries will have less pectin and always made the setting harder.
- Sugar - Regular white granulated sugar is fine. However I recommend that do not reduce the sugar significantly, as it's not just for sweetness but it also plays a direct role in preservation and setting. I even tried making this for my diabetic father in law using Monkfruit Sweetener.
- Fresh lemon juice - I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice over bottled as I realized the difference it makes. The acidity from the lemon juice activates the pectin in the strawberries. Please do not skip or reduce it.
How to make Strawberry Jam in the Instant Pot
- Prep the strawberries by rinsing and pat drying them. Hull them and cut each trawberry into 4. Place a plate in the freezer for the cold plate test which you will do later. Wash and dry the jars you will be storing the jam in.
- Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in the Instant Pot, give it a good stir and keep aside for an hour. You will see the berries releasing their juices and might find yourself trying to lick and taste the juice because the aroma is appetizing.
- Pressure cook the strawberries for just 1 minute on high pressure, by closing the lid and sealing the vent. Yes, you do not need to add water, the liquid from the juices is enough to pressure the strawberries.
- Natural Release allow the pressure to naturally release before opening the lid. Please do not rush this, I did it once and the my jam consistency was off.
- Saute to Thicken Open the lid, switch to saute mode and using a potato masher, mash the strawberries and continuously stir for 10-15 minutes until the jam thickens and gets dark. Skim off the foam you see floating on the top. Do a cold plate test by dropping a spoonful of jam on a frozen plate and if it wrinkles when pushed, you are done.
- Cool and Jar At this point the jam has just thickened but it will firm up once it settles. Scoop the jam into a jar. Leave the top ¼th inch of headspace at the top of the jar as it can make sealing messy. Once completely cooled down, close the lid and refrigerate it for upto 1 month.
Strawberry Jam Stove Top Recipe
Making strawberry jam on the stove top is pretty much the same as above except that instead of pressure cooking the strawberries, you will bring them to a rolling boil in a heavy bottom pan. Stay close and keep stirring or else I have burnt the strawberries once. Skim off the foam as you go. Do the cold plate test as mentioned above and allow it to thicken before its cools off to be jarred.
Anvita's Top Tips
- I never skip the sit time irrespective of using the Instant Pot or stove top. This process naturally activates the pectin and directly impacts the consistency of the jam.
- Trust the cold plate test, the jam will always look loose in the pot. This one little trick saved me from so many over-reduced batches and I swear by it every single time.
- 3. Let it cool completely before you judge it This is the one most people get wrong. Jam sets as it cools, not while it is hot.
Common Mistakes to Avoid while making Strawberry Jam
| Mistake | What Happened | My Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping or reducing the sit time before cooking | My jams lacked depth of flavor and the sugar had not dissolve evenly. | I let the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice sit together for at least an hour before any heat goes on so please do not rush this. |
| Skipping or reducing the lemon juice | My jam did not set properly, it was too runny . It tasted flat and was overly sweet. | I always use the full amount of fresh lemon juice as it helps activating the natural pectin and without it your jam will struggle to set. |
| Judging the set while jam is still hot | I thought the jam has not set and keep reducing only to end up with a stiff, over-cooked jam | I always do the cold plate test and then let it cool completely before deciding because the jam always looks looser than it is when hot |
| Walking away during the Sauté or boil stage | My jam caught on the bottom, burnt and took on a bitter flavor | I always stay at the stove during this stage and stir every couple of minutes. |
| Filling jars to the brim | Jam did not seal or set properly near the top | I always leave ¼ inch of headspace because the jam needs a little room as it cools and contracts. |
| Using overripe mushy strawberries | Less natural pectin means jam struggles to set and tastes fermented rather than fresh | I use ripe but firm berries, slightly underripe ones actually give a better set. |
| Reducing sugar too much | My jam did not set, shelf life was shortened and consistency was off | Reduce by no more than 25% sugar is not just sweetness, it is structure and preservation |
Canning this jam
Yes, you can can this jam but with one important caveat. This recipe is optimized for flavor and a perfect set, not specifically for canning ratios. That does not mean it cannot be canned, it just means you need to follow a few extra steps to do it safely.
If you want to can it, here is what I do:
- Use sterilized warm jars and fill with hot jam leaving exactly ¼ inch headspace
- Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if above 1000 feet
- Let jars cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours and check lids have sealed - the center should not flex when pressed
- Properly sealed jars keep in a cool dark place for up to 1 year.
For everyday use I simply refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. It is faster, simpler and just as delicious. But if you are making a big batch for gifting or stocking your pantry, canning is absolutely worth it.
Your Turn
I really hope you enjoy this strawberry jam as much as I do. Give it a try and come back to tell me all about it in the comments below, did you go Instant Pot or stovetop? I love hearing from you and read every single comment. And if you loved it, a star rating takes just a second and helps so many other home cooks find this recipe!
Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe Without Pectin
Servings:
8 oz jarsCalories:
Ingredients
- 6 lbs fresh strawberries
- 3 lbs granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Recipe
- Prep the strawberries by rinsing and pat drying them. Hull them and cut each strawberry into 4. Place a plate in the freezer for the cold plate test which you will do later. Wash and dry the jars you will be storing the jam in.
- Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in the Instant Pot, give it a good stir and keep aside for an hour. You will see the berries releasing their juices and might find yourself trying to lick and taste the juice because the aroma is appetizing.
- Pressure cook the strawberries for just 1 minute on high pressure, by closing the lid and sealing the vent. Yes, you do not need to add water, the liquid from the juices is enough to pressure the strawberries.
- Natural Release allow the pressure to naturally release before opening the lid. Please do not rush this, I did it once and the my jam consistency was off.
- Saute to Thicken Open the lid, switch to saute mode and using a potato masher, mash the strawberries and continuously stir for 10-15 minutes until the jam thickens and gets dark. Skim off the foam you see floating on the top. Do a cold plate test by dropping a spoonful of jam on a frozen plate and if it wrinkles when pushed, you are done.
- Cool and Jar At this point the jam has just thickened but it will firm up once it settles. Scoop the jam into a jar. Leave the top ¼th inch of headspace at the top of the jar as it can make sealing messy. Once completely cooled down, close the lid and refrigerate it for upto 1 month.
Stove Top Strawberry Jam Recipe
- Making strawberry jam on the stove top is pretty much the same as above except that instead of pressure cooking the strawberries, you will bring them to a rolling boil in a heavy bottom pan. Stay close and keep stirring or else I have burnt the strawberries once. Skim off the foam as you go. Do the cold plate test as mentioned above and allow it to thicken before its cools off to be jarred.
LuLu B - Calabrisella Mia says
Strawberries are starting to show up all over the place now, and I'm sure this jam is way better than the super sugary jams you by in the supermarket!
Shannah Holt -Mastering Mom Chaos says
This looks great! I’m trying to eat most things natural and without all the artificial everythings. I love that you even answered the questions I had about how long it would last and how to properly can it. Thank you!
B Hansen says
Strawberry jam is on my list of things to make this week! I am going to have to give this IP recipe a try, sounds so easy and looks delish!
Adriana Renee says
I love jam! This looks easy to make!
Mz_Ola says
My nieces would enjoy trying out this recipe. Always good to know you made something yourself. Should be fun trying this out
Amy (Savory Moments) says
I love homemade jams and jellies! They are such a great way to preserve the season's fruits. Great idea to use the Instant Pot!
everydaywithmadirae says
Love how easy this is! Thanks so much for sharing...will definitely be giving this recipe a try!
-madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
♡Stephanie Stebbins♡ (@stephsteb) says
I have always wanted to learn how to make homemade jam and this seems so easy. Awesome!
Jen | A Cure for Monday says
This sounds so simple and delicious! I'll definitely be giving it a try. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Joan says
I love homemade jam but mine tends to backfire on me, don't know why maybe I should give it another try.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Joan,
This is a tried and tested recipe, hopefully this won't wont back fire on you if you follow it exactly the way written. Let us know how it goes
Toni says
I think you have a typo in your instructions forbthe vinegar/water bath. You suggest a vinegar/ AC Vinegar bath... just being helpful.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
thanks Toni, fixed the typo 🙂 yup it's a vinegar/ water bath
Teresa says
I’m curious if this recipe has been officially tested for canning. Your desire to be able to alter the amount of sugar makes me doubtful.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Teresa,
Experts say that sugar does not play a safety role in home canning. Barb Ingham at Wisconsin Extension says, “You can omit or reduce the sugar when freezing fruits, and when making pickles, salsas and sauces”. You can read more about it here https://fyi.uwex.edu/safepreserving/2013/09/09/safe-preserving-using-splenda/
WhitAdvisor.com says
I didn't realize you could make jam in an InstantPot! Strawberry jam is my favorite so I'll give this a try!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Go for it then. You will love it. It's easy peasy and faster.
Saunie Hensley says
You can make this, pour into jars, leaving one inch head space, place lid and freeze. No processing or water bath needed.
Anvita says
If you don’t want to do a water bath and have freezer space, cooked jam and jelly can be stored in the freezer. Follow the directions as if you were going to do a water bath, but leave ½” of headspace in the jars (instead of ¼”). This extra space allows for expansion when the jam freezes. Allow jars to cool on the counter, then store in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator before eating. Best eaten within 1 year of freezing.
Elaine Crary says
Anybody tried with plums?
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Elaine,
You could definitely make this jam with plums too. Make sure you remove the skin and everything else will remain the same except for the boiling time as Plums are juicer compared to Strawberries. When you try it, let me know how it goes 🙂
Betsy says
The instructions for washing seem incorrect. Can you clarify please? Also, can you use organic sugar?
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Betsy,
I corrected the typo, it's 1 part vinegar and 8 parts water. BTW you can totally use organic sugar, infact better!
Nandita says
Its is so damn yummy! Just how I like and jusg how I grew up eating 🙂
Nandita says
This is so damn yummy! Just how I like and just how I liked to eat growing up.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Yes, definitely brough back childhood memories for me too Nandita.
Seema says
I was very sceptical about the consistency initially, but it came out perfect. This is the first recipe I've tried and I intend on trying all your recipes.
Jeff says
Can't wait to try this. One thing, though, sugar over starwberries isn't marinating, it's macerating.
Thanks for this recipe!
Ro says
I forgot to add the lemon juice , is it okay ?
Anvita says
Ro,
The lemon juice is important, as it boosts the pectin in the strawberries. It will not thicken and will be more like a sauce like consistency
Katie Foster says
Can this be done in an 8qt Instant Pot? I am wondering if the strawberries will produce enough liquid to get close to the liquid requirement of 18 oz.
Anvita says
Yes it can be done in an 8 qt, there will be enough juice from the strawberries
Fiane says
It generally is best to use bottled lemon juice in preserves. It has a consistent level of citric acid, fresh lemons are not consistent and could deliver runny results
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Fiane,
Some bottled lemon juices have citric acid in addition to the lemon juice, thus nothing like freshly squeezed lemon juice. So far the folks who tried making this jam have only had successful results. 🙂
TN says
Thanks! Just made my first batch and it was a success! So simple and easy!
Ritz says
Turned out amazing and super easy
Leslie says
How much does this make? I am wondering how many jars I should prepare. I can't seem to see this info on the page.
Anvita says
Hi Leslie,you can make 2 (8oz jars)
Judy keiser says
What is the max amount of time to marinate the strawberries I have to go to a shower and am running out of time.
Anvita says
Don’t worry, no rush. There no such time limit.
Terry says
@Anvita,
Jennifer Jonas says
Just to clarify, it is enough sugar & safe for water bath canning? Correct?
Virginia C. Walker/Cox's Honey Queen says
I tried it with honey since I'm the honeyqueen. Smells so good! Two things I would recommend: only use 1/4 c. honey and don't rush it. Take your time cooking and stirring. Lean towards being longer than shorter on the time. Turned out yummy!
Carrie Gutwein says
This jam sounds delicious! Can I double or triple the recipe? I want more than 2 jars of jam in my freezer so I can enjoy it all year long?.
Maureen Teehan says
Can I use Truvia in place of sugar?
Marion Ritchotte says
Came out too runny, I wonder if adding pectin during the last stage of cooking would create a less runny jam.
Kavita says
Hi Anvita,
I tried this jam and it was super good. My kid finished The whole bottle in no time, he ate it with roti, dosa, idli everything.
There is one tip that I used when my jam seemed a bit too watery. I added a tbsp of chia seeds.
It gave a nice texture too.
Thanks
Rebecca says
Do I have to use canning jars to put it in? What else can I use?
Patricia Pinney says
Can sugar substitutes other than Monkfruit such a Stevia be used? Trying to cut back on sugar/calories & hubby is diabetic!
Anvita says
Hi Patricia, yes you can add your choice of sweeter.
Kim says
Could I sub sugar with coconut sugar?
Anvita says
Hi Kim, yes you can 🙂 do share your feedback with us.
Irene says
Do the jars have to be hot when transferring the jam? Or is sterilized sufficient?? Newbie here.
Anvita says
Sterilized sufficient is good Irene. Let us know how it goes?
Karrie says
tried last night- flavor is DELICIOUS! my only issue is that mine turned out runnier than I would like, despite boiling for close to 10 minutes instead of 5. Wondering if its because I used bottled lemon juice instead of fresh? any o
Amanda says
Delicious and simple! My kids loved making-and eating-it! Thanks for the recipe.
Anvita says
We are so glad to hear that Amanda.xoxo
Sandie Bell says
I'm definitely going to try this. Just wondering about how much this recipe ends up making... Thanks
Anvita says
Hi sandie, this recipe makes 2 [8oz] bottles. Di share your feedback with us after you make it .
Tina T says
I love the idea of adding chia seeds to thicken. Thanks!
Anvita says
Tina , Yes if you want to skip the sugar.. chia seeds are great !
Becky says
I mashed the berries before I saw this recipe. Will it still work out the same mashing them before processing them? Thank you
Anvita says
hi Becky yes it should work 🙂
Ann says
In your video you mash the berries before pressure cooking but your recipe instructions say to do it after. Which one is correct?
Anvita says
Mash them afterwards as they are softer once pressure cooked
Debra K Hamilton says
can you use other fruit the same way.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Debra, Yes you can use raspberry, mix berries, peach, mango 🙂
Bethany Dalton says
I just made something similar.
18 oz blackberries & 4 oz of strawberries
16 oz of raw honey
Mashed it up and let it sit for 4-5 hours outside fridge.
Cooked down to desired thickness(mine was too thick so I had to stir a little water in to thin it).
Strained with cheesecloth.
I put the strained jam bits in a jar and added the liquid syrup to desired consistency.
Leftover liquid makes perfect waffle/pancake syrup.
The honey is so rich and delicious. Paired with the bold blackberry and hint of strawberry, I feel like it was an excellent combo.
I chose raw honey for health benefits as well.
If you wanted to do an extra step, you could infuse the honey with herbs or other fruit before making the jam.
Bethany Dalton says
I forgot to add I zested half an orange and add it to this!!
LeighAnne says
I am a newbie but thought that if something was canned with a water bath, it became shelf-stable because of the pressure ? If so, why would these jars need to be refrigerated or frozen?
JS says
I have tried most of the recipes from this site and they've all come out amazing.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi JS, so glad to hear that. . Hope you keep trying our recipes 🙂
Pat says
If you put hot jam into cold jars you risk cracking the jars and losing your jam!
Gerri says
@Pat, recipe says put jam in hot jars.
Audri says
Love this made it today!!!
Kari McElvenny says
Mine came out runny too. More of a sauce consistancy rather than jam. I used fresh lemon juice in mine.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Kari, you need to keep sauting till you get desired consistency
Cathy Revesz says
I would like to try marmalade this way - would I use the same sugar ratio I use for stovetop or could I reduce?
I Kan says
How much jam does this recipe yield?
Mary McK says
I made this exactly as described, with fresh lemon juice. I cooked it using a candy thermometer and after >30 minutes it still was not jam consistency. Also, the resulting sauce is more tart than the berries were before adding the sugar. Half a cup of sugar to 4 cups berries is never going to result in jam, unless you add pectin. Next time I will double the sugar.
Jeanine says
I gave the same question.
Mark Ald says
Added a splash of balsamic vinegar. Gives great depth to the strawberry flavor.
stephen clarke says
is monk fruit any good for diabetic sufferers ie. better than sugar or honey. ?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Stephen, you can use Splenda or any other diabetic friendly sweetner
Terry says
Can I leave the strawberries in the fridge overnight. I started late and it took me forever to hull them not realizing they had to sit for an hour. I’d like to finish up in the morning.
Corrine says
Yum! My 5-year-old son asks to make this with me all the time. I love that it is so easy and natural. Thanks!
Tracy Spence says
What is the serving size? 1 what? The whole 16 ounces?