Strawberry Jam

The most beloved of all British preserves: ripe summer strawberries cooked down with sugar and lemon juice to a vivid, fragrant jam that sets softly and fills the kitchen with the concentrated scent of an entire summer season

Origin: Britain & France, 18th–19th century

From the journey of Strawberry.

Preserving summer fruit in sugar is a practice as old as refined sugar itself in Europe; and the strawberry, once the garden variety Fragaria × ananassa became widely cultivated from the mid-18th century onwards, quickly became the most prized fruit for jamming. In Britain, strawberry jam became an institution: the centre of the Victoria sponge, the essential companion to scones and clotted cream, the spread for every schoolchild's sandwich. Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861) included multiple strawberry jam recipes. In France, confiture de fraises has been a cornerstone of the confiseur's repertoire since Brillat-Savarin's time. The challenge with strawberry jam is that strawberries are naturally low in pectin: the setting agent found more abundantly in plums, currants and gooseberries. Getting strawberry jam to set properly without overcooking it (which destroys colour and flavour) is the central test. The lemon juice in this recipe provides both acidity and pectin.

Ingredients

Fruit

  • 1 kg ripe strawberries, hulled and halved

Sugar

  • 800 g jam sugar (with added pectin) or granulated sugar

Acid

  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

Optional

  • 1 tsp unsalted butter (optional, to prevent foaming)

Method

  1. The night before: layer the hulled strawberries and sugar in a large non-reactive bowl, cover and leave overnight at room temperature. This draws out the juice and begins the maceration, giving a better-flavoured jam.
  2. Place two or three small saucers in the freezer; these are for testing the set. Sterilise your jam jars by washing in hot soapy water, rinsing well and placing upside-down in an oven at 120°C for 20 minutes.
  3. Tip the macerated strawberries and all their juice into a large, wide preserving pan or heavy-bottomed pot. Add the lemon juice. Bring to the boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve any remaining sugar crystals.
  4. Once boiling, increase the heat to a rolling boil: a vigorous boil that cannot be stirred down. Cook at a full rolling boil for 10–15 minutes, skimming any foam. Add the butter if using (it disperses the foam).
  5. Test for set: remove the pan from the heat. Drop a teaspoonful of jam onto one of the frozen saucers. Push the jam with your fingertip after 1 minute; if it wrinkles and holds its shape, it has set. If it runs freely, return to the boil for 3 more minutes and test again.
  6. Remove from heat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes (this prevents the fruit from floating to the top of the jar). Stir gently once, then ladle into the warm sterilised jars, filling to within 5mm of the top. Seal immediately with lids or wax discs and cellophane.
  7. Label with the date and store in a cool, dark cupboard. The jam will keep for up to a year unopened. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 3 months.

Notes

Jam sugar (with added pectin) makes strawberry jam more reliable and reduces cooking time, which preserves the fresh flavour and colour. If using plain granulated sugar, you may need to cook the jam slightly longer to reach setting point. The lemon juice is important; it both provides additional pectin and maintains the vivid red colour. Without it, strawberry jam can turn a brownish-red. For a chunkier jam, leave some strawberries halved rather than crushing them. For a smooth jam, crush more thoroughly before cooking.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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