- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Egg free
- Lactose free
- Nut free
- Peanut free
- Sesame free
- Soy free
- Wheat free
- Seafood free
- Shellfish free
You only need 3 ingredients to whip up a batch of our sweet strawberry jam. Enjoy it on toast or serve it with scones for an afternoon treat that really hits the spot.
- Makes3, 1 1/2 cups (375ml)
- Cook time30 minutes
- Prep time10 minutes, cooling & 30 mins standing time
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1kg strawberries, halved
- 1kg white sugar
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Juice the lemon, reserving seeds (you’ll need 1/3 cup/80ml lemon juice). Place the seeds in a small square of muslin. Bring the corners together to enclose seeds and tie with kitchen string to secure.Step 2
Place the strawberry in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the sugar, lemon juice and lemon seeds in muslin. Stir to combine. Set aside for 30 mins or until strawberry begins to release its juices.Step 3
Place the saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 mins or until the jam reaches setting point. (To test if the jam is set, place a saucer in the freezer for 10-15 mins to chill. Remove jam from heat and place a small spoonful of jam on the chilled saucer. Return saucer to the freezer for 1 min. Run your finger through the jam to test if it wrinkles and gels. If it doesn’t, return the jam to the heat for 5 mins, then repeat the test.)Step 4
Meanwhile, to sterilise three 11/2-cup (375ml) preserving jars, place jars and lids in a deep saucepan. Cover with cold water. Place over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Boil gently for 10 mins. Use tongs to carefully remove sterilised jars and lids. Place upside down on a clean tea towel.Step 5
Use tongs to remove lemon seeds from jam. Discard. Use a large metal spoon to skim any scum from the surface. Carefully divide hot jam among warm sterilised jars and seal. Turn upside down for 2 mins. Turn upright. Set aside to cool completely. Store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. Refrigerate once open.
Strawberry jam recipe
If you love the rich flavour of strawberry jam but haven’t tried making your own, you’re in for a treat with this recipe. Fresh strawberry jam is one of the easiest homemade jam recipes for home cooks because you can make it with just 3 ingredients. Jam making isn’t an all-day project either, because this strawberry jam recipe only needs 30 minutes cooking time.
Still need an excuse to make this strawberry jam recipe? Start thinking about scones with whipped cream and strawberry jam, or dreaming of how good this jam will taste sandwiched inside a sponge cake or rippled through vanilla ice cream. When strawberries are in season and great value, grab a few extra punnets and make a batch of strawberry jam so you can enjoy them for longer.
What you need for this traditional strawberry jam recipe
A 3-ingredient jam recipe sounds like a hack, but this recipe actually follows the same method as other traditional jam recipes. The ingredients you need are simple to remember - to make jam from 1 kilo of strawberries, you’ll need 1 kilo of white sugar and 1 lemon. Make sure you have a whole lemon on hand, not just the juice. Lemon seeds are high in pectin, a natural setting agent that helps the jam gel and thicken as it cools. To prepare the seeds for cooking, after juicing the lemon, tuck the seeds inside a small square of muslin and bring the corners together, then tie string around the top to make a secure pouch. That way it will be easy to remove the seeds from the finished jam before storing.
How to make fresh strawberry jam
The first step in jam making happens off the heat. Put the halved strawberries in a large heavy-based saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice and pouch of lemon seeds. Give it a stir, then leave it for 30 minutes so the fruit releases its juices and the sugar starts to dissolve. If you skip this step, the undissolved sugar on the base of the pan can easily burn when you start to cook the jam.
When you’re ready, start cooking the jam over low heat, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes to help dissolve the rest of the sugar. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the jam reaches setting point. You can test this by spooning a small amount of jam onto a chilled saucer and freezing it for 1 minute. If the surface wrinkles when you run your finger along the top, the jam is set. If not, leave it to cook for another 5 minutes before testing again.
When the jam is ready, remove the pouch and skim any foam from the surface – this stops the jam from turning cloudy. Then spoon into sterilised jars and turn the jars upside down for 2 minutes to create an airtight seal – this makes them safe to store in the pantry for up to 6 months. Make sure you keep it in the fridge after opening.
Now get cooking
Give this simple strawberry jam recipe a whirl and enjoy the delicious taste in breakfast and brunch dishes, desserts and tea time treats. To take strawberry jam on toast to the next level, try Curtis Stone’s homemade ricotta recipe. Or, for another brekkie to impress, make strawberry and coconut bircher muesli. Strawberry jam is handy for baking, too – try it in strawberry cheesecake banana bread. For an easy twist on bread and butter pudding, bake a choc-strawberry bread and butter pudding cake or croissant bread and butter pudding with strawberries. If you’re short on time, here’s another 3-ingredient strawberry jam with no cooking required - our easy chia jam recipe.
FAQs
3-ingredient strawberry jam
- Makes3, 1 1/2 cups (375ml)
- Cook time30 minutes
- Prep time10 minutes, cooling & 30 mins standing time
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1kg strawberries, halved
- 1kg white sugar
Description
You only need 3 ingredients to whip up a batch of our sweet strawberry jam. Enjoy it on toast or serve it with scones for an afternoon treat that really hits the spot.
Method
Step 1
Juice the lemon, reserving seeds (you’ll need 1/3 cup/80ml lemon juice). Place the seeds in a small square of muslin. Bring the corners together to enclose seeds and tie with kitchen string to secure.Step 2
Place the strawberry in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the sugar, lemon juice and lemon seeds in muslin. Stir to combine. Set aside for 30 mins or until strawberry begins to release its juices.Step 3
Place the saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 mins or until the jam reaches setting point. (To test if the jam is set, place a saucer in the freezer for 10-15 mins to chill. Remove jam from heat and place a small spoonful of jam on the chilled saucer. Return saucer to the freezer for 1 min. Run your finger through the jam to test if it wrinkles and gels. If it doesn’t, return the jam to the heat for 5 mins, then repeat the test.)Step 4
Meanwhile, to sterilise three 11/2-cup (375ml) preserving jars, place jars and lids in a deep saucepan. Cover with cold water. Place over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Boil gently for 10 mins. Use tongs to carefully remove sterilised jars and lids. Place upside down on a clean tea towel.Step 5
Use tongs to remove lemon seeds from jam. Discard. Use a large metal spoon to skim any scum from the surface. Carefully divide hot jam among warm sterilised jars and seal. Turn upside down for 2 mins. Turn upright. Set aside to cool completely. Store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months. Refrigerate once open.