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Home » RECIPE » Jams & Fruit Sauces » Easy Strawberry Jam (No Pectin)

Easy Strawberry Jam (No Pectin)

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By: Shinee Published: 5/26/2016Updated: 6/08/2021

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As strawberries are naturally rich in pectin, there's no need for additional pectin. This easy no pectin strawberry jam is super easy to make. Step by step photos and lots of tips are included!

As strawberries are naturally rich in pectin, there’s no need for additional pectin. This easy no pectin strawberry jam is super easy to make. Step by step photos and lots of tips are included below!

Yeah, it’s been a few years since I learned how to make and can fruit jams. And I absolutely love it. My husband loves it. Everyone loves it. Homemade jams are the best, especially on a Sunday morning with pancakes, or crepes, or even just good ol’ buttered toast. And it’s surprisingly easy too! If you’re new to canning, fruit jams are the way to start.

During my pregnancy, I was so into carbs!! Actually, scratch that… I’m always into carbs, but here I’m talking over-the-top-obsession with buttered toast smeared with jam. I literally went through and cleaned out my stash of jams. And since I needed to re-stock my pantry, I made a new batch of strawberry jam (my husband’s favorite) over the weekend, which prompted me to update this post with new photos and additional tips on making this fantastic, yet easy jam.

Update on October 25th, 2019: Plus, did you know you can make strawberry jam in an Instant Pot? It’s true, and super easy too! I’ll include the directions in the recipe card below.

Table of Contents

  • WHAT CONSISTENCY THIS STRAWBERRY JAM HAS?
  • 4 TIPS TO MAKE THIS NO PECTIN STRAWBERRY JAM:
  • HOW TO CAN STRAWBERRY JAM:
  • HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY JAM IN INSTANT POT:
  • HOW TO STORE STRAWBERRY JAM:
  • Easy Strawberry Jam (No Pectin)

WHAT CONSISTENCY THIS STRAWBERRY JAM HAS?

You won’t get solid, marmalade-like jam with this recipe. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll need to find another recipe.

This recipe produces thick, yet slightly runny, soft jam that you can easily smear on your toast, croissant, or crepes. For reference, see the photo below.

4 TIPS TO MAKE THIS NO PECTIN STRAWBERRY JAM:

  • Strawberries are naturally rich in pectin, that’s why I don’t add any additional commercial pectin. To clarify, there’s nothing wrong with pectin itself, I just don’t think it’s necessary in this recipe.
  • Don’t reduce the sugar amount, as I call for absolute minimum amount for proper consistency and preserving. If you use less than specified amount of sugar, the mixture won’t reach 220°F no matter how long you cook it. Also, you’ll have to cook the jam longer to thicken it, which darkens the color and could burn the jam altogether.
  • Don’t skip lemon juice, as acidity combined with sugar is crucial for proper set.
  • Mashing the strawberries upfront helps release the natural pectin. Mash the fruits to the consistency you like. Since I like bigger fruit pieces in my jam, I leave some fruit slices in the mixture.

No pectin strawberry jam, step by step

HOW TO CAN STRAWBERRY JAM:

  • First, you’ll need to sterilize the jars by washing them in a soapy water and then dropping them in boiling water in a canning pot. (I don’t have a canning pot, so I use my deepest stock pot.) Make sure you use a canning rack on the bottom, or at least put a kitchen towel rag on the bottom of the pot, as I used to do back in 2013. If you set the glass jars directly in contact with the pot without a rack or rag, then the jars will break as they touch the hot bottom of the pot. If you’re doing lots of canning, you can sterilize the jars in a boiling water, and then arrange them on a baking sheet and transfer them into preheated oven (300°F) until ready to use.
  • Place the lids and rings in a boiling water and turn the heat off. Don’t boil the water with the lids, as it reduces the quality of sealing rubber. Use a magnetic wand (it’s so cheap!), to fish out the lids when ready to seal the jars.
  • Run a knife along the inside edges of the jar to remove the air bubbles in the jam. Be careful not to touch the bottom of the jar if using metal utensils, as one of my readers warned, it could scratch the glass, which could break the jar when heated. (Thanks, Jenn, for the tip!)
  • Before placing the lids, wipe the edges of the jars with a wet towel/paper towel to clean any drips.
  • Place the jars in a boiling water in a canning pot with a rack on the bottom. Make sure the jars are covered with at least 4 inches of water. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn the heat off and let them sit for 5 minutes before transferring the jars to a cooling rack.
  • As the jars cool down, you should hear popping sounds. It’s a sign that the jars are being sealed.
If you’re planning on making lots of jams this summer, I suggest getting this canning tool set that includes essential tools to grab hot jars, magnetic lid lifter and plastic knife to remove bubbles, etc.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY JAM IN INSTANT POT:

As it turns out, you can make amazing strawberry jam in an Instant Pot. It’s truly a fuss-free method to turn loads of fresh strawberries into a sweet jam! No thermometer required!

  1. Slice the strawberries and place them in inner pot of your Instant Pot along with sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and let it sit for 30 minutes to macerate.
  2. In 30 minutes, the mixture will be saucy and with plenty of liquid to turn on the Instant Pot without adding any water.
  3. Then you’ll set the Instant Pot for only 1 minutes on high pressure, followed by natural pressure release, which basically means leave it untouched to let all the pressure come out naturally, about 20 minutes. (If you’d like to learn more about natural pressure release vs quick release, this Instant Pot Guide is pretty helpful!)
  4. Once the pressure pin drops, carefully open the lid. Jam will super liquid-y, but don’t worry, it’s totally normal. We’ll cook it down in the same pot. Hit “cancel” button and then set it to “saute”. Cook the jam, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, or until the jam is nicely thickened.
  5. Pour into a jar and cool completely. Jam will thicken more as it cools.

HOW TO STORE STRAWBERRY JAM:

  • Store uncanned jams in the fridge for up to 1 month. (I have to admit I’ve had some jams longer though. It all depends how you handle it. If you only use clean utensils and open the jar infrequently, you won’t have problem storing it longer.)
  • Store the sealed jars at room temperature for up to 1 year for best quality. Then again I’ve had some jars for over a year, the quality won’t be the same though.

Easy Strawberry Jam (No Pectin)

Learn how to make small batch strawberry jam without pectin! It's sweet, jammy, and spreadable, with no special equipment or canning required. Step-by-step photos included.
4.79 from 14 votes
serves: 3 cups
Cook: 35 minutes
Total : 1 hour
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs fresh strawberries
  • 2 cups sugar Note 1
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

  • Wash and hull the strawberries. Quarter or slice the strawberries.
  • In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Using a potato masher, mash the strawberries to the consistency you like. (As I like bigger fruit pieces in my jam, I leave some fruit slices in the mixture.)
  • Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then increase the heat and bring it to a rolling boil.
  • Cook the mixture until it reaches 220°F, stirring frequently, about 25-30 minutes. Turn the heat off, and using a slotted spoon, skim off the foam.
  • Pour the jam into clean jars, cover and cool to room temperature. Store the cooled jams in the fridge for up to 1 month.
  • Canning instructions: Sterilize the jars by washing them in soapy water and then dropping them in boiling water in a canning pot. (I don’t have a canning pot, so I use my deepest stock pot.) Make sure you use a canning rack on the bottom.
  • Place the lids and rings in a boiling water and turn the heat off. Don’t boil the water with the lids, as it reduces the quality of sealing rubber.
  • Pour the jam into sterile jars, leaving about ¼ in left from the top.
  • Run a knife along the inside edges of the jar to remove any air bubbles, trapped in the jam. Be careful not to touch the bottom of the jar if using metal utensils.
  • Clean the edges of the jars with a wet towel, or paper towel. Place the lids on and tighten the ring around them, but not too tight.
  • Place the jars into a boiling water in a canning pot with a rack on the bottom. Make sure the jars are covered with at least 4 inches of water. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn the heat off and let the jars sit for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
  • As the jars cool down, you should hear popping sounds. It’s a sign that the jars are being sealed.

Tips & Notes:

Feel free to double the recipe, if you plan on canning it.
Note 1: Do not reduce the amount of sugar. It's necessary for the right consistency and for preservation.
Storage Instructions:
- Store uncanned jams in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- Sealed (canned) jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year for best quality.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 617kcal (31%) Carbohydrates: 158g (53%) Protein: 2g (4%) Fat: 1g (2%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Sodium: 5mg Potassium: 486mg (14%) Fiber: 6g (25%) Sugar: 148g (164%) Vitamin A: 38IU (1%) Vitamin C: 186mg (225%) Calcium: 51mg (5%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Author: Shinee
Course:Condiments
Cuisine:American
Diet:Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
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This post was originally published on April 8, 2013 and updated on October 25th, 2019.

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  1. Stephanie Horowitz says

    Posted on 21 April 2022 at 5:00 pm

    5 stars
    This is hands down the best and easiest recipe I’ve ever used. My whole family loves it! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 9 May 2022 at 2:53 pm

      So glad you tried and loved my recipe!!!

      Reply
  2. Charlie says

    Posted on 24 July 2021 at 10:16 am

    Is it possible to lower the sugar content to about 1 cup?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 26 July 2021 at 11:04 pm

      Sure, but note it’ll be more like a sauce and not suitable for long shelf life. My recipe already uses less sugar than most jam recipes, which makes the jam not as firm.

      Reply
      • Charlie says

        Posted on 27 July 2021 at 12:32 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  3. Terri Gardner says

    Posted on 5 July 2021 at 12:18 pm

    If mine won’t get up to 220 is it garbage? I followed the directions exactly and I can’t get it past 212.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 5 July 2021 at 7:16 pm

      No, it won’t be garbage. It just won’t set. It’ll still be delicious!

      Reply
  4. Doreen Corkran says

    Posted on 21 June 2021 at 8:15 am

    Can the jam be frozen.. that is how I usually store my jam..

    Reply
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