Easy Strawberry Jam

I had never attempted making homemade jam until I was tasked with baking my sister's wedding cake last year. I had done the easy mashed berries and chia seeds cheat code way, but never a real, sweet, sticky jam. I read through so many recipes, bought so many unnecessary ingredients, and stood over the stovetop in my Brighton apartment kitchen for hours. As it turns out, it's not that difficult. In fact, this strawberry jam only takes 3 ingredients that you probably have at home.

Note: I have made this recipe with blackberries as well. They were frozen, and it still worked!

Strawberry jam ingredients:

1 lb strawberries (typically a qt you'd buy at the store)

1 cup sugar

juice and zest of 1 lemon

Wash and cut the strawberries so there is minimal white core remaining (it is not worth cutting your finger over but do your best). Cute them into quarters if you like a smoother jam, or halves if you like strawberry pieces in your jam.

Place the strawberries and sugar into a small pot on the stove and heat on medium. I find it's best to mix slowly the entire time to avoid burning sugar! It will take approximately 15-20 minutes for the strawberries and sugar to combine into a pink liquid-like consistency. There will be strawberry pieces, and you can crush them with your spatula to speed up the process.

When your mixture is boiling, add the lemon juice and zest, then continue to mix. You'll notice the residue on the side of the pot will begin to get gelatinous. Turn off the heat and pour your mixture into a temp-safe bowl to cool for about 15 minutes, then cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour. You should have the perfect texture of spreadable jam, perfect for the inside of a cake, or between slices of gluten-free bread with peanut butter!