Skillet Strawberry Jam
There are a few common misconceptions about jam-making that I don’t quite get. And I’d like to clear them up now, if possible.
1) you must make an enormous batch, requiring pounds of fruit, an enormous pot and every square inch of counter space available.
2) you must use proper canning equipment, buy jars with sealable lids, and process your jam at so many pounds per inch for a precise length of time, lest you give someone botulism.
3) you must buy packaged pectin, be exact with your measurements and then feel some degree of panic over the possibility that your jam might not set.
4) it will take you all day, or at least most of the afternoon.
Really guys, it’s just not that big a deal. Jam is just fruit cooked down with sugar and acid (ie. lemon juice). So why can’t you just mash up a pot and simmer it while you do other things? What’s wrong with making a cup or two at a time, enough to last the next week or so, instead of needing to fill a dozen jars and stock your pantry shelves for winter? (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
I had a big bowl of strawberries left over from the display of a foodstyling job on Wednesday, and even the boys barely made a dent in them. I have zero freezer space left – I doubt I’d find room for even a single strawberry – so jam seemed a good solution. The seed was planted when I got an email offering a copy of 250 Home Preserving Favorites for Free Stuff Friday! I adore preserving books.
I planned on making the recipe for Strawberry Fig Jam with Balsamic Vinegar that came in the email, but didn’t have fresh figs, and they aren’t in season. At 4:30 I spotted the rapidly deteriorating bowl of berries, hulled them while talking on the phone, mashed them with a potato masher and threw them in my cast-iron skillet.
The advantage of using a skillet: more surface area, so the fruit cooks far more quickly. I added a half cup of sugar (you could add more, but I like jam not overly sweet, and for the flavour to come through) and squeezed in the juice of half a lemon, and it came to a simmer quickly. It cooked for ten minutes; I stirred it now and then – more often as it got thicker, breaking up the berries a bit more with my spoon – and when it was thick enough that it a) looked like jam, and b) left a trail when I dragged the spoon through it, it was done. It was 4:45.
I had intended to do a quick skillet jam with balsamic, but after a rough day I was in the mood for something more friendly and comforting – like vanilla. I stirred a bit of the good stuff in as I took the jam off the heat. (If you want a balsamic version, add about a tablespoon along with the lemon juice.) Now I have no choice but to make scones in the morning.
Skillet Strawberry Jam
AuthorJulie
In a bowl, roughly mash your strawberries with a potato masher (you may need to lean into it at first, to get them going) or squeeze them with your fingers. Put them into a large skillet (cast iron is perfect!) with the sugar and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often and breaking up large chunks of berry with your spoon, until it thickens and your spoon leaves a trail across the bottom of the pan. (It should take about 10 minutes.) If you like, stir in the vanilla. Cool. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients
Directions
In a bowl, roughly mash your strawberries with a potato masher (you may need to lean into it at first, to get them going) or squeeze them with your fingers. Put them into a large skillet (cast iron is perfect!) with the sugar and lemon juice and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often and breaking up large chunks of berry with your spoon, until it thickens and your spoon leaves a trail across the bottom of the pan. (It should take about 10 minutes.) If you like, stir in the vanilla. Cool. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
That looks so good. Thanks for reminding me it’s easier than I think.
Supper last night was strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing. And popcorn later on during the thunderstorm. Which started shortly after a frantic evening of planting. Didn’t quite get the whole pound on green beans in, so I’ll have to finish that today, along with the red beans, black beans, corn, cukes, etc. Then I should be done. Whew.
It was another night for the grill! We had grilled chicken quickly marinated in lime juice and olive oil with garlic, cumin, cilantro and chopped serrano pepper. For a side we had grilled sweet potatoes tossed in a lime/olive oil/cilantro mix.
When I saw this post, it made my mouth water. Strawberry season is coming up next month and I’ll actually be making strawberry jam like I do every year. Perhaps there’s a recipe in this book I can use instead of my same old stand by!!
I discovered Yvonne’s recipe for Rosemary Apple Cider Jelly last fall – totally in love with rosemary & apple combo!
Julie, for dinner last night I made–popcorn!
What can I say? Rough day for me too. It was worth it just to see my 12yo daughter’s expression: surprise and amusement but with an element of “what’s wrong with Mom?” Ah, well, I’ll do better tonight.
well what do you you know- there is another Mary Ann out there who spells her name just like mine!
Dinner last night was skillet seared shrimp with cocktail sauce and “avosalsa”- a chunky blend of avocado, tomato and onion flavoured with garlic, cilantro, lime juice and a dash of cumin. I skipped dessert but my fiance had cinnamon raisin toast spread with butter and raspberry jam.
Picked strawberries a couple of weeks ago and made my first jam. It was EASY. It also made me feel so accomplished. Thanks for your inspiration. I used apple in one and orange rind in the other for the pectin and it worked great.
Last night was a party at a friends… mexican… yumm.
I’m embarrassed to admit that last night’s dinner was fast food–we go out once a week, and take turns picking. Last night was my daughter’s turn. (I guess she needs an antidote to all that home cooked food.)
This post makes me wish I could expect to find berries on my weekly farmers’ market trip, but I’ll just have to file it away and wait a few more weeks….
this looks great! I love making onion jam in the skillet, but never thought of using the technique on food.
Last night was the greek festival where I ate myself silly.
I am a canning addict, one who will be teaching 2 canning classes in my area this summer. Needless to say I want to win this book, I would buy it but i think I may be cut off from buying any more cookbooks, especially canning ones.
As for favorite jams, my youngest sons favorite is Strawberry Freezer Jam with Cointreau and Drambuie. The recipe is an adaptation of a Traditional Strawberry Jam with Conitreau and Drambuie. I love them both but the freezer jam is much faster to make in a large quantity and the strawberries taste fresher in it.
I also love apricot jam, especially on challah french toast. I bought a bag of dried California apricots and in the near future I am going to turn it into jam, tart and a little sweet for ME!
-Robin
Julie, do you think this quick jam would freeze well? Just in case I’m not ready to use it yet?
And last night when I got home from work, the hubs and I found ourselves unexpectedly alone, so we went out for a fish dinner.
Absolutely! It would freeze great. And because this has less sugar than most, it will keep better in the freezer if you’re going to store it for long periods of time.
This looks like the jam Gran used to make! I’ll have to give this a try soon – but first I need to cook for T’s 40th Birthday tonight(which is a whole lot more exciting than the roasted potatoes & leftover chicken we had Friday) On the menu: turkey empanaditas, shrimp ceviche, guacamole, pulled pork and arroz con pollo. Dessert: lemon cake with lemon curd filling & whipped cream icing. (since I dunno how to hyperlink text) Empanaditas: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1545754 & the guacamole is from Pioneer Woman.
Well I only work part-time out of the home on Wednesday afternoon, Thursdays and Fridays. And, I head to superstore on Fridays to get the shopping done. So last night after a LONG day I was greeted by my son who decided to throw himself into a shrubbery and bite me when I picked him up.
We went into major tantrum avoidance mode. He was thrown cheese and pumpkin muffins from the freezer. When toddler was sleeping and the cost was clear Hubby and I had hot dogs (blush) and mini pan-roasted potatoes.
I’m off to make some jam with my strawberries and blackberries. YUM.
I tried my hand at jam making last year with a spiced fig recipe that I think I found on Simply Recipes. I was sold when she said it could be made in the microwave. And it can. If you follow her instructions. Otherwise you make spiced fig candy. Tasty, but a little hard on the teeth.
This looks wonderful.
I saw that it could be frozen, but any idea how long it would last in the fridge? Is it the typical 3-4 days of most foods or do you think the lemon juice would help preserve it a bit?
Not that I expect you to be a food safety expert. 🙂
Sugar acts more as a preservative – which is why high-sugar jams last forever – but this doesn’t have as much – I’d say a couple weeks in the fridge?
Wow, that looks delicious! Dinner last night was a big chicken stir fry and beef & broccoli with hoisin sauce.
Last night was cookbook club – inspired by JVR herself, a group of Cochrane gals get together once a month to eat and share our good books (and drink… lots…). Last night was the mother of all nights for food – we had Basil Chicken in Coconut curry with basmati, bruschetta, strawberry spinach salad with yogurt poppyseed dressing, some fabulous mushroom canapes with pesto, quinoa salad, and the BEST ever mojitos I have ever had… 3-4 went down way to smoothly! I love cookbook club!
Here’s a link to the mojitos – I think this weekend is calling you to make some!
Whoops – here is the link for real! When made by our host, she added a bit more sugar as she felt it needed a bit more sweetness – fabulous results!
http://bakingbites.com/2009/05/raspberry-mojito/
Yum! Love the gorgeous pictures.
Julie,
My cast iron skillet gags me from the smell. Any ideas why it smells like this and if I can fix it?
Thanks!
Theresa
Funny as I have been making fresh fig/strawberry jam for years. Loved getting the new strawberries from the farmer’s fruit stands in the Okanagan. Lovely jam. Also, a great jelly, Julie, is cranberry hot pepper. Phenomenal. Excellent on ham, or Rainforest crips with cream cheese. Send that to Paula Deen!
Love the idea of small-batch jam in a skillet!
I wish I had made something more exotic for dinner, but oh well. I made a big pot of rice. Yum.
What a beautiful vibrant RED! I have a lb. of strawberries in the fridge right now…going to turn them into jam to go with the No-Knead bread from last night. Adding a touch of vanilla…brilliant! One of my other favorites is Zesty Red Onion Jelly from the Bernardin book.
Would the same recipe work with blueberries? I love blueberry jam and I have some in my freezer from last summer. Is it still just fruit-sugar-lemon? Because if it is, I am IN. I love blueberry jam, and I’m the only one here who eats jam, ever.
That jam looks lovely.
For me, its time to work on cleaning out the deep freeze. That means using up frozen raspberries (Jam ?) and seeing what else is hiding.
This morning I browned a beef round roast and put it in the slow cooker with beef broth and onion soup to cook all day. Last night I had a small hamburger and iced cap. at Wendy/ Tim Horton’s.
Last night I made ribs using your idea to do them in the oven first instead of boiling them and then finished them on the barbecue. They were the best ribs I have ever made! We also had steamed baby Yukon Gold potatoes, and corn on the cob. I would love to win the preserving book — making jam is one of my favorite things to do.
Strawberry jam with Grand Marnier, pear chutney, apple chutney, mango chutney, blackberry jam are my regulars each summer.
Bbq burgers, salad assorment, sliced strawberries and bananas, oatmeal raisin cookies.
Mom doesn’t have a link but she likes to make all the jam. I throw in the odd jar – matbe rhubarb or mandarine orange but she makes the rest. Very good.
The best preserve I have tasted in a long time is my sister’s mango chutney……wonderful!!
I have Yvonne Tremblay’s other book – Prize Winning Preserves. Nice, creative recipes with predictable results. The mango chutney is especially nice.
It just dawned on me a few weeks ago to do this, too. We’d rented a cabin and brought stuff to make scones, but forgot the jam. A pint of strawberries, a scoop of sugar and a squeeze of lemon later and I was glad that jar stayed on the store shelf.
One of my favorites is strawberry rhubarb jam yummy…..
This looks so fantastic. I found you on foodgawker and just had to check you out. It’s nice to hear at least one cook say that jam doesn’t need to be made in huuuuuge batches! 🙂
We have raspberries, a Nan King cherries tree, rhubarb and a huge apple tree in our back yard. We also have a small gooseberry bush in the front. Thanks for the info on preserves! I started canning last year and actually had a neighbour bring me some of his pears and I made your Pear Chutney recipe (my husband loves it by the way). The more time saving tips you can provied for preserving, the happier I will be! Thanks again.
I would LOVE a new preserving cook book! yum! What was dinner last night? Well, it was a real treat! I stayed at a Lodge up in Port Renfrew for a Stagette and the owner (who is a chef), made us dinner and breakfast the next morning. Roasted veggies (carrots and beets) – literally THE best roasted carrots I have EVER had – yum! Jambalaya with chorizo sausage, prawns and scallops, fresh (as in caught that day by other guests who had been out fishing) halibut, warm from the oven spelt cornbread, and a yummy green salad. It was one of those meals where you feel full and satiated, but you just want to keep eating because it was so good!
THAT’S AMAZING! I am one of those people who thinks jam making would be an all day, messy event. I have done freezer jam few times and I enjoy it, but its no 15 minute task! My husband and I have tried dill pickles many times and have only been really successful once. We’ve thrown out many many jars of pickles that really weren’t edible. I love the idea of canning. If I don’t win, you may have inspired me to look at the library for some books anyway!
Thanks Julie!
I do love me some jam. Dinner last night was pizza, because I started a new job last Thursday AND we are moving (unexpectedly) a week from Wednesday. Utter chaos at our house requires the time-honored remedy of pizza and bourbon.
Dinner last night? Cheerios- Can you tell what kind of day it was? I love all kinds of preserves. Since it’s strawberry season here, I recently made the strawberry with balsamic in a small batch- something I’ve never done before. My favorite to use on almost anything is Habanero Gold jelly, a sweet, savory, spicy jam that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
http://scrambledhenfruit.blogspot.com/2010/01/some-like-it-hot.html
Betty
Very nice looking jam. I love cooking with fresh jam, it is so much better than the bottled variety.
just made your naan on the bbq-usually do it in the skillet-it was fantastic!
i was a bbq pizza virgin until last week…followed your instructions and now i’m all over it!
I love strawberry rhubarb jam. I wonder what additions you would need to make to your strawberry jam to make it rhubarb infused?
Jen – I would just add finely chopped rhubarb – perhaps some liquid, as it will need to cook for a bit longer than the strawberries, and a bit more sugar to counteract the tartness of the rhubarb?
Growing up in Edmonton with roots in Saskatchewan, I have two equally favorite jams: saskatoon and strawberry/rhubarb. As for supper, we were at a potluck where everything was fantastic – I LOVE potluck dinners.
Yum!
I made your blood orange recipe with pink grapefruit but found it a smidge bitter…any suggestions for future?
I love this recipe! I wrote this week about my desire to become a canner and the easier the recipes the better as far as I’m concerned. Dinner last night was a bbq at a new-to-us-could-be-good-friends home. We ate bbq’d chcken, potaotes, asparagus and salad with biscuits, strawberries and chocolate mint whipped cream. It was fantastic!
Shelley – yes, grapefruit are more bitter than blood oranges – just add more sugar! Make sure you don’t get any of the white pith in there either – just the zest of the skin and the flesh of the fruit.
Dinner last night for us was semi-homemade pizza (made with our own 4 + 1 neighbouring kids). Purchased naan for the crust, “squeezable” pizza sauce, chopped up turkey bites for the pepperoni and pre-shredded mozza. Kid-friendly, quick and easy. Lots of soccer and baseball games to attend!
I haven’t quite gotten the recipe down, but I’m fairly mad about mulberry-rhubarb jam with a good share of ginger. And indeed, after making it, scones are a must. I never thought to make a small batch in a skillet: thanks for sharing.
I’ve just sent my husband to the store for more strawberries. I made a batch of your skillet jam yesterday – just to see if it really worked! It was gorgeous, concentrated strawberry yumminess – and you are right – the small amount of sugar was perfect. Not too sweet – the focus is all on the berry!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Dinner last night was BBQ filet, roasted baby potatoes, the Asian salad from Costco, garlic bread, veggies & dip, assortment of cheese & crackers with good friends from out of town — wonderful!
This skillet jam looks wonderful; i like the color and the taste, with a squeeze of lemon.
I appreciate the affirmation that one doesn’t need to go through all the fuss of sterilizing and processing jam. I’ve only made freezer jam before but it never seems to work quite right with strawberries; it’s always too runny. So this spring I decided to try cooked jam and was determined to seal and sterilize and do it just right but there were a few difficulties in the end, such as realizing I hadn’t sterilized the ladle I was using to fill the jars. The second batch I decided to cook, but to forego the stress of wondering if everything was sterile and I just put the jars in the freezer. I like the idea of small batches of skillet jam even better. Thanks!
to Theresa …about your smelly cast iron frying pan…try putting some baking soda, salt, vinegar and water in it and letting it sit for a bit. then pour out the liquid and dry it really well with paper towel or a dish towel you don’t mind getting dirty. Then, season it with oil again so it doesn’t rust.
Hope that helps!
Lol…ok goofed with my grapefruit jam then…I just sliced the grapefruit thin and chopped it up…skin and all!
Cooking can be such a learning experience….I think smaller batches like this skillet jam might be better just for that!
Dinner yesterday was udon noodles in a light sauce and leftover 15 bean soup and kale salad.
I like freezer jam because you can cut back on the sugar quite a bit.
bbq’ed steak, baked potatoes, green salad and veggies & dip
Found your blog in the past few weeks, loving it so far 🙂 I’m totally going to steal this idea for how to make jam, as I’d love to make my own but never have the motivation to make a huge amount!
Dinner last night was pesto chicken caesar wraps…yum! 😀
I remember the day I stood at the open fridge door, staring into a container of forgotten leftover cranberry sauce. Why, thought I, it looks like jam.
Dinner last night was homemade pizza with artichoke hearts, carmelizer onions and pepperoni….yumm! Thanks for the great blog:)
I am picking my favourite dinner of the weekend. It was Michael Smith’s maple-mustard salmon and oven roasted mushrooms & onions (in a balsamic glaze) and oven-roasted asparagus. All of the ingredients were, if not local, from Canada. So Yummy.
I have Yvonne’s herb book & use it a lot.
Might even be brave enought to try jam in a skillet.
My favourite jam is my mom’s peach rum jam. I could eat it straight from the jar. I prefer home made jam without pectin, because I like it kind of runny. More like a compote I guess. I always make strawberry rhubarb.
Last night, we had beef & bean burritos made with some leftover steak. Quick and simple, but quite delicious!
I’ve only canned once but was very pleased with the outcome. It was a spiced plum jam that was so much better than anything I’ve ever had from the store.
My favorite jam / jelly would have to be sour cherry however the kind I make the most is strawberry freezer jam because it is so quick, requires less sugar and is the perfect strawberry syrup if it doesn’t set up nice!
i have always been a tiny bit scared of making jam for similar reasons to those listed above. i made your lovely strawberry jam this afternoon-how fantastically easy and so delicious. First berries of the season mixed with some homemade vanilla? what could be better?! i would love the book, i obviously have much, much, much to learn! thanks for the courage!
dinner last night? homemade tzatziki, with fresh dill and mint from the garden, lentils and a nice big greek salad.
We ordered in pizza on Friday night as there were 10 people helping to take off our old roof , in preparation for putting on the new one Saturday!
Have I mentioned lately that you’re my hero? I discovered this morning that my husband bought two pounds of strawberries about 4 days ago, and they’re going squishy and not very nice. Cut up a whoooole bunch for our lunches today but there’s still a lot left…. maybe some jam is in order! It has never occured to me you can make just a little bit of jam 🙂
I couldn’t agree more – it’s just like whipping up a compote for ice cream. For me, jam conjures up memories of my grandma at her pressure cooker for hours on end, and then her sharing it with the entire family. We had jam all year round.
The same goes for applesauce – if I have lots of apples about to go bad I’ll throw them into my CrockPot with a little water and let them cook away. The skin comes off or stays on according to my mood.
Hi Julie,
Nice site…lots of interesting comments. Thank you for featuring a recipe from my new book. I had a great summer last year making 125+ new recipes it. I love to play with flavours and use a lot of fresh herbs when I can. My other book is Thyme in the Kitchen – Cooking with Fresh Herbs…being re-published next spring with a new name and photos. Excited to do new recipes for it in July. I encourage everyone to try jam and jelly making (conserves too which are upscale jams with liqueurs and nuts added, softer set. New book has Micro-Mini Jams for first-timers of if you live in a small place and don’t have room for the big pots. They make about 2 jars…just store them in the fridge. Have some amazing unique fruit combinations, including many for strawberries (with and without added pectin), Strawberry Mango Daiquiri, Strawberry Margarita, Fig Strawberry with Balsamic, with rosewater, mint, lavender and other fruits: rhubarb, cantaloupe, gooseberries, banana, pineapple, red currants, raspberries, red grapefuit, 3-Berry with raspberries and blueberries. I could go on! and on! Hope you will get the book and try some new tastes. Easy steps, recipes make about 5 jars, success tips, handy check-list, etc. Let me be your coach!
Ove 20 recipes for things to make with or use with jams…all new easy Linzertorte, Cheddar Cheese Thumbprints with Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly, French Apple Tarts with apricot jam glaze (made with puff pastry. Cook like a pro!
Have a great summer everyone.
Best regards,
Yvonne
Thanks for this recipe, so nice and simple!
I made mine in my dutch oven, and it took more like 45 minutes to reduce it down. Was the heat just too low? I was afraid of burning it. Anyway, it turned out a lovely consistency and amazing intense strawberry flavour. It’s nearly too sweet, these strawberries were very ripe. Can’t wait to try this on some ice cream.
I was contemplating making some skillet peach jam and came across this. And it was like “Duh!” I remember you tweeting this earlier this year. I see no reason why it won’t work for peaches. Thanks so much again for this post.
caught you on cbc this a.m. – i love making jam, who knew about small batch, don’t know why i never figured this out on my own, i have a sieve with about 2 cups of cherries in it, that are going to collect flies soon…..i will try this for suure. thanks
Thanks for this recipe. I took some berries that were on their way out and made some jam. I put it over some homemade brown sugar gelato that’s been hanging out in my freezer for a few weeks and it was awesome.
Thanks for removing the demons from jam making.
I just wish you had used an enameled cast iron skillet. Thinking of that moisture and acid in a well cured iron skillet made my skin crawl.
made a plum jam in cast iron pot taste great put is making my teeth greyish black whats up with that HELP
Sonia – crazy, I’ve never heard of that before! I have no idea!
OMG! This jam is SO delish. It’s my new favorite!
Michigan fishing is waiting for you. Bear: I’ve been fishing out here East a
little bit, just release your hand a little bit about
the rods and reels to eliminate wasting time switching baits.
It was still fishing 07930 hazy with smoke, fine particles of ash had settled on the tent fly during the night.
The bass is regularly caught in clear streams, lakes, rivers, lakes and rivers.
This problem is resolved by the subtle, but progressive angling of implants away from the line, be sure to fish restaurant dc
make the lure more snagless when you are playing them in. Generally, side-to-side grooming with the hair combed diagonally back will give the best coverage.
Hey there! This is my first visit to your blog!
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
Your blog provided us valuable information to work on. You have done a
outstanding job!
Hello! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and
look forward to all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
Look into my blog post; iranian food Recipes with pictures
Thanks Julie. I just made two batches of jam – blueberry and raspberry – all with a toddler underfoot!! I never would’ve dared to try it without your advice :). I appreciate so much how you re one the intimidation from making good food. Thanks a million.
Thanks Julie. I just made two batches of jam – blueberry and raspberry – all with a toddler underfoot!! I never would’ve dared to try it without your advice :). I appreciate so much how you remove the intimidation from making good food. Thanks a million.
Just found your jam recipe and made it yesterday. Delicious!
I have ripe mulberries and am wondering how or if I should alter the amount of sugar. Ideas?
Honestly, it has so much to do with the sweetness of the fruit, and your taste. I’d go for the lower amount, taste as you go, and add more if it needs it!
Could this recipe be adjusted and used for a strawberry rhubarb jam? Could I make a bigger batch (a few jars) and freeze them?
Absolutely! Just swap chopped rhubarb for some of the strawberries!
You are absolutely right in making small batches. It just makes sense. I wouldn’t use citrus or acids in my cast iron however, not even a little. Having warm jam on oven biscuts is something to know. Thanks for the recipe.