I love strawberry jam, but I don't love the things that processed sugar does to my body. The solution? Homemade paleo strawberry jam, with no added sugar or pectin.
This paleo strawberry jam relies on natural sweetness from the strawberries. Our California strawberries bring plenty of sweetness to the table, but you can add about a quarter cup of maple syrup or honey to sweeten up your batch if needed.
Easy Paleo Strawberry Jam
3 pounds fresh strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
First step is to remove the hulls from the strawberry because they make for bitter jam if you try to process it altogether. Wondering what to do with the hulls? Make strawberry wine.
If you want to can your paleo strawberry jam, don't forget to sterilize your jars and lids by boiling them or sending them through a dishwasher cycle.
Try to use the widest pot you have (I really should have sized up for this batch). For paleo strawberry jam to set right, it helps to have as much of the surface of the strawberries in contact with air, so you want them spread out.
We have a lemon tree, so I use the fresh lemons right from our backyard.
Heat the strawberries over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently mashing with a spoon until you get the right consistency. Once the strawberries are completely soft and semi-liquidy like jam, crank up the heat to medium-high and continue stirring frequently for about five minutes until you reach a rolling boil. Let it boil for a full minute, scraping the bottom of the pan (I use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon) to prevent it from burning. It will bubble up as shown above. When the bubbles begin to subside and your spoon starts to get coated with a clear, jelly-like substance, it's about ready.
Test for readiness by dripping some of your paleo strawbery jam onto a frozen plate, returning it to the freezer for a few minutes (while you remove the rest of the jam from the heat) and then nudging your jam glop with your fingertip. If it is firm and sticky and wrinkles when you push it away, it's ready.
Let the paleo strawbery jam sit for about five minutes to settle, then stir vigorously and fill your sterilized jars with hot jam, leaving 1/4″ of head space. Secure the lids and bands until fingertip tight and submerge them in boiling water (make sure they are covered). Boil for 20 minutes, remove and let cool. You'll know they sealed properly if you press down on the center of the lid and it doesn't flex, or you tap on the top of your paleo strawberry jam jars with a spoon and it produces a high-pitched ringing sound.
Alternately, you can stick your paleo strawberry jam right in the fridge and it will keep for a week.