This past week I picked lots of strawberries out of our little strawberry patch. It’s so rewarding to go out and find so many yummy berries waiting to be picked. Since I had a good harvest, I decided I needed to make some jam. I really love freezer jam for two reasons. One, it’s easy to make and two, it tastes fresher than the cooked jam. I guess I should also include it’s one of my family’s favorite jams. There is just nothing like homemade strawberry freezer jam.
I usually use Sure-Jell (affiliate link) for the pectin in the jam I make. But the store I went to only had MCP pectin (affiliate link). Since they are both made by the same company I just purchased it and to home I went. I opened the box up and realized the MCP pectin freezer jam recipe calls for corn syrup. I don’t like to use corn syrup in my jam.
I could have went back out to the store and found some Sure-Jell, but I thought, why couldn’t I just use the Sure-Jell recipe with the MCP? After a little research, I realized they both contain the same ingredients, just in a different order. The MCP has more fruit pectin and less citric acid. So I decided to give it go. I figured at worst I might end up with strawberry syrup instead of jam. I’m adventurous in the kitchen that way. 😉
I followed the freezer recipe for Sure-Jell by measuring out 2 cups of crushed berries and measuring out 4 cups of sugar. Before I combined the berries and the sugar I added in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Just in case it would make a difference. After all, the Sure-Jell pectin had more citric acid than the MCP, so I thought lemon juice would be good to add.
I combined the berries and sugar and mixed well. I let the sugary mixture sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then I added the MCP pectin to 3/4 cup of water and heated to a boil. While stirring I boiled the mixture for 1 minute then removed it from the heat.
I added the pectin into the berry mixture and stirred until the sugar dissolved. This takes about 3-5 minutes. I usually feel the back of the spoon when I think the sugar is mixed in. If there isn’t any graininess of sugar it’s ready to put into containers.
I used square freezer containers for my jam but these Ball freezer containers (affiliate link) also work really well too. I let the jam sit on the counter at room temperature for 24 hours. Then once set up, I put the jam into the freezer. The jam will keep up to a year in the freezer and about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
As you can see, my jam turned out well. Even though I used the instructions for the Sure-Jell with the MCP pectin it set up really nice. And without any corn syrup too.
- 2 cups Crushed Strawberries
- 4 cups Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 package MCP Pectin
- ¾ cup Water
- Put the crushed berries into a bowl and add the lemon juice.
- Measure the sugar into another bowl then combine with the strawberries.
- Stir to combine and then let sit for 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- Add the water to a small sauce pan and mix in the box of pectin.
- Stir to combine, then heat on high while stirring constantly.
- Boil while stirring for one minute then remove from heat.
- Stir the pectin into the sugar/berry mixture and stir from 3-5 minute or until the sugar has dissolved.
- Place into clean freezer containers and let sit on the counter for 24 hours until set.
- Once set move to the freezer.
- The jam can be stored in the freezer for up to one year and in the refrigerator up to 3 week.
This strawberry jam looks so good! And I’m glad the MCP pectin worked out after all. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe, Shelly.
I really like the set of the jam. Even if it hadn’t worked out, we would have had strawberry syrup for pancakes and ice cream. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I have been looking for a freezer jam recipe for awhile. Such a great way to use up fruit.
Hi, I was just looking to use my MCP that I didn’t realize takes corn syrup! Did you use fresh lemon juice, or is Realemon in the bottle ok? Thanks!
I used bottled lemon juice. I hope that helps.