Easy Strawberry Refrigerator Jam

Michigan strawberry season is winding down — usually done by early July. If you’ve been meaning to buy a flat and haven’t yet, this weekend is your last good chance. This refrigerator jam is the simplest possible way to preserve them. No canning equipment, no pectin, no sterilizing jars. Just strawberries, sugar, and lemon. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, and you can freeze it for up to a year.

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs fresh strawberries (about 4 cups), hulled and quartered
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 minutes — the sugar will start drawing out the juice.

2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook at a steady simmer, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes.

3. As the jam cooks, use a spoon or spatula to lightly mash the strawberries against the side of the pot. Leave some chunks — refrigerator jam is meant to be rustic, not perfectly smooth.

4. To test if it’s done: place a small plate in the freezer before you start cooking. After 20 minutes, drop a small spoonful of jam onto the cold plate. Push it with your finger — if it wrinkles slightly and doesn’t run, it’s ready. If it’s still very liquid, cook 5 more minutes and test again.

5. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Pour into clean jars or containers. Let cool completely before refrigerating.

Tips

• Use a wide, heavy pot. More surface area means faster evaporation and better set. A Dutch oven works well.
• Don’t double the recipe in one pot. It changes the cooking dynamics. Make two separate batches if you want more.
• Freeze it. This jam freezes perfectly for up to a year. Use freezer-safe containers and leave ½ inch of headspace for expansion.
• It will thicken as it cools. Don’t cook it until it looks like thick jam in the pot — it should look slightly loose. It sets up considerably as it cools.
• Uses: Toast, biscuits, yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or stirred into sparkling water for a quick strawberry soda.

Where to find the ingredients

Michigan strawberry season peaks in mid-to-late June and is usually over by early July. This is the last week to find them at their best. Look for local strawberries from Tantre Farm, Jacob’s Fresh Farm, Community Farm of Ann Arbor, Kapnick Orchards, and Wasem Fruit Farm. All four Washtenaw County markets carry them on Saturdays — arrive early, they sell out fast.