No Cook Strawberry Vanilla Freezer Jam.

Unless you’ve delved through the archives or you are my mother, you likely haven’t been reading long enough to remember the great strawberry jam adventure of 2008.  One night we went strawberry picking and ended the night with 16 jars of freezer jam.  Honestly, I read that post and wondered where all of that energy went.  We don’t really do anything in small doses at our house, we’re a little ridiculous.  It was the first I had heard of freezer jam and after making it, Dave and I vowed never to go back to store bought again. 

It is that freaking good and so worth it.

This year, the strawberry season is short.  Super short.  So instead of picking them ourselves, we picked up eight quarts of homegrown strawberries at the Toledo Farmer’s Market last weekend.  We are talking some seriously delicious, perfectly ripe, sweet berries.

Trooper that the Davester is, he helped me pull the stems off and get them ready for jam.  Before you go thinking that he’s just such a sweet husband, you’d have to taste the jam… he only helped because he wanted the good stuff.  My friend Susie happened to post a couple weeks ago that she had made some strawberry-vanilla, strawberry balsamic black pepper, and strawberry jalapeno versions of jam.  I love all things with fruit and vanilla, plus I have a secret stash of the best vanilla beans ever, so I had to attempt my own version for the freezer jam this year.  {Pssst… if you want another awesome vanilla + fruit combo try this fruit salad with vanilla lime simple syrup!}

This time around, I made a SUPER simple version of freezer jam using liquid pectin and it involved zero cooking.  No cooking + jars of yummy jam to last the rest of the year?  You can’t beat that with a stick.  Who likes easy?  I do!  I do!

No Cook Strawberry-Vanilla Freezer Jam

• 2 cups, washed & de-stemmed strawberries, slightly mashed
• 4 cups of sugar
• 1-2 vanilla beans, depending on size and how vanilla-y you like it
• 2 TB fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 pouch of Certo liquid pectin from Sure Jell

Wash five, one cup freezer jars.  These are plastic jars found in the canning section of any grocery store.  You can also use glass canning jars or different sizes if you like.  You’ll end up with five cups {ish} of jam, so plan accordingly.

**Be sure to measure all ingredients accurately so that it gels properly.**  I’ve fudged numbers here and there and it results in a softer set… not that it is any less edible, it’s just less jam-y and more ice cream topping-y. 

Wash, de-stem, and slightly mash the strawberries.  I know I probably don’t need to say this, but use fresh local berries for this jam, it will make all the difference.  The berries in the stores just won’t compare.  Measure out two cups of the mashed berries + juices and put them in a bowl.  Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and using the back of your knife, scrape the seeds from the pod.  Add the pod and scraped seeds to the strawberries.  Add four cups of sugar and stir, using the back of a spatula to break up any clumps of vanilla beans.  Lots of sugar crystals will remain even after stirring, this is normal.  Allow to macerate overnight, or if time doesn’t permit, at least one full hour. 

Remove vanilla pod from the strawberries.  Stir.  Put the liquid pectin in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  {Be sure to get all of the pectin out of the pouch.}  Add pectin/lemon juice combo to the macerated strawberries and stir until all sugar crystals are completely disolved, about five to seven minutes.

Fill jars allowing space at the top for expansion. Put lids on and allow to sit on the counter for 24 hours to set. Jars can be stored for 3 weeks in the refrigerator or six to eight months in the freezer. {We’ve had good results up to a year in our deep freezer.}