You’ll love the basil in this strawberry basil freezer jam — it is the perfect complement to your favorite slice of toast.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: The addition of basil really makes this jam special!
How long it takes: 25 minutes to make but allow 8 hours for the jam to set.
Equipment you’ll need: saucepan, stove, large bowl, measuring cup, jars
Servings: Makes 5 cups
Strawberry freezer jam — one of the best parts about visiting my parents. My mom always has strawberry jam stocked in the freezer for us to enjoy while we’re there. I sometimes even manage to return home with a jar. Honestly, I could eat it by the jarful spoonful, but I try to hold myself back since there is quite a bit of sugar in it. But it’s jam, so that’s to be expected.
This strawberry basil freezer jam is a twist on my mom’s classic strawberry freezer jam. The addition of basil makes it undeniably perfect for summer.
I just love the combination of strawberries and basil.
About This Freezer Jam
Strawberry freezer jam is unbelievably easy to make. One of my favorite brands, OXO, sent me Driscoll’s strawberries to create a recipe with and I knew immediately that they would be destined for strawberry basil freezer jam.
Hulling the berries is easy (and dare I say fun?) with the OXO Strawberry Huller.
What You’ll Need
- Strawberries! You’ll need one pound of berries, or two cups mashed strawberries. Use ripe, but not overripe, strawberries.
- Sugar: Lots of it! Four cups of granulated white sugar, no substitutions.
- Fruit Pectin: I use a box of Sure-Jell.
- Fresh Basil: Fresh herbs are essential, don’t be tempted to substitute dried. Fresh mint is a good alternative.
How to Make This Strawberry Jam
Mash the berries. After hulling the berries, the next step in making strawberry basil freezer jam is mashing the berries (I use a potato masher for this).
Don’t get too carried away. You want lots of good chunks in there for a nice jammy texture. A food processor makes quick work of this step but avoid getting the strawberries completely pureed.
Add sugar. Next, stir in 4 cups of sugar. Yeah….4 cups! This is why it’s called jam. It’s not a fruit purée or spread. It’s jam! It’s the sugar, baby. Totally necessary. Let the berries commune with the sugar while you prepare the pectin.
Cooking Tip
Measure the sugar separately in a bowl before adding it to the jam because it’s easy to get distracted and lose count of how many cups you’re up to. It is important to be accurate with your measurements when you make jam or it may turn out too runny.
Cook pectin. In a saucepan, mix the powdered fruit pectin with water. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for one minute. Remove it from heat.
Combine with fruit. Stir the pectin into the berry/sugar mixture. I don’t mean a quick little swirl here but a thorough stir, like for three or four minutes, to make sure the pectin and strawberries are really mixed well.
Add basil. Add chopped basil to the bowl and stir that in.
Store. Pour the jam into jars and cover. Let the jam sit on the counter for 8 hours. It will continue to thicken and gel as it cools. Refrigerate the jam or freeze it.
Easy peasy!
Regular jam is usually cooked. The strawberries are simmered on the stove with sugar, pectin, and other ingredients. The hot jam is poured into sterilized jars and processed in a canner. Canned jam can be stored at room temperature for up to a year.
Freezer jam, on the other hand, generally is not cooked. The pectin may be heated but the berries are fresh. The jars should be very clean but there’s no need to sterilize them with boiling water. Freezer jam has a softer consistency and needs to be refrigerated or frozen.
Yes! Glass jars are fine but make sure they are in a secure place in your freezer. Plastic resealable containers work well, too.
Freezer jam will last a long time in the freezer but once it’s thawed in the fridge, it may spoil eventually. If you notice mold, a yeasty or vinegar odor, and anything else that looks off, discard immediately.
Strawberry freezer jam will keep up to a year in the freezer. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before using.
Refrigerated jam will keep up to four weeks. Discard the jam if it looks moldy, or smells strange.
Ways to Enjoy Strawberry Freezer Jam
Don’t you just want to eat that slice of toast right now? Yum….
If you’re really feeling crazy, spread a little goat cheese or cream cheese on the toast first. The best breakfast ever!
Everyone loves strawberry jam spread on toast, bagels, and corn bread, but it is also amazing stirred into plain Greek yogurt, spooned over vanilla ice cream, or even stirred into hot oatmeal. My family loves to top their pancakes with strawberry jam. Clearly, you’ll want to find every possible opportunity to use this delicious jam.
More Strawberry Recipes
Strawberry Basil Freezer Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries, about 16 oz.
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 pkg. (1.75 oz.) fruit pectin, such as Sure-Jell
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash strawberries using a potato masher. Measure out exactly two cups, setting aside any extra mashed berries, and add the 2 cups back to bowl. Save the extra mashed berries for another use. You want to be as exact with the recipe measurements as possible.
- To the 2 cups of mashed strawberries, stir in 4 cups of granulated sugar. Mix well to combine, making sure the sugar is completely incorporated, and then let the berry mixture stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 10 minutes, in a small saucepan, combine fruit pectin and ¾ cup water. Bring to a full boil on high heat, stirring constantly. When it boils, set a timer for 1 minute. Continue to stir constantly and then remove from heat when it has boiled for one minute.
- Stir pectin and water mixture into the fruit and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is no longer grainy. Stir in chopped basil leaves.
- Pour mixture into freezer containers with tight fitting lids (jars work great). You'll need five 8 oz. containers or something comparable. Total yield is 5 cups.
- Let jam stand at room temperature for 8 hours before moving to the fridge or freezer. If you freeze it, thaw it in the fridge overnight before using.
Notes
- If you prefer, the basil can be omitted, or another fresh herb can be substituted. Try fresh mint, tarragon, rosemary, or lavender.
- Storage: Freezer jam will keep in the freezer for up to a year. Once it’s thawed, it can be refrigerated for up to a month.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!Disclaimer: I was given free OXO products and Driscoll’s berries to work with but was not compensated otherwise. All opinions are as always my own. Post contains affiliate links.
I just love this jam!!
Freezer jam is just my style! Easy and delicious with the addition of basil!
Is it possible to process this so that you don’t have to freeze it? My freezer is always too full.
Probably but canning is not my forte so I’m unable to tell you exactly how to do that, sorry!
Can you substitute the sugar with splendid or Stevia?
Not with regular fruit pectin because the sugar helps it set. You could try it with no sugar pectin (like this).
I believe I am missing when you add the basil. I have read it several times and can’t find where it should be added. Which step is that, please.
You’re so right — sorry about that! I added it to step 4, the last step before you pour the mixture into jars.
Every year I sweat through making jam. This year I’ll just freeze it! I worry about glass jars in the freezer. Can you use plastic containers instead? BTW – I agree with your opinion of OXO. My digital scale, which I loved, stopped working after 18 mos. & I wrote them asking about the warranty. They sent me a free one! Great customer service.
Instant pectin or regular?
Thanks,
Chris
I used this pectin.