Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Strawberry freezer jam... (sugar-free)

My Mom and Grandma always made freezer jam.  Freezer jam is not cooked - making it taste much more like fresh fruit than it's canned counterpart.  It is created using a pectin that forms a gel with far less sugar than traditional jams.  It is the only jam I like and is extremely easy to make.  This is a sugar free version but you are welcome to use regular sugar.  My children love it!  It is very economical to make especially considering you can use the jars over and over again.  Something to note:  I make a large batch, you can easily cut this recipe in half. 
Here are the things that you will need:

8 cups crushed strawberries (frozen or fresh)
2 pkg pectin - it will say freezer jam pectin
approx 6-8 plastic jars with lids
3 cups sweetener of your choice - sugar or artificial

That's it!  Now lets get started!

If you are using frozen strawberries, place them in a bowl and either let them thaw in your refrigerator or defrost them in the microwave before you make the jam.
Once the strawberries are thawed then put them in your food processor and pulse them until you like the consistency.  You will probably need to stop and stir it a little to get the top strawberries incorporated.
I am not a "chunky jam" fan so I blend mine pretty well but it's completely up to you.  You can leave it chunky or make it absolutely smooth - whichever your family prefers.  
Pour  the sweetener or sugar in a bowl and add the pectin.  Stir these together.  Pour the blended strawberries in a bowl. 
Slowly add the sweetener/pectin mixture to the strawberries while you mix it in.  Make sure you mix it well until it is completely incorporated.   Then set your timer and stir for 3 minutes.
Ladle the jam into your clean jars and put the lids on.  These jars can be purchased at most grocery stores in the canning section.  That is also where you will find the freezer jam pectin.  Let the jars sit on your counter for 30 minutes to set up.   
Put the jars in your freezer.  They can stay like this for up to a year.  All you need to do now is pull one out, put it in your refrigerator until it thaws and enjoy!  It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 months.  You will be amazed at how much better it tastes than the store bought version.  It is far less expensive also.  Then when these are all used up, just pull out your jars and make another batch. 

Spread it on whole wheat toast for a nutritious breakfast.  Pair it with natural peanut butter and you have a fantastic sandwich.  You can do this!  :) 

P.S.  You can make freezer jams with a lot of different fruits - raspberry, apricot, peach, etc. 
Also something to note - jam made with real sugar will be sweeter than that made with artificial sweetener but both are equally yummy!

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