In Which I Scratch a Canning Itch (Recipe: Honey Strawberry Jam)

Local flavors marry in this four-ingredient, sugar-free, Honey Strawberry Jam and I’ve finally scratched a summer itch – canning!

When July arrived and I hadn’t canned or preserved a single thing, save for a few bottles of strawberry-infused vodka, I began to panic a little. Yes, even though I’m the one who coached you on how to get your act together for the canning season, I’m still trying to kick-start my efforts.

So partially as incentive to get canning and partially to get out of the post-camping cleanup, I purchased a large flat of fresh Québec strawberries with the intention of making them into jam. Goodness knows when I was going to get the opportunity, as my summer days are jammed packed full of picnics, bike riding, backyard baseball, finger painting and other important activities. However, when Danny called around lunchtime one day this week to let me know he’d be home from work early, I knew I had my chance. Jam would be made by evening or I’d be a monkey’s uncle.

Out of my 9 good reasons to can your own food, personal satisfaction and passion are my main motivation to preserve the harvest.

Making jam and canning is most definitely therapeutic for me. It starts with the prepping of the fruit, a task I usually take to the back patio where I can watch the kids play and multitask in the most relaxed of ways. Then I put a large pot of water on to boil, and as it gurgles on the stove, I pad around the kitchen, gathering ingredients and tools, grateful for the time and space for the task at hand.

I feel a connection – to food culture, to the past, to the countless homemakers before me who ‘put up’ every summer. The fruit under my hands is ripe, luscious and deserving of respect. Plus I know that the experience of opening a jar of strawberry jam in March is more than just practical – it’s transporting. So a-jammin’ I go.

Honey + Strawberries = Jam

I’ve been captivated with strawberries and honey ever since Mother’s Day and the Honey Whole-Wheat Strawberry Shortcakes with Honey-Sweetened Whipped Cream. While the honey does have a strong flavor contribution to this jam, it marries beautifully with the berries.

Believe it or not, this is my first attempt at a true strawberry jam. In the past I deemed it too common and went for more adventurous flavor combinations, but now, I’m craving the comfort of the classics. Does that mean I’m getting old? Perhaps.

At any rate, this jam is neither boring, common or inferior to other jazzier conserves. It’s dead simple, with just four ingredients, and is made without the cups and cups of white sugar that round out most fruit jams. As with many sugar-free jams, it is a tad on the thin side.  I wouldn’t call it runny (I’ve seen some runny jam in my days!) but it doesn’t just sit on a knife, either.

Don’t let the thin texture deter you from trying this jam. It’s been less than 24 hours since I made it and we’re nearly through a jar because I’ve been spooning it over vanilla ice cream, adding it to yogurt and slathering crusty baguettes with its sweetness. It’s perfection!

Honey Strawberry Jam

If this is your first time making jam, be sure to review our Canning Basics before you get started.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Preserves
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 cups of jam
Calories: 359kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 6 cups chopped strawberries
  • 2 boxes powdered pectin
  • 1 1/2 cups honey
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Wash and sterilize six 250ml jam jars. Boil the flat parts of the lids in a small pot and keep at a low simmer.
  • Mash the berries with a potato masher and place in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
  • Add the pectin, stir with a wooden spoon, and place on a burner over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Stir and boil for 1 min.
  • Remove from heat and add the honey and lemon juice and mix well. Return to heat and bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally. Boil for 5 min, stirring constantly.
  • Remove jam from heat and let sit for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. It will thicken slightly. Ladle jam into hot jars, then place a flat lid on jars, and add screw rings.
  • Immerse jars in hot water bath, and boil rapidly for 8 min. Remove from bath and place on a towel on the counter to cool.

Notes

adapted from the Green Market Baking Book

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 77g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1.4mg

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124 Comments

  1. This was my first time making jam, so I didn’t know very well how the ingredients would work with each other, but I used low or no sugar pectin and about 1/3-1/2 of the honey (because I ran out >.<) and it came out super delicious and thick. Thanks for the great recipe!

  2. I have the canning bug this year! Rural Oregon still has strawberries (blackberries, raspberries, marionberries…mmmmmmm I think I just drooled a little!) and I’m dying to make some jam this week. Like some others I was a bit put off by the amount of sugar involved, I feel a lot better about some yummy local honey! Thanks for the recipe! <3

  3. Hi, This sounds amazing! Do you know how much pectin is in the box pectins? I only have the 4.7 oz large container of pectin and was not sure how much to use. Thanks so much!

  4. 5 stars
    My jars just came out of the water bath. I’ve always used the recipe on the box (with the full 7cups of white sugar). I make 2-4 batches a year, and thought honey jam would be too pricey to make. But honestly, for the 2 batches I’m doing this year, $5 per batch isn’t awful. And the honey is local. And the flavour isn’t as cloying as with the sugar. The strawberry flavour comes through better than with sugar. Thanks for sharing! This is now my go-to strawberry jam recipe.

  5. I made the jam with black raspberries, it is wonderful!! I did use low sugar pectin, and the texture was perfect!

    1. 5 stars
      Dear Aimee,

      For the record, this is the best strawberry jam I ever tasted! I made it last summer with powdered pectin which is actually full of sugar which a big turn off as far as I am concerned. I’d like to do liquid pectin this year so I can’t wait to read your answer on Ahalya’s question.

  6. I recently started making jam. I really wanted to have a sugar free jam, so I made one with honey, lemon juice, and lemon zest. I also didn’t want to use pectin, so I just cooked until it was thick enough and, since I don’t have a canning set, I just store them in the freezer. It’s my variation on a cooked freezer jam, and like you, we went through about half of it in a few days. It is amazing!!

  7. We made this jam and it was our first attempt at making home made jam. We were very proud of ourselves and it tasted great but now about 1/2 the jars have turned. The lids popped and there is white mold growing on our jam. Very sad….what did we do wrong?

    1. Hi Danielle,

      Sorry to hear that. There are a number of factors why this might happen, so it’s hard to say where you may have gone off course.
      If it makes you feel any better, I had a few jars of strawberry-rhubarb turn just recently also. I’m not discouraged, but I will be extra careful to set up a super clean work area and be sure all my jars/tools are sterilized.

      1. Hi Aimee,
        Could the issue have been with the honey? I’ve read that boiling alone does not kill botulism, and botulism is a risk with honey. I’d like to can syrups made from honey but am not finding any advice on safety. Thanks!

        1. I realize it’s a little late, however, as a beekeeper, I can say honey never goes bad unless something gets in it or it has too much moisture. The honey was not the problem.

  8. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. Just pulled the small, tartish strawberries I’d saved from last year’s garden out of the freezer and made a batch, using 1 box of the low sugar pectin (all I had). Thickened up fine, maybe because my berries were not very juicy. Got rave reviews from next door neighbor!

  9. Hello,

    this jam looks very tasty! I want to give it a try but could you please tell me how many grams are in a box of pectin? I live overseas so boxes’ sizes may vary. Also do you think I could replace the pectin by adding a green apple in my jam?

    Thank you!

  10. I made a half batch yesterday. So good! I love the honey flavor. I’ve tried to make low and no sugar strawberry jam in the past and I haven’t liked any of it.

    1. Typically in canning circles sugar-free refers to white-processed-sugar-free versus glucose- and fructose- free. With fruits, it is impossible to be truly sugar-free due to naturally occurring fructose, etc.

  11. Just wanted to add this…for those looking for a pectin free version you may try grass-fed gelatin. You add it at the boiling stage also, about 1-2 tablespoons for this amount. I’ve frozen this but not cannes it and I don’t think it will can. Also, try adding whole Chia seeds to thicken (Freeze). This also worked well for me.

  12. Going to make my 1st attempt on making jam. Do I follow the instructions on the box for pectin? Please advise, thanks!

  13. 5 stars
    Strawberry season once again, 3rd year making this jam. Family and friends wait for it every year. Thank you for this recipe, it now has a permanent place in our house.

  14. Hi, this strawberry jam looks delicious. I am wondering if you could give me the recipe just to make one can of this. I am new at venturing into making homemade jam with just honey not sugar. I like using natural sweeteners instead of sugar. I am also a single woman and will be making this just for me and my roommate. It’s why I don’t need six jars of it. If you could help me know how much to use if I just want to make 1/4 of this. Thank you, Angie

  15. I didn’t go through the other comments but I’ve been told that Pamona pectin is *the* pectin to use when honey is involved. Could that be the reason the jam is thin?

  16. 5 stars
    I made another recipe without pectin, the end product tastes more like honey than strawberries?

  17. Hello,
    I bought pectin in a plastic container. Do you know how much pectin is in a box you used?

    Planning to can tomorrow.

    Thank you!

  18. 5 stars
    Hi Aimee,
    This combines my son’s two favorites – strawberries and honey. My first honey jam adventure and I was sure it would be too sweet. I was so wrong! According to Tim, this is the BEST STRAWBERRY JAM EVER!! I have to agree. I did add half of a vanilla bean, a staple to many of my jams, and you could actually taste the subtle vanilla since not drowned in sugar. I’m a convert! Thank you.
    ~cv