Small-batch strawberry jam with lemon and optional vanilla—bright, fresh, and perfect for toast or gifting.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved (about 1.1 lb)
→ Sweetener
02 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
→ Acidity
03 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
→ Optional
04 - 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
# How-To:
01 - Place strawberries in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use a potato masher to gently crush roughly half the berries, leaving some pieces whole to maintain texture.
02 - Add the granulated sugar and lemon juice to the pan. Stir to combine, then let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to draw out the juices and dissolve some of the sugar.
03 - If using, add the scraped vanilla seeds and the split pod to the pan (or stir in vanilla extract toward the end of cooking).
04 - Set the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring frequently to ensure the sugar fully dissolves. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
05 - Continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and reaches 220°F on a candy thermometer, about 20–25 minutes. To check without a thermometer, place a small spoonful on a chilled plate; if it wrinkles when pushed, the set is achieved.
06 - Remove the pan from the heat. If you used a vanilla pod, discard it. Let the jam cool 5 minutes, then ladle into sterilized jars, leaving appropriate headspace. Seal immediately while hot.
07 - Allow jars to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate. Refrigerated jam keeps for about 1 month. For longer storage, process sealed jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
