Strawberry Jalapeño Jam - The Best Jam You Ever Tasted! (2024)

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You’ll decide very quickly that this Strawberry Jalapeño Jam is the best jam you have ever tasted. Seriously.

Don’t let the word jalapeñoscare you. This jam is all flavor and zero heat. (I say this as a complete “heat wimp.”)

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To begin, you will need to prepare 8 half pint canning jars and lids. When canning, all jars and lids must be sterilized. Have these prepped and ready to go, along with your hot water bath canner and canning supplies. (See: Are You Ready for Canning Season?)

Instead of a hot water bath canner, you could also use a Steam Canner.

Start with 4 cups of crushed strawberries. Don’t measure 4 cups before you crush them.

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The crushed strawberries will need to add up to 4 cups. This will take approximately 2 quarts of fresh strawberries, washed and with the stems removed.

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Next, you will need 1 cup of minced jalapeño peppers. Remove the core and seeds before mincing. Depending upon the size of your peppers, this will take 4-5 of them to make one cup.

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Put the crushed strawberries and jalapeño pepper in a stock pot. Use a larger pot than you think you will need. When your jelly boils, it will expand greatly in size and you don’t want to make the mistake resulting in a boil-over. Trust me. Don’t ask me how I know.

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To this you will add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and one pouch of the traditional powdered pectin. Most recipes call for a 2-ounce package, but mine always say 1.75 ounces. That’s what I used here.

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Bring this mixture to a simmer. When it begins to bubble, add in 7 cups of sugar. Bring the entire mixture to a rolling boil (this is where the big pot plays in) stirring rigorously with a long handled spoon or spatula (non-metal.) Boil it for one minute and reduce the heat all the way down to low. Continue stirring until it settles down and is still.

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Once the jam has settled, use a ladle to scrape off the foam from the top of the jam. Discard the foam.

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Carefully ladle the hot jam into the prepared hot jars. Give the jam in the pot a stir each time you fill a jar. Use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the jar, making certain it is clean. Place a lid and ring on the jar and place it into your canner. Here you can see I also made some smaller 4-ounce jars of jam. You can do this as well and they will process for the same amount of time as the 8-ounce jars. I like to make several of these smaller jars to give as gifts.

Process your jars in the hot water bath for 10 minutes. { Lower the jar rack down into the boiling water. The water should be at least on inch above the tops of the jars. Let the water come to a rolling boil, then start your timer.

When canning in a hot water bath canner (or steam canner) always make note of the processing time. If the recipe only has one time shown, that is generally for 1-1,000 feet of elevation. Visit this article to learn how to make adjustments to the recipe for YOUR elevation: How to Adjust Canning Recipes for Elevation

Tip: If your jars want to tip over because there is space in your rack, lay an empty canning jar down to fill in that space. Then your jars won’t tip over.

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After the 10 minute processing time, carefully remove your jars to a surface that is covered with a folded towel. This should be a draft-free location, out of the way where the jars can sit undisturbed for 24 hours. In a short time, you will begin to hear the “Ping!” of success – the sound of the lids suctioning down and vacuum sealing.

I have made several batches of this jam in the past couple weeks. This batch was done in some other shaped jars.

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After 24 hours, you can remove the rings if you like. Store the unopened jars in your pantry, opened jars in the fridge.

You also may want to hide a jar away for a secret stash. This jam will vanish before you can say “jelly toast.”

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“Can I use Liquid Pectin instead of powdered in the Strawberry Jalapeño jam?”

Yes, however you’ll need to change how you do it as liquid pectin acts differently than the powdered.

Start off by making the jam the same way, but do not add the pectin yet. After you add the sugar and boil it, then you will add the pouch of liquid pectin and bring it to a hard boil a second time. Stirring continually, hard boil it for another full minute.

Then reduce the heat and continue as before with jarring and processing.

You May Also Like:

  • Peach Habanero Jam
  • Sweetheart Strawberry Scones
  • Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
  • Strawberry Shortcake

You can watch me making this jam in the video below, using the Steam Canner method.

Did you Make this Recipe? I’d love for you to give me a 5 star rating in the recipe card below. If you share it on Instagram, please tag me!

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Strawberry Jalapeño Jam

Constance Smith – Cosmopolitan Cornbread

Don't let the word jalapeño scare you. This jam is all flavor and zero heat. It will also instantly be your favorite jam ever. Try it and see. This recipe makes about 8 half pint jars.

4.75 from 102 votes

Print Recipe Save this on Pinterest

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Food Preservation & Canning, Jelly and Jams

Cuisine American

Servings 168

Calories 33 kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 c crushed strawberries, approximately 2 quarts of strawberries – washed and stems removed.
  • 1 c minced jalapeño peppers, approximately 4-5 peppers, cores and seeds removed
  • 1/4 c lemon juice, bottled
  • 1.75 oz powdered pectin, classic
  • 7 c sugar

Instructions

  • To begin, you will need to prepare 8 half pint canning jars and lids. Have these prepped and ready to go, along with your hot water bath canner (or steam canner) and canning supplies.

  • Combine the crushed strawberries, minced jalapeño peppers, lemon juice, and pectin in a large stock pot.

  • Bring this mixture to a simmer, stirring continually. When it begins to bubble, add in the sugar.

  • Bring the entire mixture to a rolling boil (this is where the big pot plays in) stirring rigorously with a long handled spoon or spatula (non-metal.)

  • Boil it for one minute and reduce the heat all the way down to low. Continue stirring until it settles down and is still.

  • Once the jam has settled, use a ladle to scrape off the foam from the top of the jam. Discard the foam.

  • Carefully ladle the hot jam into the prepared hot jars. Give the jam in the pot a stir each time you fill a jar. Jars should be filled to 1/4 inch head space.

  • Use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the jar, making certain it is clean. (I dip the cloth in white vinegar.) Place a lid and ring on the jar, then place it into your canner.

  • Process your jars in the hot water bath for 10 minutes. (Adjust for elevation.) Lower the jar rack down into the boiling water. The water should be at least on inch above the tops of the jars. Let the water come to a rolling boil, then start your timer.

  • After the 10 minute processing time, carefully remove your jars to a surface that is covered with a folded towel. This should be a draft-free location, out of the way where the jars can sit undisturbed for 24 hours. In a short time, you will begin to hear the “Ping!” of success. The sound of the lids suctioning down and vacuum sealing.

  • After 24 hours, you can remove the rings if you like and store the sealed jars in your pantry.

  • Open jars must be refrigerated.

  • Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: Use a larger pot than you think you will need. When your jelly boils, it will expand greatly in size and you don’t want to make the mistake resulting in a boil-over. Trust me. Don’t ask me how I know.

Note 2: Most recipes call for a 2 ounce package, but mine always say 1.75 ounces. That’s what I used here.

Note 3: You can make this in any sized jar that is a pint or smaller. The processing time is will be the same.

Tip: If your jars want to tip over because there is space in your rack, lay an empty canning jar down to fill in that space. Then your jars won’t tip over.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is auto-generated and the accuracy is not guaranteed.

Did You Try This?I’d Love For You to Share it on Instagram and tag me! @CosmopolitanCornbread

Strawberry Jalapeño Jam - The Best Jam You Ever Tasted! (2024)

FAQs

Why does my strawberry jam taste weird? ›

Typically, if the Sure-jell is bad/expired the jam doesn't set up as well. The off taste could be from the quality of the fruit itself. It could also be from the jars if they were not sterilized for 10 minutes and there was soap residue left in the jars prior to filling.

Why is strawberry jam good? ›

As per our expertise, strawberries are a fantastic source of antioxidants like vitamin C. Antioxidants help combat oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. So, not only is our jam delicious, but it also offers some extraordinary health benefits.

Is strawberry jam better with or without pectin? ›

No extra pectin– You may wonder if strawberry jam is better with or without pectin. Strawberries are naturally low in pectin, so some people prefer to add additional pectin to jams and jellies. However, I actually prefer homemade jam without extra pectin. They are a bit softer in texture, making it more versatile.

What is jalapeno jam used for? ›

Serve as a dip for shrimp, French fries, onion rings, or chicken fingers. Spoon onto warm cornbread or muffins. Spread bagels with cream cheese; add a spoonful as a delicious topper.

How do you make jam taste better? ›

Feel free to experiment with acid sources: limes or sour oranges can add great flavor to some jams. You can also add neutral-flavored, water-free acids like powdered citric acid, or even malic or tartaric acid if you can find them, but those really pack a punch, so you have less margin of error.

Why does homemade jam taste better? ›

Most of our jams have more fruit than sugar, and none have added water. This concentrates the already delicious flavor of the fruit, rather than diluting it. We cook in small batches. And we hand stir and hand pour.

Which fruit jam is tastiest? ›

The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
  • Beerenberg.
  • ALDI Grandessa.
  • Rose's.
  • St. Dalfour.
  • IXL.
  • Cottee's.
  • Bonne Maman.
  • Barkers.

Which jam flavour is best? ›

Strawberry Jam: Strawberry jam is a classic jam flavour that is loved by people of all ages. Fruitomans has perfected the recipe for strawberry jam, creating a sweet and slightly tart spread that is perfect for scones, biscuits, or as a topping for pancakes.

What does strawberry jam do to your body? ›

Jam has most of the health benefits of fruit, most notably, heart-healthy, cancer fighting antioxidant power. It can help reduce the risk of developing various cancers, particularly mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.

Why add lemon juice to strawberry jam? ›

Why put lemon juice in Strawberry jam? Lemon is so key, adding a tart note that really brings out the flavor of the fruit in jam. Avoid jam that is too sweet with little fruit flavor by adding lemon juice, and increasing as needed.

Can I use lemon juice instead of pectin in jam? ›

Although we are not adding powdered pectin, we will add citric acid or lemon juice to the jam. This gives an additional pop of pectin but also some acidity that balances the sweetness of the jam. Citric acid provides very consistent results, which is why I like to use it.

Can you put too much pectin in jam? ›

You will need approximately half the amount of pectin that is indicated by your recipe. Please be careful when adding pectin as too much will leave you with a set that is too solid and it is not possible to rectify this so always add less than you think is necessary and test the set and then add more if required.

What cheese goes well with jalapeño jam? ›

Manchego and Ja-Ha

Our most straightforward pepper jelly, Ja-Ha, is our pick for this cheese. The tartness of the red bell pepper, along with the bite of the jalapeño and habanero peppers contrasts with the dense richness and saltiness of the Manchego. A perfect bite in our opinion.

How do you thicken jalapeño jam? ›

Commercial pectin helps thicken jam made with low-pectin fruits, like blackberry jam, or vegetable jelly recipes, like pepper jelly. It comes in powder or liquid form, but the former is the most common. Add powdered pectin to the fruit juice, chopped fruit, or strained purée before heating the jam mixture.

Why do they put carrots in jalapeño jars? ›

The carrot and garlic are technically optional, but I find that they add a lot of flavor – and are traditionally added to most pickled jalapeños you would get from the store! If you are sensitive to spice you can choose to remove some or all of the jalapeño seeds before pickling them.

What does overcooked jam taste like? ›

If the jam tastes scorched, then it's a lost cause. However, if the jam is just too thick, you may be able to repair the batch.

How do you know if jam has gone bad? ›

Note: For safe eating practices, store your opened jar of jam or jelly in the refrigerator until consumed, and examine it frequently for signs of spoilage (like mold or yeast growth, or off-odors, including “fermented,” “alcohol” or “yeasty” odors). Discard the product immediately if any signs of spoilage are detected.

Why does my strawberry taste weird? ›

Strawberry plants produce smaller quantities of sugars when the weather is cool and cloudy. As a result, berries are not as sweet when the weather is cool and rainy in May and June. Leather rot, caused by a fungal disease, can be a problem in wet weather. Infected fruit have a leathery texture and bitter taste.

What does fermented jam taste like? ›

When fermentation is complete, taste the jam. It should taste like blueberries and honey, with a slight sparkle of fermentation on the tongue. If it is not acidic enough for your liking, stir in a squeeze of lime juice, or allow to ferment for another few hours.

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