Quick and Easy Strawberry Preserves

These quick and easy strawberry preserves are a perfect way to make use of the summer berry harvest. They’re a lovely treat to add to your morning bagels, toast, or pb and j sandwiches.

Personally, my favorite way to eat preserves is on a croissant or English muffin. First, I spread on a layer of ricotta cheese or smooth cottage cheese (if you can’t find it in your grocery store, just whip up some regular cottage cheese with a blender) and then top that with the preserves. YUM!

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Find more strawberry recipes here.

Quick and Easy Strawberry Preserves

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 16

Equipment

Potato masher

Medium pot

Large bowl

Mason jars or other containers

Ingredients

34 packed cups fresh strawberries hulled & cut in half

1 cup sugar

½ lemon juiced or ¼ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Place strawberries in a medium pot, add sugar, and lemon juice

Mash the berries (if they are too hard, wait to mash them)

Bring mixture to a boil over high heat and every so often mash the berries with the masher.

Once it’s boiling and you’ve mashed the berries, turn the down to medium high and add the corn starch slurry (corn starch plus water).

It will begin to thicken quickly, so do not take your eyes off it.

Let cook for 5-6 min continuing to stir every minute or so.

Pour into a large bowl and let cool for 30-45 min at room temperature

Once cooled, transfer preserves to mason jars or other airtight containers.

According to Martha Stewart, if you are not going through the proper canning process, these preserves should be consumed within 10 days (kept refrigerated) or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Personally, when I make a batch of preserves like this, I share the extra with friends and family!

Learn the basics of canning here.

What Are Substitutes for Pectin?

• Citrus peels—especially the white part, or pith—are naturally packed with pectin.
• Cornstarch is a natural thickener that works as a seamless substitute for pectin.
• Gelatin is a viable option for non-vegans or non-vegetarians.

The nutrition information is calculated using a third party resource. The accuracy varies according to the brands you use, the portion sizes you serve, and so on. This information should only be used as a guide.