A couple of week ago I went strawberry picking with two friends, Jessica and Samantha. You might know them from their blogs Green Skies and Sugar Trips and Sweet Remedy. Now, this was my first time EVER in my whole life that I went strawberry picking. It was so much fun! I also found out that picking your own berries can be a lot more work than just running to the store and picking up a container.
Since I now had a house full of fresh berries I had to do something delicious with them. I settled on making my own jam. I of course know very little about making jam but I decided I would do it anyway. I looked up a few recipes in my trusty Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving book and realized that most of the recipes called for pectin. Guess what I didn’t haven’t in my house, pectin. Of course. I read some more and found that you can make jam without pectin by adding other fruit that has naturally high levels of pectin. I decided I would use an apple. (I also read that you can throw in a little under ripe fruit because apparently it contains more pectin) I also decided to add a little vanilla. Who doesn’t love vanilla?
Vanilla Strawberry Jam:
4 cups strawberries – stemmed and quartered (If tiny you can leave whole)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans – scraped
1/2 apple – peeled and small dice
Stem and quarter berries and wash thoroughly. Add to a large bowl, sprinkle sugar overtop, add vanilla pulp and pods and stir. Let sit for at least 45 minutes until berries are juicy and sugar is dissolved. Add berries, juice and vanilla pods to a large pot and over medium heat. Add apple and cook for about 30 minutes until it starts to thicken. Take out vanilla pods, and gently mash the berries in the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes more until thick and “jammy” in consistency. (I’m pretty sure jammy is not a word….)
Add to a clean mason jar or glass container. Let cool and then store in refrigerator. This will last in the fridge for a month or two. (I did not hot water can this jam so I cannot give advice on the actual canning process for this jam)
Source: Inspired from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Fresh berries – nothing like them! The jam looks totally yummy. And I love the idea of added vanilla in the jam- YUM!. Hope you’re having a good week
Where have you been all my life…I mean, really?
Where did you pick up the vanilla pods from? A regular grocery?
Haha I’m glad you like it
You can find vanilla beans in your local grocery store although I find they are cheaper if you buy them on Amazon. That is where I get my beans.
That jam looks fantastic! Strawberry jam is my weakness….I could spread it on cardboard, lol. Great recipe!
The vanilla in this must make the taste so fantastic!
Looks good, and you will be bringing a small jar for me to sample?
There’s nothing better than strawberry jam made with your own two hands! Especially when you picked the strawberries yourself. I LURVE that you added vanilla!
So I keep clicking the “click to share” and the jam doesn’t appear….what am I doing wrong????
Great write up! And I had so much fun picking with you!!! Can’t wait for blueberry picking, and raspberry picking, and apple picking, and pumpkin picking… yes I am totally getting ahead of myself!
This brings back memories. While growing up in Michigan we would go berry picking (all kinds of berries) every summer and my mom would make jam…mmm…nothing better. So how did the vanilla taste with the strawberry jam? It sounds divine!
ooh, i need to go berry picking!! my mom always made strawberry jam, totally bringing back memories
Strawberry picking is so much fun, I’m glad you got to go and enjoy it! There’s nothing like homemade strawberry jam and yours looks great — love the addition of vanilla!
I so want to someday go strawberry picking! Definitely partially so that I’ll have enough strawberries to make this jam! It looks so delicious. Good call on the apples!
Just fabulous congrats to you I applaud this perfection of a jam!
Strawberry picking – how fun! I must do that sometime soon. Love the jam especially with the vanilla.
Wish I had that slice of toast with you luscious jam for breakfast!
I’m a sucker for anything using vanilla beans. This sounds wonderful using 2!
Ooh so thats what you did with your strawberries! It looks great! I might have to pick up that book you mentioned… Jammy is a good enough word for me!
Yum! I love trying new types of fruit preserves/jam, and the idea of vanilla and strawberry sounds lovely!
this is a gorgeous and tasty way to keep the flavor of fresh strawberries around for a little bit longer. excellent idea, adding vanilla bean!
Wow!! Vanilla beans in the jam, excellent! I make a strawberry sauce for ice cream with vanilla and strawberry, why not jam? Love it!
Love the addition of vanilla in the jam… It looks just lovely!
I just made some vanilla bean strawberry jam, loved the flavours together.