This Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam (1st prize winning) is super quick & delicious, small batch recipe that requires no added pectin or special equipment. If you’re from across the pond a punnet is the plastic container you get strawberries in!
If you’re looking for a soft set, homemade strawberry jam recipe that is super quick and easy and requires no jam sugar or added pectin then you’ve come to the right place!
Back in July 2014 my Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam won 1st Prize in the Byfleet Parish Day Show! It was to be my 2nd year running winning 1st prize as the previous year my Peach & Apricot Jam came first!
So as the photography was really poor and this is such a popular jam I remade it this week and took some fresh shots to give it the justice it deserves. I also updated the recipe a little with more precise information about the quantity it yields.
I am a sticker for detail and I think that is why my jam recipes are so popular or at least that’s the feedback I get from you the lovely reader!
I originally made this no pectin Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam to put in my Victoria Sandwich.
Inspired by watching the contestants of Great British Bake Off I decided to knock up a small batch of jam using the remainder of a large box of strawberries I had in the fridge.
Not having planned my jam I didn’t have any spare jam jars to hand so just grabbed a short glass (the type you buy that famous chocolate hazelnut spread in) from my dishwasher and put it in a warm oven for 20 minutes.
The beauty of this jam is that you don’t need to own a huge preserving pan as your largest saucepan should be fine. I used half my jam in my Victoria Sandwich and the other half was enjoyed with scones and clotted cream.
My first attempt had far too much lemon juice in it so I reduced it to 1 tsp for my second attempt which was perfect; I don’t like stiff jam that you can stand a spoon up in! My husband didn’t notice anything wrong with my first batch and I overheard him raving about it and the Victoria Sandwich to his mother!
So the funny thing was that my Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam was never intended to be entered into the Parish Show.
As my Peach & Apricot Jam had won the previous year (much to my disbelief as I’d only just started making jam) I thought I’d need to enter something along those lines again.
Hence I decided to create a Cherry & Apple Jam but my lack of experience meant that I didn’t factor in the high pectin level from the apples and I boiled the jam for far too long and ended up with jam akin to concrete.
So, with no time to start afresh I just grabbed a recently made jar of my Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam and entered that instead, expecting it to go nowhere as it was just plain old strawberry jam and nothing fancy.
There was no-one more surprised than me when it won!
You can scale my Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam recipe up to whatever size punnet of strawberries you have. Just use equal prepared strawberry to sugar weight and then scale the lemon juice up as necessary, a little extra boiling may also be needed to reach setting point.
However smaller batches work far better so try to keep to one punnet!
If you’ve never made jam before I hope that this small batch strawberry jam recipe will inspire you to take the plunge – you can have delicious jam potted up within 20 minutes (the actual jam only takes about 10 minutes to make on the hob)!
How long will this Strawberry Jam keep?
This jam is best eaten within 12 months for colour and quality but will be safe to eat for years. Just keep in a cool, dry, dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within a few months.
More Strawberry Jam Recipes:
- Strawberry & Gin Jam
- Strawberry Jam (made with jam sugar)
- Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam
- Strawberry & Peach Jam
- Strawberry & Elderflower Jam
- Strawberry, Raspberry & Redcurrant Jam
- Summer Fruits Jam
- Tutti Frutti Jam
- Whole Strawberry & Vanilla Preserve
- Speedy Summer Berry Jam
Here’s a picture of my Strawberry Jam with it’s 1st Prize Winning certificate from my original post!
So if you’ve never made jam before or just need a delicious small batch of strawberry jam to fill a cake or use in an afternoon tea I can’t recommend this recipe enough.
I’m sure you’ll love this strawberry jam so please leave a comment and rating. You can also tag @FabFood4All on Instagram with your pictures as I love seeing my recipes come to life!
Pin One Punnet Strawberry Jam for later!
NB: Originally posted 14 May 2014.
Quick One Punnet Strawberry Jam
Equipment
- 2 Saucers
- 1 Digital scale
- 1 potato masher
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Large saucepan
- 1 teaspoon
- 1 Large metal spoon
- 1 small ladle or jam funnel
- 1 Table knife
- 1 Paring knife
- 1 240 ml glass jar and lid
Ingredients
- 230 g Hulled strawberries washed & dryed (1 punnet)
- 230 g Granulated sugar equal to prepared strawberry weight
- 1 tsp Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- A knob of unsalted butter optional
Instructions
- Put the strawberries in a large saucepan and crush with a potato masher (leave some texture).
- Add the sugar and lemon juice.
- Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Increase heat to bring to a rolling boil and then time for 5 minutes whilst stirring with a wooden spoon (to stop jam from sticking to pan)..
- Remove pan from heat.
- Next, test for set by placing a few drops of jam on a chilled saucer and place in fridge for 30 seconds.
- Then run your finger through the jam on the saucer and if it forms a crinkle and is tacky it’s ready.
- If not boil for another minute and retest until ready.
- Skim any scum from the surface with a metal spoon and add a small knob of butter to disperse any remaining scum if you wish.
- Ladle into a 240 ml sterilised jar and seal with lid immediately.
- Once cool, store in a cool, dry, dark place.
Notes
Put 2 saucers in the freezer.
Sterilise jar by washing in hot soapy water (or take straight from dishwasher), fill with boiling water, empty and then place in oven for 20 minutes at 140°C where you leave until the jam is ready. Washed lid should be sterilised with boiling water and then left to drain.
Clare
had 2 punnets of strawberries in fridge out of date today looking a bit soft just used your recipe, blooming lovely 1 large jar 2 smaller ones really pleased with it thank you
Camilla
Great Clare, so glad you like the recipe-)
Clare
had 2 punnets of strawberries in fridge out of date today looking a bit soft just used your recipe, blooming lovely 1 large jar 2 smaller ones really pleased with it thank you It was just so easy tastes great
Camilla
Fabulous Clare:-)
Deb
Hi. How long does this jam last & can you store as for all other ‘long version’ recipes? Thanks
Camilla
Hi Debs, yes you can store this jam for as long as any other jam, usually best within a year but can last way beyond (in a cool, dark place, I use my garage). Once open keep in the fridge and eat within 3 months but I really don’t think storage will be a problem as you’ll want to eat it all up:-)
John
Currently eating a pineapple version of this, tastes great. Needed to boil for about seven minutes. No need to conserve it as it won’t last long, lol.
Camilla
Fabulous John, never had pineapple jam:-)
Berni Lonergan
Can’t wait to try this just nipping out for strawberries now! Wish me luck!! X
Camilla
Excellent:-) How did it go?
Jenny
As you have mentioned your jam will last twelve months and when open keep in the fridge how lon can it safely stay in the fridge once opened. Thanks I’m off shopping to buy some jars and ingredients so I’ve got some jam for chistmas,a new kitchen,new jam and a lovel Xmas what more can I want.
Camilla
Jam can last years and once open in fridge it will last as long as any other jam but depends on whether it gets contaminated with a dirty knife etc but I’m pretty sure once you open this jam you won’t find any storage problems as it will be gone before you know it! I would say it would be best eaten within 3 months but again it may last longer. I have never had to test the time though as this recipe is a small batch one for one punnet so gets eaten really quickly!
Suzy
Hi I had a glut of strawberries from my sons garden and made this jam for him in August 10 jars to be precise. He opened his first jar today as he works abroad. The problem is that is has set but not enough to stay on the bread in a thick layer just about manage a thin spread.
Please is there a way I can save the other 9 jars i.e. is it possible to reboil Really only good enough as a delicious strawberry sauce. Thank you in anticipation Suzy
Camilla
Hi Suzy, yes just tip it back into the pan, re-sterilise the jars and carry on boiling until you form a crinkle on a chilled saucer. This recipe was designed for a small amount of strawberries so I’m not sure what weight you used but there is a weight at which jam isn’t happy but perhaps your jars aren’t huge. I did have similar happen to me recently with my Greengage Jam which you can read about here: https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/greengage-jam-and-what-to-do-when-your-jam-is-too-runny/ Hope you get your jam “fixed”:-) x
Suzy
Hi Just to let you know I did what you said and reboiled the jam and it WORKED HOORAY I wish I knew that before as I made Apple Jelly for Xmas fete and it set in the middle of the jars and when I turned them upside down the solid mass flopped down. Many thanks for your advice Regards Suzy x
Camilla
Yay, glad you saved all your fruit and hard work:-) Camilla x
Angie
Have never made Strawberry Jam before, was so easy and everybody loved it, about to make more
Camilla
Excellent Angie, so glad you liked it:-)
James
Just made this and it tastes great. It was so quick that I could do it while my toddler had a nap!
Camilla
Excellent James, so glad you like it:-)
Hayley Gilfoyle
I made your jam!
Its super easy and yummy, just wondering how long it will keep for, roughly.
Thanks hails
Camilla
Fabulous Hayley:-) At least a year if not longer but I don’t think you’ll be able to resist it for that long:-) Keep in a cool dark place and once opened in the fridge:-) Camilla x
Roslyn Kerr
Made this jam with my 7 year old niece and we loved it! Delicious and easy…thanks alot!
Camilla
That’s great Roslyn, thank you so much for letting me know and so glad you like it:)