Easy Freezer Jam

I remember the days when my grandma canned homemade jams and jellies. She'd boil jars and lids, cook down the fruit, add sugar, and use wax to seal the jars. It was a long, long process. And a hot one, too! Her kitchen was not air-conditioned and the heat from the stove made it almost unbearable. But still I look back on those days fondly.

When Ball came out with their BPA-free freezer containers along with a recipe for no-cook jam, I was in heaven! It couldn't be easier now to get the goodness of homemade jam without sweltering in the kitchen. The most difficult part is hulling the strawberries. No kidding.

Here's what you need:

4 cups of crushed berries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 envelope of instant fruit pectin (sold right beside the containers)
5 (8 oz) freezer jars (or you could use glass jars that have been sterilized)

Mash up enough berries to equal four cups. You can make this chunky or smooth. I like mine a little chunky.


Mix the sugar and instant pectin together in a bowl.


Add the crushed berries and combine thoroughly.


Ladle the mixture into the jars, leaving a little room at the top.

Screw on the lids and you're done! Oh, don't forget to freeze. The jam will be good for up to three weeks in the fridge or a year in the freezer. I wouldn't know, because it never lasts that long around my house, but that's what the back of the pectin package says.


I love how these jars stack up nicely. Save so much room in the freezer! And you can use this same recipe for any kind of soft, crushable fruit. I can't wait for peach season!