First Batch of Strawberry Freezer Jam

[retiredwith4acres]

I just picked a gallon of strawberries and made my first jam! I think I will be doing that several times this week. Our 50 plants are putting out the berries. My mother and I both picked a pan today. We don't eat a lot of jam and jelly so will probably freeze some whole for pies this next winter.

 

[Collector]

Strawberry freezer jam is very addictive, and should be outlawed lol. I can never eat just one slice of toast when it is strawberry jam season. We are hoping for a good strawberry crop this year, the plants will be on their second season so it should be better than last year.
Congrats on the bountiful harvest.

 

[lesa]

Delish! It is supposed to be 20 degrees tonight... I am afraid I may have strawberry freezer jam, of a different kind.

 

[so lucky]

I went to a U-pick strawberry farm today and got 21 lbs of strawberries. I've just been freezing them for smoothies. Did freeze two larger bags to use for strawberry shortcake. Have more to hull and freeze tomorrow. My DH freaks out when I use sugar in anything, so I am limited to what I can do with them. No, he doesn't like artificial sweetener, stevia, honey, etc.

 

[retiredwith4acres]

Welll, just finished another double batch! That gives me 22 half pints of jam, surely that is plenty for the two of us! The "problem" is, plants have just now started baring berries. lol Guess I will just freeze whole berries for pies this winter. Hopefully my mother will want some also. Any suggestions for strawberry uses and preservation??

 

[catjac1975]

YuuuuuuuuuuumI can almost smell it.

 

[vfem]

Freezing whole berries is tricky.... when you defrost them, they go to mush. The trick is freezing them with 'dry ice' in a cooler and then transfering them to a freezer if you want them to freeze well. This increases the speed of the freeze. Our low temp freezers take too much time to get from fresh to frozen, and in return burst the millions of cells in the strawberry that retain waterer so that when they defrosted those burst cells just ooze the slowly frozen juice back out. Fast freezing assures the cell walls freeze quickly not allowing the burst to take place at all.


Ok, so, was babbling on that one!

I've made 24 jars of strawberry jam so far... strawberry lemonade, strawberry banana, strawberry balsamic... ect ect. I'm also made 6 loaves of strawberry bread and we've enjoyed strawberry shortcake and strawberry shortcake pancakes... strawberry syrup... strawberries and honey... and the chickens have had strawberry tops until their hearts content!!!

Which reminds me, I am teaching a jam class in a few weekends here

Lets hope I have strawberries left! Hahahaha

I LOVE SPRING!!!!!!!

 

[momofdrew]

I still have to wait for my strawberries...even if they are early it'll be at least another month or more before they produce.... but I still have some left from last year in the freezer....yummy