Honey Sweetened Strawberry Freezer Preserves

This is part two of the Strawberry Preserves Posts! I made one batch of this “Freezer” jam and loved it! I’m planning on making another batch of this as soon as I get my hands on some more strawberries! Though you can get a “no-cook” pectin for freezer jam, unfortunately it requires sugar. Since I wanted to make mine fruit-juice and/or honey sweetened, I used the no-sugar pectin. It technically requires a little cooking, the juice is cooked with the pectin, but the fruit is not cooked so I’d still consider it a “no-cook” variety as it maintains the fresh flavors of fresh, uncooked fruit.

This preserve is made with fresh strawberries, and sweetened with local, raw honey and fruit juice. I’m happy serving this to my son, whether mixed in with plain yogurt, served over vanilla ice cream or in the ubiquitous PBJ. I’m also thinking it might be a nice glaze for chicken or pork. Yum!

Honey Sweetened Strawberry Freezer Preserves
makes 6 to 8 half-pints of preserves

• 4 cups of prepared fruit (I started with roughly 8 cups of sliced fruit and smashed it down with a potato masher for two to three minutes until I got 4 cups)
• 1-3/4 cup of 100% juice (I used Kiwi Strawberry but white grape or apple also work well)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 package of “No Sugar Needed” Fruit Pectin (I used the Ball brand but there are several out there*)

Prior to cooking, prepare for making preserves, by sanitizing your jars, rings and equipment (ladle and funnel, specifically) – I just used my sanitizing option on my dishwasher. Also place your lids in a pot of simmering water – make sure that it does not boil as this will affect it’s sealing properties. I used the advice on this site.

In a large saucepan, combine juice and pectin until thoroughly combined. Heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Once at a boil, boil for one minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add fruit, stirring constantly for one minute, before adding honey. Stir to combine. Ladle into prepared jars, sitting on a dish towel (that you don’t mind staining. You will drip.). Place lid on immediately and press around the edge with your fingers. Place ring on and tighten until fingertip tight (it’s on securely, but not tightened REALLY tight).

Make sure that you use freezer-safe glass jars and leave 1/2-inch headspace on the top to allow for expansion. They do make and sell plastic “freezer jam” containers, but as we are trying to limit the plastics in our house, we chose to go with glass.

Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight, then transition to the freezer. Store in the freezer for up to eighteen months. Once defrosted and opened, use within three weeks. Keep refrigerated.

Oh, and by the way, using local, fresh strawberries and local, raw honey, these averaged out to $1.25/half-pint, not including the cost of the jars (which we did buy new and will recycle for next year’s batch!) and $2.05/half-pint with the cost of the jars included. This is at least half the cost of the jarred variety in the store! One nap time’s worth of work (I made two batches of this recipe and one batch of freezer jam, recipe to come) and I have a year’s worth of better-quality preserves for half the price!