Strawberry Jalapeño Jam
Fresh-picked strawberries and jalapeños might not sound like an obvious combination at first. But I’m telling you- in strawberry jalapeño jam- it works!
The strawberries bring bright, juicy sweetness, while the jalapeños add a little heat that sneaks in right behind the fruit. The result is a homemade jam that is sweet, spicy, fruity, and incredibly fun to put on just about anything.
This strawberry jalapeño jam makes perfect sense when you have a garden overflowing with produce. One minute you’re picking strawberries and wondering what you’re going to do with all of them. Next, you’re standing in the kitchen with a basket of jalapeños thinking, “Well…let’s see what happens.”
What happens is delicious.
I especially love making this with berries that were picked fresh because you can really taste the difference. Perfectly ripe strawberries bring so much flavor that the jam doesn’t need a long list of ingredients. The jalapeños don’t overpower the fruit either. Instead, they add a warm little kick that makes the strawberry flavor even more interesting.
And because this is a water-bath canned jam, you can make a batch during strawberry season and save those beautiful jars for later.
Why Strawberry Jalapeño Jam Works
Strawberries are naturally sweet and fruity, while jalapeños bring heat, vegetal flavor, and just enough bite to keep the jam from tasting one-dimensional.
Sugar does more than make the jam sweet, too. In a traditional pectin-based jam, the sugar works with the pectin and natural fruit acids to create that familiar thick, spreadable consistency.
That’s why I don’t recommend reducing the sugar in this recipe.
Traditional powdered pectin recipes depend on specific proportions of fruit, sugar, acid, and pectin. Changing those amounts can affect how well the jam sets. Sure-Jell recipes also aren’t interchangeable with other pectin products because different pectins can have different instructions and requirements.
So, while it can be tempting to cut back on the sugar, especially when you’re standing there looking at seven cups of it, this isn’t the place to start making substitutions.
Fresh Strawberries Make This Jam Special
When strawberry season arrives, I want to use those berries everywhere.
Fresh-picked strawberries are incredibly juicy and fragrant, and that makes them perfect for jam. Look for ripe berries with good color and plenty of strawberry flavor. Remove the tops- but save them! You can use the tops for strawberry syrup!!
If you’ve ever made strawberry jam with berries you picked yourself, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The kitchen smells amazing before the jars even make it into the canner.
Garden-Grown Jalapeños Bring the Heat
This is also a fantastic garden recipe if you’re growing jalapeños.
Jalapeños can vary quite a bit in heat, so the finished jam won’t necessarily taste exactly the same every time. Some peppers are surprisingly mild, while others may be fiery hot.
For a milder jam, remove the seeds and membranes.
For more heat, leave some or all of them intact.
However you prepare them, finely chop the peppers so you get little bursts of jalapeño throughout the jam instead of large pieces.
And remember to wear gloves when chopping a larger quantity of hot peppers.
The last thing you want is to make an incredible batch of jam and then accidentally rub your eye with jalapeño-covered fingers.
How to Make Strawberry Jalapeño Jam
Start by preparing your water-bath canner.
Fill it with enough water to cover the finished jars by at least one inch. Bring the water to a boil while you prepare the jam.
Next, wash your jars and keep them hot until you’re ready to fill them. Clean jars and proper canning procedures matter because you’re creating a shelf-stable food that will be stored at room temperature.
Wash the strawberries under cool running water and remove the stems.
Crush the strawberries one layer at a time with a potato masher.
Next, prepare the jalapeños.
Remove the stems and finely chop the peppers. If you want a milder jam, remove the seeds and membranes first. For more heat, leave some of them in.
Add the strawberries, jalapeños, lemon juice, and powdered pectin to a large pot.
A large, heavy-bottomed pot works well because jam can foam and bubble dramatically once it reaches a rolling boil.
Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
A full rolling boil means the mixture continues boiling even while you’re stirring it.
Once it reaches that point, add the sugar.
Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
Then bring the mixture back to a full rolling boil and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.
After that minute, remove the pot from the heat.
If foam has collected on top, skim it off with a spoon.
Now you’re ready to fill the jars.
Filling the Jars
Ladle the hot jam into hot canning jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
That little bit of space at the top of the jar is important. Jams and jellies typically use ¼-inch headspace, and following the recommended headspace helps create a proper vacuum seal during processing.
Run a bubble remover or plastic utensil around the inside edge of the jar to release trapped air bubbles.
Then wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp paper towel.
Any sticky jam left on the rim can interfere with the seal.
Place the lids on the jars and tighten the bands fingertip tight.
Don’t crank them down as hard as possible.
The jars need to vent during processing, and bands that are too tight can interfere with that process.
Water Bath Canning Strawberry Jalapeño Jam
Use a jar lifter to carefully lower the filled jars into the boiling-water canner.
The water should cover the jars by at least one inch.
Cover the canner and bring the water back to a boil.
Process the jars for 10 minutes at 0–1,000 feet elevation, adjusting the processing time for your altitude. Once the processing time is finished, turn off the heat and remove the lid.
Let the jars stand for about five minutes before removing them with the jar lifter. This helps reduce the temperature shock when the hot jars come out of the canner.
Place the jars upright on a towel-lined surface.
Then leave them alone.
Don’t push the lids down, tighten the bands, or pick up the jars and shake them.
Let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
After they have cooled completely, check the seals. The center of a properly sealed lid should not flex when pressed.
Any jar that does not seal should be refrigerated and used promptly.
How Spicy Is Strawberry Jalapeño Jam?
That depends on your peppers.
This is one of the fun parts of using garden jalapeños. Their heat level can vary, so your jam might have a gentle warmth one year and a more noticeable kick the next.
Removing the seeds and membranes will generally make the finished jam milder.
Leaving them in will give you more heat.
You can also choose jalapeños based on their heat level when you’re harvesting. If you know you have a particularly fiery batch from the garden, you may want to remove more of the membranes.
Either way, the strawberries should remain the main flavor.
The jalapeños are there to make things interesting.
What Can You Do With Strawberry Jalapeño Jam?
Oh, so many things.
First, spread it on toast, English muffins, or crumpets.
That’s the obvious answer, and it is absolutely delicious.
However, don’t stop there.
Spoon it over cream cheese and serve it with crackers for an easy appetizer. The creamy cheese balances the sweetness and heat beautifully.
You can also use it as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork.
Try brushing a little over roasted chicken during the last few minutes of cooking. The sugar caramelizes while the jalapeño adds a little heat.
It is also fantastic with baked brie.
Warm the brie, spoon some strawberry jalapeño jam over the top, and serve it with crackers or toasted slices of crusty bread.
You can even use it on a grilled cheese sandwich.
Sharp cheddar and strawberry jalapeño jam make a seriously good combination. The salty cheese balances the sweet jam, while the peppers bring just enough heat to make every bite interesting.
And if you have leftover homemade sourdough bread around the kitchen, congratulations.
You’ve just found another reason to bake another loaf.
How to Store Canned Strawberry Jalapeño Jam
Once the jars have cooled and the seals have been checked, remove the screw bands if desired, wipe the jars clean, and label them with the contents and date.
Store properly sealed jars in a cool, dark, dry place.
For the best quality, use home-canned jam within about a year. Once a jar is opened, refrigerate it.
If a jar doesn’t seal after processing, just put it in the refrigerator and use it as you would a refrigerated jam.
Always inspect your canned food before eating it. If a jar has a broken seal, leaking contents, mold, an unusual odor, or other signs of spoilage, don’t taste it.
When it comes to home canning, when in doubt, throw it out.
Can You Use Frozen Strawberries?
For this particular recipe, I would stick with fresh strawberries.
Fresh-picked berries are the whole reason I love this version, and the texture and moisture of fruit can affect the final jam.
Why I Love This Jam
I love recipes that start with something growing right outside the kitchen.
Fresh strawberries go into one basket.
Garden jalapeños go into another.
A little chopping, a little crushing, some sugar, pectin, and lemon juice, and suddenly you have something completely different sitting on the stove.
Then that little bit of jalapeño heat comes through at the end and makes you smile.
That’s what makes this jam so much fun.
It isn’t simply strawberry jam with peppers thrown in. The sweetness and heat actually make each other more noticeable.
Best of all, you can make it during strawberry season and preserve that summer flavor for later.
When winter rolls around and the garden is buried under snow, opening one of these jars is a pretty fantastic reminder of your successful summer garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is strawberry jalapeño jam spicy?
It can be, but the heat level depends on the jalapeños and whether you leave the seeds and membranes intact. Removing them creates a milder jam, while leaving some in produces more heat.
Can I use more jalapeños?
For a shelf-stable canned recipe, don’t simply increase the amount of jalapeños. The balance of ingredients matters in canning recipes. If you want a hotter batch, use hotter jalapeños within the recipe’s specified quantity rather than changing the proportions.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Don’t reduce the sugar in a traditional powdered-pectin recipe unless you’re using a pectin specifically designed for reduced-sugar recipes and following its instructions. The sugar contributes to proper gel formation.
Why does strawberry jam need pectin?
Strawberries are relatively low in natural pectin, so commercial pectin helps the jam develop a thick, spreadable consistency.
Can I use a different brand of pectin?
Different pectin products can have different instructions and aren’t necessarily interchangeable. Follow the directions for the exact pectin you’re using rather than substituting it by volume.
Why did my jam not set?
Jam can fail to set for several reasons, including incorrect proportions, using the wrong type or amount of pectin, changing the sugar quantity, or not following the manufacturer’s cooking instructions.
How long does canned strawberry jalapeño jam last?
For best quality, use properly sealed home-canned jam within about one year. Store unopened jars in a cool, dark, dry place and refrigerate after opening.
More Canning Recipes
Strawberry Simple Syrup
Orange Marmalade
Pear Honey
Strawberry Jalapeno Jam
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Strawberries, washed and tops removed
- 7 cups Sugar
- 4 Jalapenos, diced
- 2 boxes Surejell fruit pectin
Instructions
- Fill the water bath canner and bring to a boil.
- Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water.
- Wash and trim the tops off the strawberries and dice the jalapenos.
- In a stockpot over medium-high heat, boil the strawberries, jalapenos, and sure-jell, crushing them with a masher while they heat up.
- Add the sugar and boil for one minute.
- Fill the jars with the hot jam, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles with the bubble popper and adjust headspace if necessary.
- Wipe the rims with a clean wet paper towel.
- Place the lids on the jars and tighten the bands finger tip tight.
- Lower the jars into the water bath with the jar lifter, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the water bath to a towel lined cutting board and allow to rest for 12 hours before labeling, dating, and storing. If any jars did not seal, refrigerate and use first.
Nutrition
