Strawberry Jalapeño Jam

A few weekends ago, I had an amazing extra-long weekend. I took two days off work to spend the time cooking with my Mama – the best way to spend some days off. She’s my best friend, which I think is pretty special, don’t you?

We made so many things: raspberry jam, caramelized red onion relish, mushroom turnovers, baklava, and this: strawberry jalapeño jam. Sound yummy? Oh it is!

My parents “accidentally” made chokecherry habanero jam a few years ago, and since then, our family has been diving headfirst into the fruit/spice combo. When we were looking for recipes to can, my Dad said, “Really? Strawberry jalapeño?”, and I said, “Heck yeah!”. I knew this would be an amazing blend of flavors. Why? Well, I always eat cheese on my toast with jam. Not Cheez Whiz. Cheese. Like a slice of cheddar. Some people think it’s weird, but don’t judge until you’ve tried it.

Anyway.

One day I was making toast with strawberry jam, and had a hankering for some cheese on it. I looked in the fridge, and all I had was jalapeño havarti. I thought, what the heck, I’m hungry.

I have never tasted anything so delicious in my life. It was a match made in heaven.

So of course, I KNEW that strawberry jalapeño jam would be to die for. We were not disappointed. We love spicy, but the jalapeños from my parents’ garden were pretty mild, so this batch didn’t turn out spicy. However, it still has a glorious jalapeño flavor.

Also, we would have used strawberries from the garden as well, but um, somebody kept eating them…. Why are you looking at me?

This jam is delicious on toast (if you like non-breakfasty foods in the morning), or on crackers for an appetizer. Keep in mind that the heat of the jam will vary depending on the strength of your jalapeño peppers.

Enjoy!

Thank you to L. Sullivan for the recipe.

Print Recipe

Strawberry Jalapeño Jam

Author: The Gourmet Housewife

Ingredients

• 8 cups crushed strawberries
• 2 cups minced jalapeño peppers
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 4 ounce packages powdered fruit pectin
• 14 cups white sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 225°F. Sterilize jars for at least 10 minutes in preheated oven and keep warm until ready to use.
• Sterilize the lids and rings in boiling water for at least 5 minutes.
• Place the strawberries, jalapeños, lemon juice, and pectin into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the sugar, return to a boil, and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour the jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling to 1/4 inch from the top. Using a wet paper towel, wipe the jar rims to remove any residue. Top with dried lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a canning rack in the bottom of a large stock pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Water should be at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars, so add more boiling water if necessary. Bring the water back to a boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the canner and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface. Allow to cool overnight. Check that the jars have sealed by pressing on each lid with your finger. The lid should not move up or down at all.