Tis the season to make strawberry jam! Strawberries are finally in season in Korea. In mid to late December, supermarkets are stocked with deliciously sweet strawberries. They’re juicy and so flavorful you could cry while eating one. And though they aren’t cheap by any means, they are worth every won. When I heard that homemade jam is commonly made in Korea, I thought why not give it a try. Did I mention it only requires two ingredients? 

Dear strawberry lovers, today’s your day. Imagine opening your refrigerator to see your own fresh homemade strawberry jam. Now you don’t have to imagine anymore. You can do it.

If I had to choose between all the jams in the world, strawberry would be my first pick. And that’s not only because it’s one of my favorite fruits. It’s rich, sweet and chunky consistency goes perfect with bread – another one of my favorite foods.

Ingredients 

Serving Size: 1 Cup of Jam

• 1 pound of fresh strawberries 
• ½ cup of white sugar

Tools:

• Potato masher 

Let’s make jam!

Wash the fresh strawberries, cut off the leaves then place the strawberries in a medium pot. 

Add ½ a cup of sugar.

Set the strawberries to boil with the lid on. Boil over medium heat for 12 minutes. Afterwards, remove the lid and begin using the potato masher to mash up the strawberries. 

Set the heat to medium low. Be careful not to let the jam burn or get stuck to the pot. After 15 minutes of stirring and mashing, check the consistency of the strawberries. Drop a small amount of jam on a refrigerated plate. If the jam doesn’t run after you’ve tilted the plate side to side, it’s ready! If it’s runny, allow the jam to cook some more. The goal is to have jam that’s neither thick nor watery. Ultimately, the consistency is the maker’s choice.

When the jam is ready, turn off the heat and set it to cool.

Let’s bottle it!

Use one or two seal-tight glass bottles to store your jam. Refrigerate and save for up to a month.

Enjoy your freshly made jam with bread and milk!