Name: Strawberry-Basil Jam
Total time: 14 h 40 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds strawberries , hulled and cut into ½ -inch pieces (5 cups); 1½ cups sugar; ½ cup peeled and shredded Granny Smith apples (½ apple); 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice; ¼ cup minced fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

Cutting the strawberries into smaller uniform pieces and mashing them with a potato masher before cooking guaranteed a shorter cooking time that helped give us the fresh strawberry flavor we were looking for in our jam. Just ½ cup of shredded Granny Smith apple helped boost the fresh, tart flavor and helped to create a smooth and spreadable jam. But what makes this jam unique is the fragrant basil we added. We started by first testing methods to infuse our jam with the bright taste of basil. Adding the herb at the start of cooking only muddled its fresh flavor. We found that adding minced basil to the jam off the heat once the jam was finished cooking was the best way to preserve the clean herb flavor.

Before You Begin

The basil may start to lose its bright green color after a week of storage, but it will still hold fresh basil flavor. For safety reasons, be sure to use bottled lemon juice, not fresh-squeezed juice, in this recipe. This jam can be processed for long-term storage; see the instructions in this article.

Instructions

Place 2 small plates in freezer to chill. In large saucepan, crush strawberries with potato masher until fruit is mostly broken down. Stir in sugar, apple, and lemon juice and bring to boil, stirring often, over medium-high heat. Once sugar is completely dissolved, boil mixture, stirring and adjusting heat as needed, until thickened and registers 217 to 220 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will be lower at higher elevations; see Temp the Jam for more information.) Remove pot from heat.

To test consistency, place 1 teaspoon jam on chilled plate and freeze for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through jam on plate; jam has correct consistency when your finger leaves distinct trail. If jam is runny, return pot to heat, simmer for 1 to 3 minutes longer before retesting. Skim any foam from surface of jam using spoon and stir in basil.

Meanwhile, place two 1-cup jars in bowl and place under hot running water until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; shake dry.

Using funnel and ladle, portion hot jam into hot jars. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until jam is set, 12 to 24 hours. (Jam can be refrigerated for up to 2 months.)