Bursting with flavor, this strawberry jalapeno jam recipe is filled with fresh strawberries and some finely chopped jalapenos. It's a great condiment and easy appetizer. You can make eight jars in under an hour!
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Top Reasons You'll Love this Jam
- Best flavor. It's sweet and spicy, and tangy all at once! And no, it's not too spicy!
- Beautiful color! The lovely red comes from the strawberries and red pepper.
- Delicious spread. Try strawberry jalapeno jam on toast or on our drop biscuits. It's also good on our parmesan apricot biscuits.
- Great "Gift from the kitchen." Give strawberry jalapeno jam to a teacher, friend, co-worker or neighbor gift during the holidays or just because! For extra fun, give the jam with cream cheese, or another cheese and crackers.
Ingredient Notes
- Strawberries. Strawberries are the signature flavor of this strawberry jalapeno jam recipe. They add the flavor and the color!
- Jalapeños. Jalapeños add heat and dimension to the recipe. We think the sweet and spicy combination is fabulous.
- Red Bell Pepper. Red pepper gives more flavor and color to the jam.
- White vinegar. Vinegar adds a snappy taste to the sweet/spicy jam.
- Lemon Juice. Lemon juice adds flavor, it helps the fruit maintain its color, and most importantly it balances the ph of the recipe. We recommend bottled lemon juice. You can read more under the Expert Tips section.
- Powdered Fruit Pectin. Pectin gives the jam structure. It's what makes the jam thick and spreadable.
- Granulated Sugar. Sugar sweetens the jam and brings out the strawberry flavor.
- Butter. Butter adds delicious flavor to the jam and it decreases the foam once the jam has cooked.
How to Make this Recipe
- Rinse. Rinse the strawberries and cut stems off. (You can fill canning pot half full of water and begin to heat.)
- Mash. Mash the strawberries and set aside. You want some chunky pieces of fruit, so don't put strawberries in the food processor.
- Remove seeds. Take out the seeds and stems from jalapeños.
- Remove more seeds. Take out stem and seeds from red pepper.
- Chop. Place jalapenos and red pepper in food processor and chop until very fine. (You can also chop by hand until finely minced.) Drain any liquid from peppers.
- Cook. Place mashed strawberries, red pepper and jalapeños in large pot on stove. Add vinegar, lemon juice and powdered pectin. Stir to combine. Then add sugar; stir until it dissolves.
- Boil. Bring all ingredients to boil over high heat. When mixture comes to a rolling boil (one that can't be stirred down), boil for one minute then remove from heat.
- Add butter. Add butter in order to decrease foam and stir until it melts.
- Clean Jars. For canning jars, heat clean jars in boiling water to cover, then remove and wipe dry. (You can put them in your water bath canning pot to heat.) Place jar tops and rings in a small saucepan and cover with hot water while jam is cooking. Jars will seal better if everything is already warm when placed in water bath canner.
- Ladle jam. While jars are still warm, ladle strawberry jalapeno jam into jars, filling them within ¼ inch of top. You can run a knife around inside of jars to remove air bubbles. Wipe rim of jar clean; add lid and ring to seal.
- Process Canning Jars. Fill a water bath canning pot and rack with enough water so the jars will be covered at least 2 inches once placed inside. Carefully set jars on rack in canner. Add more hot water after you add the jars if needed. Process in canner for 10 minutes Remove jars carefully from the water bath and place on a dishcloth on the counter, several inches apart. Let cool for several hours.
Expert Tips
- Follow directions. Making changes to the strawberry jalapeno jam recipe will likely result in poor quality jam that doesn't set up. Follow the directions exactlly.
- Use frozen strawberries. You can use frozen strawberries; just thaw and mash them.
- Increase heat. If you like things really HOT and spicy, add the seeds of the jalapeño. You may want to experiment and try seeds of one pepper, then go from there.
- Use gloves. we suggest using disposable latex gloves when handling peppers. If you choose to just use your hands, be careful not to touch your eyes!
- Shake occasionally. While the jam is cooling, try shaking it occasionally to redistribute the fruit and peppers.
- Higher altitude changes. If you live at higher altitudes, add 5 minutes to processing time: for 1,001 to 3,000 feet; for 10 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet.
- Rescue your jam. If your jam fails, try reading this rescue post about liquid cement! (It says it is a formula or fix for setting up jam or jellies that did not set!)
How to Serve this Recipe
- Crowd-pleasing appetizer. Pour it over cream cheese and eat with crackers. It's so good!
- Tasty sandwich spread! Try strawberry jalapeno jam on grilled cheese.
- Mouthwatering sauce. Use as a sauce for grilled meat. This jam makes a delicious sauce for chicken, beef, pork and fish.
- Charcuterie board item. Pair this jam with cheese, fruit and crackers.
- Fun dessert sauce. Spoon strawberry jalapeno jam over ice cream to make a unique sweet and spicy dessert!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do I need a large pot to make the jam?
You need a large pot with high sides as the strawberry jalapeno jam mixture will rise a lot as it boils.
Can I lower the amount of sugar if I don't want the jam so sweet?
No. You need to use the exact measurements in the strawberry jalapeno jam recipe because changing the sugar could result in the jam not setting up.
Why use bottled lemon juice in this jam recipe?
The USDA recommends using bottled lemon juice because it has been uniformly acidified or standardized per FDA regulations. There is a critical safety margin in canning low-acid foods and for making jams gel properly. You can read about the FDA regulations here.
What is pectin?
Fruit pectin is a starch that is naturally present in skins of fruit like apples and citrus. When heated, it helps provide structure to jam and jelly.
Storage Tips
- Store this strawberry jalapeno jam in a cool place.
- Refrigerate. Once jam is open it will keep in the refrigerator for two to three months.
- Freeze. If you dont want to process it in the water bath canner, you can freeze this jalapeno strawberry jam. Just follow the original directions. Pour hot jam into warm jars and cover tightly with lids. After jam cools, store it in the freeze up to six months.
We Think You'll Love these Recipes
Jalapeño Strawberry Jam
Fresh strawberries and jalapenos combine for a flavorful strawberry jalapeno jam that's great on toast, biscuits and sandwiches, or as an appetizer over cream cheese.
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Servings: 8 (8 ounce) jars
Calories: 54kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups mashed strawberries
- 1 ½ cups large jalapenos (about 7 small jalapenos)
- 1 red bell pepper
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
- 2 packages powdered fruit pectin such as Sure-Jell
- 8 cups white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Rinse strawberries and cut stems off.
- Mash strawberries and set aside. You want some chunky pieces of fruit, so don't put strawberries in the food processor.
- Remove stems from jalapeños; remove stem and seeds from red pepper. Place together in food processor and chop until very fine. (You can also chop by hand until finely minced.) Drain any liquid from peppers.
- Place mashed strawberries, red pepper and jalapeños in large pot on stove. Add vinegar, lemon juice and powdered pectin. Stir to combine. Then add sugar; stir until it dissolves.
- Bring all ingredients to boil over high heat. When mixture comes to a rolling boil (one that can't be stirred down), boil for one minute then remove from heat.
- Add butter to decrease foam and stir until it melts.
- Fill a water bath canning pot and rack with enough water that jars will be covered at least 2 inches once placed inside.
- For canning jars, heat clean jars in boilng water to cover, then remove and wipe dry. (You can put them in your water bath canning pot to heat.)
- Place jar tops and rings in a small sauce pan and cover with hot water while jam is cooking. Jars will seal better if everything is already warm when placed in water bath canner.
- While jars are still warm, ladle jam into jars, filling them within ¼ inch of top. You can run a knife around inside of jars to remove air bubbles. Wipe rim of jar clean; add lid and ring to seal.
- Fill a water bath canning pot and rack with enough water that jars will be covered at least 2 inches once placed inside. Carefully set jars on rack in canner. Add more hot water after you add the jars if needed. Process in canner for 10 minutes Remove jars carefully from the water bath and place on a dishcloth on the counter, several inches apart. Let jars cool for several hours.
- Check to make sure the jars have sealed correctly (lightly press down on top of the lid; it should be firm - if not, you will need to refrigerate jam or re-process it). Allow to cool overnight.
Notes
- Make sure to use a large pot with high sides. This jam mixture will rise a lot as it boils.
- If you live at higher altitudes, add 5 minutes to processing time: for 1,001 to 3,000 feet; for 10 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet.
- Check to make sure the jars have sealed correctly (lightly press down on top of the lid; it should be firm - if not, you will need to refrigerate jam or re-process it). Allow to cool overnight.
Nutrition
Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Sodium: 2mg | Sugar: 13g
Tried this recipe? Leave a review below, then take a picture and tag us @InFineTaste on Instagram so we can see!
Cortney says
I have a lot of excess after filling up 8- 8 ounce jars. does the recipe call for 4 cups of whole strawberries and then mash or 4 cups once mashed? First timer here. thank uou!
In Fine Taste says
Hi Cortney, great question! I mash the strawberries before measuring them. Just make sure leave 1/4 inch of space in the jars from the top. If you have surplus jam you can just pour it into a sealed container and store it in the refrigerator or freezer!
- Dianna
Maria says
Can a green bell pepper be substituted for the red pepper?
In Fine Taste says
Yes, you can use green bell pepper. It will change the flavor profile slightly, but should still be good!
- Alyssa
Loree says
Can you use liquid pectin instead?
In Fine Taste says
Hi Loree, we do not recommend that you use liquid pectin in place of powdered pectin. They are typically added in different ways to recipes and should not be used interchangeably.
- Dianna and Alyssa
Mary K says
Have made this recipe twice now once follow the recipe to a T, and the second time I used raspberries instead of strawberries as well as a variety of hot peppers. Both batches turned out perfect!
-Mary K
Angela Rogers says
I made this by the directions but wound up with 20 pints. My fear is the amount of vinegar would not be enough to lower the acidity and make this safe. Any input?
In Fine Taste says
Hi Angela, the recipe should make close to 8 cups of jam. If you are getting 20 pints (40 cups), then I think you are right, the vinegar listed in the recipe would not be enough.
- Dianna