Jump Start Your Canning Season With Some Tasty Freezer Jam!
People often ask me, “What is the easiest way to preserve my foods?” Or, “If I want to get into food preservation, what recipe should I begin with?” Honestly, most canning is pretty simple once you begin, but if you just want to dip your toes in the water—so to speak—then freezer jam is the best way to get started. For those of you who are seasoned veterans of food preservation, you know that freezer jam is a quick, delicious way to preserve your bounty and try new recipes!
Freezer Jam: A Great Topping for Many Foods
Freezer jam is a wonderful addition to any PB&J, but the possibilities don’t end there. Consider putting the fresh-tasting jam on toast, crackers, warm biscuits, or even over yummy vanilla ice cream! The consistency is a bit less viscous than traditional style jams and jellies, so it lends itself to many possibilities.
So Many Recipes!
Some standby freezer jam recipes include delicious strawberry or mixed berry jams. These taste great and are enjoyed by many, but there are quite a few recipes that add a bit of a twist to “normal” jams flavors. Last year, during our freezer jam workshop at Minnetrista, we made some great Strawberry Kiwi Margarita Jam. Personally, I’ve enjoyed it on toast, crackers, and as a topping for ice cream. It is a unique flavor—for a jam—and is quite enjoyable. When I give it to people to have or to sample, I always receive great feedback and compliments. Another fun and tasty recipe that I’ve recently tried is Cranberry Pineapple freezer jam. We made it during our last Minnetrista canning workshop, and many of the participants definitely enjoyed it.
I’m looking forward to when the fruit will come into season here in East Central Indiana this June, so that I can try some new freezer jams! Two of the recipes that are on my “to-try” list are Black and White Jam—white peaches and blackberries—and Peach Melba—peaches and raspberries.
Freezer Jam is Easy and Worry-Free
All of these recipes, and many more, can be found on freshpreserving.com. I like to stick to the original recipe on my first attempt, and then tweak it a bit after if need be. The thing about freezer jam recipes is that they can be adjusted a bit more without worrying about the acidity, because it isn’t vital issue with freezer jam. That begin said, if you make a recipe and decide you’d like a bit more of one ingredient and a bit less of another, then you’ll typically be fine. However, it may change the consistency a bit.
If you are getting prepared for the preservation season once again, or if you are just now entering into the world of canning for the first time, freezer jam is a great start to any season!
Tell us about your favorite freezer jam recipe in the comments! We will feature your answers in an upcoming Facebook post!
