One summer, as my family emptied jam jars as fast as I filled them, (and I used pints, mind you) I wondered, can I put jam in quarts? I never found out because then my kids started growing up and moving out and I didn’t have the need. I also never knew you could ferment jam! I’m seriously trying this recipe, but I’m not considering quarts, anymore.
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh, seasonal strawberries. It’s also a great opportunity to save some of that short-lived freshness for later. After harvesting strawberries, we almost always make sure to put up several batches of jam.
Instead of making just plain strawberry jam this year, I wanted to try fermenting some of that berry goodness in order to add a probiotic kick to our jam consumption. I used my regular strawberry preserve recipe but added whey and a bit of Himalayan sea salt to kick-start the fermentation process.
How to Ferment Strawberry Preserves
First, you’ll need to make the preserves. My favorite jam and jelly recipes don’t require any pectin or white sugar. However, if you’ve got a recipe that you adore, feel free to try fermenting it too!
A Fermented Strawberry Preserves Recipe
To make a quart of strawberry-honey preserves, you’ll need:
- 4 cups strawberries, greens removed and sliced if desired
- ½ cup of honey
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 small green apple, grated (to naturally add pectin to the jam)
- Simply place all ingredients in a wide-bottomed pot, and smash them up if desired.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 40-60 minutes, until the liquid is reduced and thickened.
- Let cool to room temperature.
Fermented Strawberry Preserves
Once the preserves have cooled, you can begin the fermentation process. You will need:
- 2 tablespoons of whey per quart of preserves
- ½ tsp of Himalayan sea salt per quart
- Stir the whey and sea salt into the preserves.
- Ladle the preserves into a wide-mouthed Mason jar and install a Fermentools airlock.
- Once done, leave on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days, or until there is a slight tanginess to the preserves.
- Move to cold storage.
These probiotic strawberry preserves are delicious, and the tang of fermentation is hardly detectable in the yummy fruit. In fact, I almost prefer the slight hint of salt and tang with my strawberries—it makes the flavor slightly more complex while still maintaining the sweet, sticky goodness of fresh summer jam.
This would be a great way to sneak a fermented food into a child’s diet without them ever knowing. Talk about a healthy peanut butter and jelly sandwich! You can also try fermented strawberry preserves stirred into yogurt or as an ice cream topping.
Have you ever tried fermenting your jam? Do you love it too? Let us know in the comments below!
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Summer is fruit season. If you find yourselves with an abundance of sweet summer goodness, try these other fermented fruit ideas:
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Abigail is an aspiring homesteader, homeschooler, and music-maker. She lives with her husband and three children on her acre-and a half homestead in scenic Pennsylvania. You can visit her blog about living the homegrown life (and seeking contentment while doing it) at They’re Not Our Goats.