Ever since I started making my own jams I have been making a strawberry jam every year when the strawberries are in season. With strawberry season now in full swing it was the perfect time to make some more strawberry jam and I was also running a bit low on supplies from previous years. I like to change things up a bit each year and try something a little different. This year I was thinking that if a touch of balsamic vinegar goes well with and enhances the flavour of strawberries then a strawberry balsamic jam would be a good idea. I pretty much just took the original strawberry jam recipe and added some balsamic vinegar.
After making the jam last weekend I could not resist opening up a jar to try it. My favorite way to taste test a new jam is to have it simply on a slice of toast. The strawberry balsamic jam did not set quite as much as some of my other jams have but it set well enough and it tasted great! You cannot taste the balsamic vinegar in the jam but there is that something extra that you just can’t quite put you finger on. When I did a side by side comparison with a plain strawberry jam the strawberry balsamic jam seems brighter and the strawberry flavour seems to be stronger. I have been enjoying the strawberry balsamic preserves all week for breakfast on toast along with scrambled eggs and the still in season asparagus. Another one of my favorite ways to enjoy jams is on plain yogurt as a simple parfait. With fresh local strawberries available I have been enjoying the strawberry jam and yogurt parfait with fresh strawberries and some chopped pistachios.
Strawberry Balsamic Jam
ingredients
- 4 + 1/2 cups strawberries (cleaned, hulled, sliced and mashed)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 box Certo pectin crystals
- 7 cups sugar
directions
- Bring the strawberries, balsamic vinegar and pectin crystals to a boil with high heat in a large pot.
- Add the sugar.
- Bring to a hard boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir and skim foam for 5 minutes.
- Pour into sterilized jars.
- To sterilize the jars:
- Wash in hot soapy water.
- Keep the lids in boiling water until ready to use.
- Place jars in 225F/110C oven for 10 minutes and keep warm until ready to use.
ooh you know i'd add some nutmeg! i'm all about nutmeg with fruits! 🙂 nice work!! 🙂
one of my favorite flavor combos! so delicious!!
The Ontario strawberries are amazing right now. Did you pick your own? I made strawberry jam, following the Certo recipe too, just this past Monday! And learned the same lesson. 1st batch: didn't do a hard boil 2nd batch: hard boil & it set perfectly.
Also a trick is to put a metal spoon in the freezer, then test some jam on the cold spoon while the jam is going thru the hard boil. Once the jam on the spoon becomes room temp, you can see if it gels/firms up.
I've been having strawberries all week, in smoothies and crepes!
Strawberries with balsamic (no jam) is a wonderful dessert too.
What a great idea! I love strawberries and balsamic together.
Wow! Strawberries and balsamic vinegar. That's a new combination for me.
I've got to start making my own jams. I never really realized how simple they really are to make.
first time here, great foodie blog, btw I love strawberry, and this jam sounds sweety yummy (",)
That Strawberry Jam looks so Perfect!
Strawberries and balsamic are a perfect match!!
Great way to use the first fruits of the season .. if I could just stop eating them up I might get some jam made 🙂
Hi Kevin..we have made this and we like it very much.
Beautiful!
What a yummy twist on the classic!
Strawberry and balsamic together, such a great flavor combo 🙂
Kevin, this is can't miss. Here's something I did you might like with this same combo: http://bit.ly/ernWZ
–Marc
Lovely jam! I adore strawberries and balsamic, such a classic combination, I'd never thought of putting it in a jam!
When I was in Italy I was fresh strawberries topped off with balsamic..since then Ive been hooked. The jam sounds delicious!!Figtreeapps
Mmm, does that ever sound great! It's been so long since I've had fresh jam, and this is just the ticket. I really like, too, how you made a yogurt parfait with it. YUM!
Kevin, this look absolutely nice and tasty!! xGloria
It's so obvious, I can't believe I hadn't thought of it before! We make lots of jams at home, but never thought of this one. Will definately try the recipe!
The strawberry and balsamic combination sounds fantastic!
That last picture is sooo pretty.
Great idea! I've never seen it made into a jam but I don't know why as strawberries and balsamic are such a good idea together!
Thanks for this tasty summer recipe. And I just posted Friday's Feasts over at Momtrends. I hope you’ll stop by and link up! Here's the link:
http://momtrends.blogspot.com/2009/06/friday-feasts-lobster-salad.html
Thanks for this tasty summer recipe. And I just posted Friday's Feasts over at Momtrends. I hope you’ll stop by and link up! Here's the link:
http://momtrends.blogspot.com/2009/06/friday-feasts-lobster-salad.html
Yum! I love balsamic and love it on spinach salad with strawberries, so I'll bet the jam is yummy!
I just made some Strawberry Balsamic Jam last week and its my favorite way to make Strawberry Jam now. Yours looks amazing!
Great idea Kevin! After I tried your roasted strawberry salad, I'll follow your lead on anything!
I'm so impressed you made your own jam – it looks delicious!
My mom always makes homemade strawberry jam – something I never caught on to. Yours looks delicious – especially in the parfait!
I abso-freakin-lutely LOVE your blog!! I swear I cook something inspired by this blog almost every week!
I found strawberries on sale at my local grocery store this weekend and made strawberry-fig jam, but now I'm going to use the leftovers to make this!!!
I've been making tons of strawberry jam these past few days too. This version sounds delicious. I like strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar and I'm sure I will like the taste of this jam.
I love the idea of adding balsamic to strawberry jam! And that parfait – wow!! Gorgeous.
Homemade strawberry jam is the best! My husband's favorite, and mine too. I really love the idea of adding balsamic vinegar!!
What a great twist on a standard jam! Hopefully I'll be going strawberry picking soon, and if I can get enough extra, I'll try this recipe. 🙂
It's strawberry season here now and I can't wait to try this, Kevin!
Fresh strawberries and balsamic are fantastic so why not jam? Great idea!
Ooh what a great flavor pairing, I just sampled strawberry-balsamic ice cream the other day, it was divine!
I made two jams last year–pineapple jam and strawberry balsamic black pepper jam. The freshly ground pepper gave it a surprisingly nice kick. (It was a jam, however, that didn't call for gelatin–which I suppose makes it more like preserves? Maybe sometime you could explain the differences of jams/jellies/preserves/marmalade? I know the diff. between jam & jelly, but the rest I'm not so sure, and I can't be the only one.)
to sterilize this in easier way, you can just turn over hot, filled and switched jars on the top and let them stay in that position for about 2 hours. Than, the only thing you need is to put the "bottom" on the cap of jars and that`s all 🙂 I always do that 🙂