Is this jam suitable for canning?

No - this jam has not been pH-tested for safe home canning. If you'd like to save this jam for later, we recommend freezing it!

How do I make a smoother jam (without seeds)?

To remove as much texture (and as many seeds) as possible, run this jam through the finest blade of a food mill ! A good food mill will remove most of the seeds and chunks, leaving you with a seedless strawberry jam that's more similar to a jelly in consistency.

Can I make this jam on the stovetop?

Yes! Just combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes until strawberries are very soft. Turn off the heat, remove the basil, and let cool at least 15 minutes before blending with an immersion blender. Return saucepan to the stove over low heat and let the jam thicken until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Do I have to use an immersion blender?

We prefer using an immersion blender to smooth out this jam, but you could also give the strawberries a light mash with a potato masher OR pulse cooled jam a few times in a blender or food processor to work through any chunks. You can also leave the jam chunky if you prefer!

Can I use dried basil instead of fresh basil?

Dried basil can make this jam a little bit too earthy and intense, so we recommend sticking to fresh basil here. Fresh basil lends a very delicate flavor to this strawberry jam that doesn't quite translate when you make it with dried herbs. If you don't have fresh basil, you can use a few sprigs of fresh thyme or just leave the herbs out entirely!

Can I make this jam in the Instant Pot?

We have not tested this recipe in an Instant Pot. Because pressure cookers typically require a fair amount of liquid to properly come to pressure, this recipe would likely not be a great candidate for Instant Pot cooking. We recommend making this recipe in a slow cooker as written, or making it in a saucepan on the stovetop!

How much jam does this recipe make?

This is a fairly small batch strawberry jam recipe: It yields about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of jam. Want a bigger batch? You can easily double or triple the recipe using the handy 2x and 3x buttons in the recipe card below!

Slow Cooker Strawberry Jam with Basil

Name: Slow Cooker Strawberry Basil Jam
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut into halves; 1 Tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 cup fresh basil leaves (use whole leaves - no need to chop!); Pinch of kosher salt

Description

This easy strawberry jam is made entirely in a crock pot! A handful of fresh basil adds some depth of flavor to this sweet spread.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound fresh strawberries, stems removed and cut into halves
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh basil leaves (use whole leaves - no need to chop!)
Pinch of kosher salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook the Berries (6 hours)

Stir strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, basil, and a pinch of salt together in the bowl of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until berries are soft.
Turn off the heat and let berries cool for 10-15 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to remove basil leaves from the slow cooker; compost or discard the leaves.

Blend for a Smoother Consistency (5 minutes)

Pulse the strawberry mixture a few times with an immersion blender to break the berries up into a smoother jam. Note: Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you may need to tilt it to one side in order to fully submerge the head of the immersion blender in the mixture to avoid splattering. Always use caution when blending warm liquids.

Thicken the Jam (1-3 hours)

Turn the heat back to low and cook jam, uncovered, for another 1-3 hours, until jam has darkened and thickened slightly. Don't worry if it still looks a little bit loose or runny: The jam will continue to thicken as it cools!
Serve jam hot or let it cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for 6 months.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Use different berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) here if you like. Add 2 Tablespoons bourbon, whiskey, or rum for an extra punch of flavor. Use thyme instead of basil, or omit the herbs for a plain strawberry jam. Use maple syrup or honey in place of sugar if you like (you may just need to cook the jam uncovered a little longer so it thickens properly). Use frozen strawberries in place of fresh berries if you like (you may need to let the jam cook longer uncovered to thicken properly).

Storing and Freezing. Let jam cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container (we like using small mason jars). Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost frozen jam in the fridge overnight. This recipe has NOT been pH-tested for safe home canning: If you would like to store jam for an extended period of time, we recommend freezing it.

What size slow cooker should I use? This jam works best in smaller slow cookers (2-5 quarts). We used a 5-quart Crock Pot in these photos. If you have a larger slow cooker, we recommend doubling the recipe (the berries will cook more evenly, and the jam will be easier to blend).