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Bite Of Minnesota: Strawberry Jam

Strawberries are here! I get so excited for pick-your-own season and strawberries kick it off. We trekked down to Lorence's Berry Farm in Northfield on Saturday to join the crowds. I've always been impressed by their fields and friendly workers; it's a family farm I enjoy supporting. Plus, we were lucky to get a few pounds of asparagus as asparagus season is just wrapping up.

Before you go picking, be sure to call the farm and make sure the conditions are right. These high temperatures and heavy rain have a tendency to mess with expectations and ultimately, the strawberry flavor itself. This was the first year in a long time where we had to pass on overripe berries to find those that were "just right", a challenging task in the blazing sun. Although we picked less berries overall, we still had plenty of strawberry projects to work on. Our strawberries were frozen, dehydrated, roasted, pureed, and made into jam, ice cream, and fruit leather. If you're looking for a heavenly yogurt or ice cream topping, check out this recipe for honey roasted strawberries and rhubarb.

Now, I've gone into full-on canning mode during berry season before but this time I wanted to keep it simple by making a refrigerator jam that will last just a week or two. You only need 4 ingredients to make this one work: strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. You can do that, right?

First, hull the strawberries. Next, mash some of the berries, add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla, and bring to a boil. Finally, boil until reduced and thick before cooling and jarring. The recipe below yields just under 2 cups of jam and will be eaten in no time! If you want to spice it up a bit, add a drizzle of balsamic, a stick of cinnamon, a few slices of ginger, or some citrus zest.

Strawberry Refrigerator Jam
(makes 1 ½ cups)
4 cups strawberries, hulled
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1 ½ tsp vanilla

In a large saucepan, lightly mash some of the strawberries while leaving some pieces intact. Add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla and bring to a boil over medium, medium-low heat, stirring often. You want the mixture to bubble but not scorch.

Continue to boil rapidly, increasing the heat as needed, and stirring often for 15-20 minutes until the mixture reduces and becomes thick. Turn off heat and let jam cool slightly. It will thicken while it cools. Transfer to clean jars and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

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