Description
A quick and easy strawberry jam made using the Crockpot Express, combining fresh strawberries, sugar, and orange juice, cooked under pressure and thickened with cornstarch for a delicious homemade spread.
Ingredients
Jam Base
- 1 pound strawberries (4-5 cups), quartered
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice (juice of one whole orange, squeezed)
- 1/4 cup water
Thickening Agent
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- Cold water (for mixing with cornstarch, about 2-3 tbsp)
Instructions
- Prepare Strawberries and Sugar: Mix the quartered strawberries and sugar together in the inner pot of the Crockpot Express. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes so the berries release their juices. If there is not much liquid after 30 minutes, stir and let sit for an additional 15 minutes.
- Add Orange Juice: Stir to combine the berries and the juice. Add the freshly squeezed orange juice and mix well.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid of the Crockpot Express, lock it, and set the steam release valve to closed. If your model has a manual button, set it on high pressure for 1 minute. If not, press the Steam button, set it for 3 minutes, and press Start/Stop. After one minute of cooking (when the display shows “2”), press Start/Stop again to cancel the remaining cook time.
- Release Pressure and Mash: Allow the pressure to release naturally, which will take about 15 minutes. Once safe to open, remove the lid and use a potato masher to mash the strawberries to your preferred consistency, leaving some larger chunks if desired.
- Simmer Jam: Press the Brown/Sauté function and then Start/Stop to bring the jam to a simmer.
- Thicken Jam: In a small jar, mix the cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering jam while stirring continuously. Allow it to simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat by pressing Start/Stop and carefully remove the inner pot to cool the jam.
- Store Jam: Pour the cooled jam into jars and refrigerate for storage.
Notes
- Letting the strawberries and sugar sit helps to naturally extract juice and enhances flavor.
- Natural pressure release is important to prevent splattering and ensure proper thickening.
- Mashing the berries to your preferred chunkiness lets you customize the texture of the jam.
- Simmering after pressure cooking activates the thickening with cornstarch without overcooking the fruit.
- Refrigerate the jam and consume within 2-3 weeks for best quality.