Step 1

Mash the strawberries. Place the strawberries in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until desired consistency.

Step 2

Add lemon juice and sugar to the strawberries. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is quite liquid.

Step 3

Whisk the instant pectin into the strawberry mixture. Sprinkle the powdered instant pectin over the strawberry mixture and whisk to combine. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. At first it will only thicken to about the consistency of egg whites, but remember that the jam will continue to gel as it sits.

Step 4

Divide the jam between the jars and let set at room temperature for 12 hours. Divide the mixture between 6 (8-ounce) jars, leaving at least 1/4 inch of room at the top of each. Tightly seal the jars and leave at cool room temperature out of direct sunlight for 12 hours. Once the jam is set to its jammy consistency, move the sealed jars to the refrigerator or freezer for long-term storage.

Step 5

Thawing and using the strawberry freezer jam. Remember that frozen jam should thaw in the refrigerator overnight and will need to be used within 1 week of thawing, so it's best to thaw one jar at a time.