pure strawberry preserves pure strawberry preservesFor years we’ve been buying preserves from a vendor called Harry’s Berries at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market. Harry’s sells the most incredible strawberries I’ve ever tasted, but my husband thinks that there’s too much sugar in their preserves. As a means of comparison I sampled several different brands of strawberry jam and preserves from our local grocery, and I thought that they, too, all had a really sugary aftertaste.
The preserves I love are the ones that taste like pure strawberries with a bare hint of added sweetness, so I came up with my own recipe, substituting honey for sugar. The real trick, though, is using the best strawberries you can find. As with most recipes, the quality of your ingredients is everything. Whether you spread them on a rice cake with a little cream cheese, place a dollop on top of plain yogurt, or spoon them on oatmeal or pancakes, these vitamin C–packed chunky preserves are pure heaven in every bite.
2 pints strawberries (about 5 cups), stemmed and halved
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup agave nectar or honey (optional, depending on the sweetness of the berries)
1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low to medium heat.
2. Cook, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated (you want the preserves to have little chunks of strawberries).
3. Cool and serve on top of plain yogurt or spread on toast.
TIP: Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (although I’ve kept mine up to 3 weeks).
VALERIE: I made it at least once a month last summer and my daughter loves it with peanut butter, cream cheese, mixed into yogurt, or just on toast. Love giving her (and this summer her little brother) such a fresh and yummy treat!
CRISTY: We have always loved making the Pure Strawberry Preserves! It’s challenging to find preserves that don’t have a ton of sugar without sacrificing taste, but this recipe is wonderful!
