I got some gorgeous and delicious organic strawberries from Trader Joe's, and managed to mow through about 1/2 of them- I had about a 3 cups left, and they were starting to get mushy around the edges and dull looking. I didn't want to throw them out. Light bulb moment- refrigerator jam.
No need to can anything, or do anything too extensive, plus I only had enough for about a jar after cooking.
I washed and hulled my berries, threw them in a pan with about 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (these were rather sweet berries in the first place), and about half a lemon's worth of juice. I love the compliment that lemon juice gives berries. I've yet to find a berry that isn't complimented by lemon. I turned it on medium, and cooked it down until thick and the berries were broken down. If desired, mash them a bit with a potato masher or a fork. Take a taste half way through the cooking process to make sure it's sweet enough for your tastes.
Put in a clean jar, let cool, put the lid on and in the fridge it goes. Should be good for a few weeks. It won't be as firm as regular jam because there is not any added pectin. Blueberries may get a little more congealed, as they do contain compounds that make them solidify more when cooked or blended.
Excellent on toast, french toast, pancakes, waffles, scones, biscuits, vanilla ice cream, you name it.
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