Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam

It is strawberry season here right now and I have been buying strawberries every week for the last month and a half. I've been eating them on their own, with skyr, dipped in chocolate, mixed in a fruit salad with watermelon and mint, in a peach crisp, and this week, I came across an amazing deal for strawberries. With three 500g cartons of strawberries at home, I decided to make some jam. The recipe I used for this Strawberry Vanilla Bean jam comes from Completely Delicious and it tastes amazing! The vanilla really comes through and although the addition of balsamic vinegar may seem a little strange, it helps offset the sweetness of the jam a little.

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam (from Completely Delicious)
Recipe says that this can make 6 cups of jam, but I only got about 4.

2 pounds (900 grams) strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups sugar (I used raw sugar)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan. Use a large fork or potato masher to break the strawberries into smaller chunks. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat and stir frequently. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, this will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Skim foam off of the top, remove vanilla bean, and pour into containers for storage.

If you are canning the jam, don't forget to sterilize the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Canned jam can be stored for up to a year at room temperature, jam stored in the freezer can keep for several months, and jam kept in the fridge will keep for several weeks.

Now that I know how easy it is to make jam, it is hard to go back to the store bought stuff. I am tempted to buy some more strawberries this week to increase our stock but I think I will just enjoy and finish what we have first!