What better way to make good use of abundant summer strawberries (or even strawberries that aren’t quite ripe or otherwise unsuitable to eat fresh) than homemade strawberry jam? While this recipe is not suitable for canning, it is extremely simple and satisfying. Homemade jam adds a homey touch to your table that your guests will certainly enjoy. 
2 lb box fresh strawberries
juice of one lemon
2 ½ cups sugar
small plate, chilled in the freezer for at least 30 minutes
*note* While it may be tempting to reduce the sugar, doing so may prevent your jam from reaching a thick consistency
Gently rinse the strawberries and carefully allow to dry completely on a clean towel.
Hull the strawberries and roughly chop. Some large chunks are ok, as they add an interesting texture to the finished jam.
Combine lemon juice and sugar in a pot and heat on medium-high heat until the sugar has melted, stirring almost constantly to prevent scorching.
Add the berries and simmer until they are almost completely mushy and dissolved, about 40 minutes depending on how large you chopped them, stirring very frequently.
Test the consistency by removing the chilled plate from the freezer, and dropping a small amount of the mixture onto the plate. If it forms a thick gel, you’ve got jam!
Allow the mixture to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.
