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Old fashioned strawberry preserves are made the traditional way—with whole berries, plenty of sugar, and no added pectin. After an overnight maceration, the berries are gently simmered into a thick, ruby-red syrup that’s perfect for spooning over yogurt, ice cream, or shortcake. It’s a rich, nostalgic preserve that celebrates strawberries in all their glory.
This heirloom recipe for strawberry preserves are a nod to the time before modern canning, when the only way to keep fruit shelf-stable was to add a generous amount of sugar. This classic preserve doesn’t rely on added pectin or mashed fruit—instead, whole strawberries are gently cooked in a thick, ruby-red syrup that’s perfect for spooning over pancakes, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
Yes, it’s sweet—very sweet. But that’s by design. This recipe was originally developed to be stored in a cool cellar or basement without modern sealing methods. These days, we finish the preserves with a water bath canner to make them shelf-stable for pantry storage, but the rich flavor and texture of the original recipe remain untouched.
If you’re looking for something with a “modern” amount of sugar, but still old fashioned flavor without added pectin, try my recipe for Strawberry Jam without Pectin. And if you’re hoping for a low sugar option, this recipe for Low Sugar Strawberry Jam is a good choice.
But, if you’re here for classic full sugar preserves, you’ve come to the right place!
The Importance of Maceration
The most crucial step in this recipe is the overnight maceration. You’ll alternate layers of sugar and whole strawberries, then give the mixture time to rest. This draws out liquid from the fruit to create a natural syrup—but just as importantly, the sugar begins to firm up the strawberries so they won’t disintegrate during cooking.
It’s going to look like too much sugar at first (don’t panic), but with time and an occasional stir or gentle shake, it will all dissolve.
I usually layer the fruit and sugar into a half-gallon mason jar. It’s the perfect size for this recipe, and the lid keeps everything tidy while it sits.
You can macerate the fruit on the counter for up to 12 hours, but if you’re going longer, move it to the fridge to prevent fermentation. (If you’ve ever made strawberry wine, you know how quickly things can start to bubble!)
Ingredients for Strawberry Preserves
- 6 cups prepared strawberries (about 2 quarts of fresh fruit)
- 4½ cups granulated sugar
This recipe makes about 4 half-pint jars of strawberry preserves.
The fruit lets out a lot of juice, and you can either choose to can each jar half full of fruit and the rest with syrup, or use a slotted spoon and put most the fruit in 2 of your half pint jars, leaving the other two as a rich syrup. Either way, it’s fine for canning.
How to Make Old Fashioned Strawberry Preserves
Start by selecting large, firm, and tart strawberries. Wash the berries thoroughly, drain them, and remove the green tops. Don’t chop or crush the fruit—the goal is to preserve the berries whole.
In a large bowl or a half-gallon mason jar, layer the strawberries and sugar, alternating between the two until everything is used up. Let the mixture stand for 8 to 10 hours, or overnight, in a cool spot. If it’s hot in your kitchen, go ahead and place the jar in the fridge to keep it fresh. During this time, the sugar will draw out the juice and dissolve into a syrup. Give it a gentle shake or stir now and then to help it along.
When you’re ready to can, prepare your boiling water bath canner, jars, lids, and rings. Be sure the jars are sterile and hot.
Pour the strawberries and syrup into a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches 8°F above the boiling point of water at your elevation (usually around 220°F at sea level), or until the syrup thickens to your liking—this usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. Stir gently as needed to keep the fruit from sticking or breaking apart. Skim off any foam once the cooking is complete.
(The boiling point of water drops by 1 degree F for ever 500 feet of elevation, so at 1,000 feet in elevation this preserve will finish at around 218 F, and even lower at higher elevations.)
Ladle the hot preserves into hot, sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth, apply two-piece canning lids, and process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet elevation). Let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them to cool on a towel-lined counter.
Strawberry Preserves
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups prepared strawberries, about 2 quarts fresh
- 4½ cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries, keeping them whole but removing the tops and green bits.
- In a bowl or half-gallon mason jar, layer strawberries and sugar. Let stand 8–10 hours (or overnight) to macerate.
- Prepare canner, jars, and lids. Sterilize everything before filling.
- Pour the strawberry-sugar mixture into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cook until the syrup thickens or reaches 220°F at sea level (adjust for altitude, see notes).
- Skim foam, if needed. Ladle hot preserves into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes above 6,000 feet).
- Let jars rest 5 minutes in the canner before removing to cool. Check seals after 24 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
