Balsamic Strawberry Jam

I’ve always been a fan of weird food combos, as evidenced by this post where I basically grossed most everyone out, apparently. So, while others may have an opposite reaction, when I first read about a no-pectin strawberry jam made with balsamic vinegar, my first thought was “YUM!”

The recipe comes from Savory Sweet Life (and a million other variations floating around the net), but is simple enough to re-post here.

Boil the following in a pot or saucepan for 20-30 minutes:

2 cups Strawberries, chopped
1 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

We all know freshest is bestest, but since it’s winter I couldn’t justify spending all that money on strawberries that are more white than red. So, I went the cheap route and just bought frozen strawberries.

After about 20 minutes, the mixture will start to look gooey, like the consistency of honey. It won’t ever completely congeal on the stove top because it’s still scorching hot, but if you let it cool in a jar, then put it in the fridge, it will turn into a jammier consistency.

I know it sounds weird, but the balsamic vinegar really isn’t present in the final product. Instead, it acts as a flavor enhancer, giving you a more complex tasting strawberry jam than the junk you buy at a supermarket. Jam for sophisticated folks, I suppose you could say.

We’ve been pairing it with a gluten-free version of Savory Sweet Life’s cream scones, and we are amazed by how good they are. Both the jam and the scones.