Personally, I kind of think it's almost better to freeze berries and make up a fresh batch of jam in the winter rather than having it sit in jars for those 6 extra months. To me it tastes better that way.

If time is short, you can just stem and rinse the berries.
Freeze on cookie sheets and dump into a ziploc bag.
When you're ready to make jam, thaw and proceed as usual.
Use all of the juice and pulp as that is what would have been present if made from fresh berries.

I do this alot since it's much more pleasant to stand over a hot pot of jam in December or January than June/July!!

You also have more flexibility if you get a whim to make something else from those berries!

Deanna

Thanks to all who've contributed to this conversation. I just grabbed a bunch of strawberries at a great price, but won't have time to can them before they turn. Since I have good freezing instructions, I'm going back for more!

If I am going to freeze my strawberries to make jam at a later date, do I crush them as if I was going to make the jam now and freeze them in the amount per recipe?

You can if you wish but if you do they will have more water in them. As Deanna said above, "you can just stem and rinse the berries. Freeze on cookie sheets and dump into a ziploc bag. When you're ready to make jam, thaw and proceed as usual. Use all of the juice and pulp as that is what would have been present if made from fresh berries."

In other words frozen whole berries, before thawing, will measure out the same as fresh whole berries will.

Dave

I froze strawberries to make jam ,unthawed them ,made my strawberry jam as usually but it doesn't seem to be setting up what do i do ?

To keep your berries from turning "fuzzy" after a couple days, fill your sink about half way with water and add half cup vinegar. Just dip the berries basket and all, one basket at a time, allow to drain. Don't bother to rinse as that will not do any good. There is no change in taste. Bugs don't seem to like that either.