Spicy Strawberry Balsamic Jam
Here in Illinois, we learned our stay-at-home order (the kinder, softer rebranding of SHELTER IN PLACE) will be extended to May 30. I am loathe to complain about this, seeing as we are protecting each other as much as we are going feral being trapped in our homes without much human contact.
Just as I thought I had reached the end of worthwhile shows and movies to stream (or maybe I just died a little bit from decision paralysis because there’s TOO MUCH CONTENT), we have just been given a true gift in the form of “The Last Dance,” a 10-part documentary following Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls as they careened toward both total disaster and another ring throughout 1997 and 1998.
The Bulls, they were my life. I wanted to change my name to Jordan. I wore all Bulls gear, all the time. I gave out those hilarious Michael Jordan valentines that just showed him in a blank red jersey. I had the Sports Illustrated commemorative issues, one of which featured an ancient photo of Phil Jackson in his playing days, butt naked and perched atop a teeny little stool (oh, the things it has seen!), his cartoonish limbs folded over each other like a pretzel. As a probably 8 year old, it broke my brain a little.
I am 35 years old and I still cannot unsee this photo. AND NOW NEITHER CAN YOU
So anyhoo, in a rush of pure 90s nostalgia, I tore through multiple NBA Finals games on YouTube to relive the magic. Highly recommend to pass the time and find some joy in these sports-and-joy-free days, emphasis on the high part.
(Side note: man, do I miss Craig Sager. Marv Albert? Not so much…)
In a decision that I am sure had absolutely nothing to do with the high I alluded to a moment ago, I felt rewatching Space Jam was an absolute necessity. Which then of course sparked an intense craving for jam. Specifically, my tangy, zingy strawberry balsamic jam to jazz up all this goddamn bread I’ve been stress-baking.
tl;dr: I love the Chicago Bulls. I made jam because I watched Space Jam while I was high and thought it sounded delicious.
Spicy strawberry balsamic jam is something I always like to have in my fridge in the spring and summer. It’s dynamite on a cheese board, but it’s also super delicious in a grilled cheese or on your morning toast.
The spice level can be adjusted to your taste; I start with a teaspoon here so you can get your bearings, but I usually add another pinch or two as I go to reach my preferred heat levels, which are admittedly higher than most.
Now, go fire up the Space Jam soundtrack (STILL ABSOLUTELY SLAPS MINUS THE SONG BY CHICAGO’S OWN DEPRAVED SERIAL CHILD RAPIST, WHICH WAS NEVER A GOOD SONG AND I MEAN IT) and made some jam!
Quad City DJs forever.
Spicy Strawberry Balsamic Jam
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20-30 minutes
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 cup sugar (see note)
2-3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 teaspoons good balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Make the jam: In a medium saucepan off the heat, stir together prepped strawberries with sugar, 1 teaspoon red pepper flake, and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out the juices.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a rapid boil. Taste and add more red pepper flake if you want a bit more of a kick. Simmer over low, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and the berries have mostly broken down. Remove from heat.
Add 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a healthy few turns of freshly cracked black pepper. Stir to combine and taste; adjust seasonings and vinegar to your taste.
Do the plate test: When you start cooking the jam, put a small plate in the freezer. Test the jam’s ability to gel by spooning a bit of the mixture onto the ice cold plate and putting it back in the freezer for a minute. If you can run your finger through the mixture and it leaves a well defined trail, you’ve got jam, my friends!
Store in sterilized glass mason jars in the fridge for a few weeks.
Note: You may need to add a bit more sugar depending on how ripe your berries are. I generally start with a cup, as written in this recipe. For underripe or shitty grocery store berries, you may have to go up to 1 1/2 cups. As with everything, just play around with it! This recipe also halves really nicely if you want a smaller batch.