Rinse, de-stem, and roughly chop strawberries. Place chopped strawberries in a food processor or blender and purée.
Transfer the puréed strawberries to a medium saucepan and add sugar and lemon juice.
Cook over medium heat, whisking regularly, and simmer about 10 minutes until reduced by half.
Use a spatula to press the strawberry mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl or saucepan and cool to room temperature.
When the strawberry mixture is cool, add it into a clean saucepan (I used the same saucepan, but washed it while the strawberry mixture cools.)
Add the eggs and egg yolks to the mixture, whisking to combine.
Cook over medium-low to medium heat for 6-8 minutes, whisking constantly until curd thickens.
Remove from heat and whisk in the pieces of butter.
Transfer the hot strawberry curd to sterile canning jars or a heat-proof bowl. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd to prevent it from forming a skin while cooling.
Cool curd to room temperature and then chill for at least an hour or two before using. The plastic wrap can be removed once the curd has cooled.
Notes
Storage:Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.Notes:The color of your strawberry curd is going to reflect the color of your strawberries - for the deepest curd, use ripe off the vine strawberries when you can find them!Taste the strawberry mixture after the initial cook time (i.e., before straining and adding the eggs) for sweetness. If your strawberries are not as ripe, you may want to add in more sugar.You can also cook down your strawberries with lemon juice and sugar without puréeing them. Use an immersion blender or transfer the cooked mixture to a blender to break down any pieces that are still there after cooking.Since we’re heating the eggs and cooking the strawberry mixture at room temperature, the eggs will not curdle or scramble. Do not add the eggs to the strawberry mixture while it’s still hot. Passing the strawberry mixture through a sieve will help cool down the mixture quite a bit.Between the heat and whisking, the curd gets foamy while cooking. As the curd begins to thicken, the foam settles down and then the addition of the butter eliminates the foam after cooking.The curd is so creamy and rich - it’s a little like spreading a sweet cream jam onto your toast.