How To Make Pumpkin Jam

Homemade Jam Recipes

Ingredients: Pumpkin Jam Recipe

4 lb / 1,800 grams of pumpkin flesh
3 lb / 1,300 grams of white sugar
34 fl oz / 1,000 ml of tap water
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger powder (freshly grated ginger can be used as an alternative)
1/2 teaspoon of ground Allspice powder
1 lemon
1 orange

Method - What To Do

The price of pumpkins tends to drop dramatically the day after Halloween, and so the 1st of November may be a good time to purchase your ingredients if you are planning to make this jam.

Chop your pumpkin flesh into small chunks (no skin or seeds) or blend into fine pieces using a food processor. Add the pieces of pumpkin to a large saucepan, together with the water, the cinnamon powder, the ginger powder and the Allspice. Add the zest of one orange and its juice to the mixture, as well as the juice of a lemon.

Bring the saucepan to boiling point and simmer until the pumpkin has softened, stirring every few minutes to ensure that the jam mixture is cooked evenly and does not catch on the bottom of the pan. This will take in the region of 30 to 40 minutes, during which time much of the liquid will evaporate, concentrating the flavours and reducing the quantity.

Remove the pan from the cooker heat and stir in all of the white sugar (granulated rather than caster sugar is best). Stir in the sugar until you are sure that it has all dissolved completely and then place the pan back on the heat once more, allowing the pumpkin jam mixture to simmer. Taste the mixture and if necessary, add more of the spices to suit your palate, and perhaps a handful or two of minced sultanas.

Simmer the pumpkin jam mixture for a further 30 minutes, possibly longer, until it has thickened to the consistency of a runny syrup. Take a small amount of the mixture and place it on a plate or container from a freezer, to cool it down quickly and therefore see if it is ready to set. If not, continue to simmer for a further five minutes and test in this way once more. When you are happy that your pumpkin jam is ready to set, it can be poured straight into your sterilised jars. These should then be immediately topped with wax discs, faced downwards so that the wax melts and completely seals the top.

Of note, pumpkin jam cannot be stored as long as other types of preserve, since it is a low acid vegetable and therefore can be prone to bacteria problems, such as botulism. However, the high amounts of sugar and lemon juice will both serve to slow down any potential bacterial growth, so don't be put off making this tasty jam. Although it will safely store for several months, if you are at all concerned, store your pumpkin jam in a fridge or freezer, and eat confidently within a few weeks.

Pumpkin Jam Recipe - More Jam Recipes.