Quince Jam
Quince jam is a luscious, fragrant spread that captures the essence of autumn in every jar. This golden-hued delight that turns a rich rosy color boasts a unique flavor profile, balancing sweetness and tartness, making it a perfect companion for toast, cheese, or as a filling for pastries.
Equipment
- 7 pint jars
- 1 water bath canner
- canning supplies (ladle, tongs, and funnel)
- 1 thick-bottomed pan
- 1 crockpot (optional)
Ingredients
- 10-15 whole quince fruit.
- 8 cups water.
- 1 cup lemon juice.
- 8 cups sugar.
- 1 tbsp cinnamon.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Instructions
Preparing the Quince
- Slice up each fruit, cutting away the bad parts, cores, and seeds.
- Grate each slice with a food grater or place all slices in food processor.
Cooking the Quince
- Place the shredded quince fruit in a thick-bottomed pan or crockpot.
- Add the water, lemon juice, and sugar and stir until well combined. Add in your optional spices.
The Gel Test
- Cook until the quince jam has a nice gel set. To test this, add a small amount of jam to a plate and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Tip the plate slightly to test if the jam sits nicely in a thick goop or runs down the plate. If it runs down the plate, continue the cooking process until it sits on the tipped plate in a goopy form without running down.
Warming Up Your Batch of Jars
- When your quince jam is almost done, heat up your water bath canner with five pint jars without lids placed inside.
Filling Up the Jars with Quince Jam
- Using your canning funnel and ladle, fill each jar with quince jam leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean and place a lid and screw them on until finger tight.
Adding the Jars to the Canner
- Carefully add each jar to the water bath canner using the canning tongs.
- Be sure to leave one inch of water above the jars while canning. The water will rise each time a jar is placed. Sometimes I have had to take cupsful out of the canner once my whole batch was in there as it was too much water.
- Water bath your quince jam according to your elevation. For me, it takes approximately thirty minutes at a rolling boil.
TIP!
- If you use an aluminum canner as I do or have hard water, you may find the water makes it rusty or cloudy, which is very unpleasant. Add a few tablespoons of white vinegar or cream of tarter to the water bath canner and it will help clear the water perfectly.
Removing the Jars From the Canner
- Once the canning time is up, remove each jar carefully from the water bath canner and place them on a towel on the counter where they will be undisturbed for the next twenty-four hours.
- It is necessary to place them on a towel rather than on the cold counter to prevent the hot jars from shattering.
- You can label the jars however you want to by using labeling stickers or just a marker.