Weird and strange and unique (strawberry) jams
March 25, 2022 4:16 PM Subscribe
I'm interested in making some jams that I wouldn't see at the supermarket. I'm particularly interested in strawberry as a base, but other ideas are welcome too. As an example, I just made this red chile strawberry jam. What unique jams recipes should I try?
Strawberry rose jam
Strawberry champagne jam
Strawberry mango jam
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 4:38 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Strawberry champagne jam
Strawberry mango jam
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 4:38 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I can vouch for all of these personally:
Strawberry-balsamic-black pepper
Rhubarb-jalapeno (probably also strawberry-jalapeno)
Pineapple-strawberry
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:49 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Strawberry-balsamic-black pepper
Rhubarb-jalapeno (probably also strawberry-jalapeno)
Pineapple-strawberry
posted by blnkfrnk at 4:49 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Cardamom
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 5:04 PM on March 25, 2022
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 5:04 PM on March 25, 2022
basil
posted by answergrape at 6:03 PM on March 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by answergrape at 6:03 PM on March 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Strawberry Bay Leaf is a knockout, Strawberry Black pepper good too.
The Plum Noir jam from Food in Jars (sorry, no links!)
Dark berries (blackberry, mulberry) are great with clove.
The Flavour Thesaurus is great for this kind of thing, and I love the Food in Jars cookbook/blog and Tart and Sweet cookbook.
Basically it's an acid /spice / herb / fruit matching game.
So like apricot goes great with thyme, tropical fruits tell me ginger and lemongrass, etc.
posted by athirstforsalt at 6:42 PM on March 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Plum Noir jam from Food in Jars (sorry, no links!)
Dark berries (blackberry, mulberry) are great with clove.
The Flavour Thesaurus is great for this kind of thing, and I love the Food in Jars cookbook/blog and Tart and Sweet cookbook.
Basically it's an acid /spice / herb / fruit matching game.
So like apricot goes great with thyme, tropical fruits tell me ginger and lemongrass, etc.
posted by athirstforsalt at 6:42 PM on March 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Strawberry rosemary jam I had recently was phenomenal.
posted by Yavsy at 6:54 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Yavsy at 6:54 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some favourites I've made:
Nectarine and rose petal
Banana and cardamom
+1 rose jam generally
posted by Trivia Newton John at 6:57 PM on March 25, 2022
Nectarine and rose petal
Banana and cardamom
+1 rose jam generally
posted by Trivia Newton John at 6:57 PM on March 25, 2022
There is a strawberry/guava juice that I run into occasionally that is just the right balance and divine, so a possible combination but no idea about proportions.
posted by sammyo at 7:16 PM on March 25, 2022
posted by sammyo at 7:16 PM on March 25, 2022
Kumquat jam has a unique flavor because the sweetness of the fruit is in the peel, I imagine, and I’ve always thought strawberries had an unaccountable sweetness too.
And because there’s such a high ratio of peel in kumquat the jam is also pretty thick, which means you wouldn’t have to add pectin with the strawberries to get it to set up nicely.
posted by jamjam at 8:19 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
And because there’s such a high ratio of peel in kumquat the jam is also pretty thick, which means you wouldn’t have to add pectin with the strawberries to get it to set up nicely.
posted by jamjam at 8:19 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Strawberry and gooseberry (a staple growing up because gooseberry has pectin and makes it set)
Marrow ginger (yes, really)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:35 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Marrow ginger (yes, really)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:35 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Not strawberry, but this is delicious and super unique! Kumquat pineapple marmalade I don’t have a recipe, but I have had strawberry basil jam that was yummy.
posted by gryphonlover at 9:39 PM on March 25, 2022
posted by gryphonlover at 9:39 PM on March 25, 2022
Seconding strawberry rhubarb. My Mom used to make it, but I doubt she used an actual recipe. She’d also make mixed berry jams from whatever was left over at the end of jam-making season, and I have a particularly fond memory of one that was mostly strawberries and currants.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:40 PM on March 25, 2022
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:40 PM on March 25, 2022
Strawberry rosemary jam tastes like the height of summer and makes awesome combos with savory tidbits of cheese and meats.
Strawberry rose jelly is something I had a long time ago at a fancy tea and it was pretty ethereal.
For non-strawberry ideas, I think focusing on minor fruits that grow in your area would be fun. If you are in NYC like your profile says then you could find things like pawpaws, elderberries, beach plums, and more.
posted by Mizu at 10:10 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Strawberry rose jelly is something I had a long time ago at a fancy tea and it was pretty ethereal.
For non-strawberry ideas, I think focusing on minor fruits that grow in your area would be fun. If you are in NYC like your profile says then you could find things like pawpaws, elderberries, beach plums, and more.
posted by Mizu at 10:10 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
a friend gave me a jar of homemade cherry chocolate jam and it was amazing. why isn't chocolate in more jam? it would also be amazing with strawberry or raspberry
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:38 AM on March 26, 2022
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:38 AM on March 26, 2022
The best strawberry jam I have ever made comes from an older Danish cookbook. Take a basic strawberry jam recipe and add star anise and a tablespoon or two of Pernod. The anise is unbelievably good here--- really makes the strawberries taste even more of themselves.
posted by MeadowlarkMaude at 2:06 AM on March 26, 2022
posted by MeadowlarkMaude at 2:06 AM on March 26, 2022
I had a tomato vanilla jam at an event last summer that I am still thinking about. It was served with scones. It is currently on my list of recipes to play around with.
posted by August Fury at 6:32 AM on March 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by August Fury at 6:32 AM on March 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've made a strawberry vanilla jam that is my absolute favorite jam ever - two whole vanilla beans and some high quality vanilla paste in a big batch of strawberry jam. So yummy.
posted by carlypennylane at 7:16 AM on March 26, 2022
posted by carlypennylane at 7:16 AM on March 26, 2022
* fetches canning cookbooks from shelf *
Okay. I'll be giving quantities and a couple technique tips here, rather than just the flavors. I'm assuming you know basic jam-making techniques and will take that as read. These are all from the book Canning For A New Generation.
Strawberry ones first:
* Strawberry and lemon preserves - 2 lemons, 3 pounds hulled strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar. Quarter the lemons, remove the seeds, and slice each quarter into slices. Layer the lemons and strawberries and sugar in a big bowl, refrigerate overnight, and then follow the standard procedure for strawberry preserves (not strawberry jam; and yes, there is a difference).
* Strawberry and lavender jam: 3 pounds strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, 1-1/2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms. Makes 4 half-pint jars.
* Strawberry jam with Thai herbs: 3 pounds strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon minced Thai basil, 1 Tablespoon minced fresh mint.
* No exact quantities for this - there's also a recipe for a Chamomile strawberry syrup, where you start the same way as you would make strawberry jam, but then you strain the pulp out, and re-boil the juice with a couple of chammomile tea bags and sugar. I'm sure you could just add a chamomile tea bag or two when you're making the jam, and then fish the tea bags out when you're doling the jam into the jars.
Now for the non-strawberry:
* Apricot and vanilla bean preserves. 3 pounds apricots, 1/2 cup rose wine or 3 T lemon juice, 1-1/2 cups sugar, and 2 vanilla beans. Note that this is preserves instead of jam.
* Peach jam with lemon thyme and almonds. You need 12 ounces Granny Smith apples for this, along with 4 pounds peaches, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme leaves, and 1/2 cup slivered almonds.
* Pineapple jam with Chinese five-spice: one 5-pound pineapple, 2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder. The pineapple should be washed, with peel and eyes removed, quartered, and cored; start by cutting the quarters lengthwise into 4 strips and then slicing; puree half of it in a food processor before dumping into the pot with the other pineapple and the other ingredients to start making the jam.
* Pineapple and peach jam with mint: a 3-1/2 pound pineapple with peel and eyes removed (like the one above), 1-1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced; 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, and 1 T minced fresh mint. For this you're just slicing the pineapple like above, but you don't need to puree anything before making jam out of it.
....I'm going to abandon the quantities at this stage and say "just go get the cookbook" -
* Raspberry jam with mint and lavender.
* Meyer lemon and rose petal marmalade.
* plum and cardamom preserves.
* Lime, tarragon, and mint jelly.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:22 AM on March 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Okay. I'll be giving quantities and a couple technique tips here, rather than just the flavors. I'm assuming you know basic jam-making techniques and will take that as read. These are all from the book Canning For A New Generation.
Strawberry ones first:
* Strawberry and lemon preserves - 2 lemons, 3 pounds hulled strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar. Quarter the lemons, remove the seeds, and slice each quarter into slices. Layer the lemons and strawberries and sugar in a big bowl, refrigerate overnight, and then follow the standard procedure for strawberry preserves (not strawberry jam; and yes, there is a difference).
* Strawberry and lavender jam: 3 pounds strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, 1-1/2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms. Makes 4 half-pint jars.
* Strawberry jam with Thai herbs: 3 pounds strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon minced Thai basil, 1 Tablespoon minced fresh mint.
* No exact quantities for this - there's also a recipe for a Chamomile strawberry syrup, where you start the same way as you would make strawberry jam, but then you strain the pulp out, and re-boil the juice with a couple of chammomile tea bags and sugar. I'm sure you could just add a chamomile tea bag or two when you're making the jam, and then fish the tea bags out when you're doling the jam into the jars.
Now for the non-strawberry:
* Apricot and vanilla bean preserves. 3 pounds apricots, 1/2 cup rose wine or 3 T lemon juice, 1-1/2 cups sugar, and 2 vanilla beans. Note that this is preserves instead of jam.
* Peach jam with lemon thyme and almonds. You need 12 ounces Granny Smith apples for this, along with 4 pounds peaches, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme leaves, and 1/2 cup slivered almonds.
* Pineapple jam with Chinese five-spice: one 5-pound pineapple, 2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder. The pineapple should be washed, with peel and eyes removed, quartered, and cored; start by cutting the quarters lengthwise into 4 strips and then slicing; puree half of it in a food processor before dumping into the pot with the other pineapple and the other ingredients to start making the jam.
* Pineapple and peach jam with mint: a 3-1/2 pound pineapple with peel and eyes removed (like the one above), 1-1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced; 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 T lemon juice, and 1 T minced fresh mint. For this you're just slicing the pineapple like above, but you don't need to puree anything before making jam out of it.
....I'm going to abandon the quantities at this stage and say "just go get the cookbook" -
* Raspberry jam with mint and lavender.
* Meyer lemon and rose petal marmalade.
* plum and cardamom preserves.
* Lime, tarragon, and mint jelly.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:22 AM on March 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: For anyone who comes across this thread, this question from 2011 (Pump up the jams) also has some good answers.
posted by andoatnp at 7:56 PM on March 26, 2022
posted by andoatnp at 7:56 PM on March 26, 2022
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Rhubarb and ginger
posted by kinddieserzeit at 4:32 PM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]