How To Make Gorgeous Pineapple Jam

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Pineapple Jam Is Easy To Make

I have to admit I did not plan on making pineapple jam last week. At all. For quite a while now, I've been intrigued with making Jezebel sauce, and on Thursday, I decided it was time. There was just one problem.

The original old Southern recipe calls for pineapple jam or preserves, and none was available in town. Zero. I did not want to wait over the weekend to get some online, so I made some. I'm so glad I did; it is amazing!

If you've been following me for even five minutes, you know I am always in a hurry, even when I don't want to be. But I did not want to go pick out a fresh pineapple this time. I wanted speed. I didn't even want to take the time to mess with an entire fresh pineapple. At all.

I make other jams and jellies using frozen fruit, and my research proved I could do it with pineapple, too! Yay! So, I did an express grocery order for the first time ever. (I had a free one to use in December, or I might have dragged myself to town.)

I know; I'm way behind! But magically, in under an hour, a smiling man was delivering everything I needed (and quite a bit more) so I could get on with my plan! I could get very used to this!

How To Make Pineapple Jam

Pineapple jam and pineapple preserves are similar but not the same. The main difference is the texture; jam has small chunks of fruit, and it's up to you to decide how chunky or smooth you want it to be. The fruit is cooked with sugar and often with pectin to give it the characteristics of a spread.

Pineapple preserves are cooked with sugar, but the chunks are much bigger, and the fruit is suspended in a syrupy liquid. Since I would make more than I needed for my Jezebel sauce recipe, I went with jam because I thought it would have more useful possibilities.

The pineapple defrosted very quickly. I measured and set aside the sugar, the pectin, and the butter. I measured the pineapple and emptied it into my food processor. I pulsed it a few times until the fruit was nicely chunky.

I also started a large stockpot with water to boil to seal the pineapple jam for long-term storage. There's much more information on the jelly-making process in an earlier post about how to make strawberry cranberry jam. The steps are pretty much the same, whatever type of jam you are making.

Next, I put the pineapple, the pectin, and the butter in my large LeCreuset Dutch oven and cooked it over medium-high heat until it was boiling. The butter in the jam is only there to prevent foam from forming on the jam. You can skim it off, but the butter is a helpful shortcut!

Once the mixture was boiling, I added the sugar all at once and brought it to a hard boil again. Stirring constantly, I cooked it until it began to thicken a bit, about two or three minutes. I removed it from the stove and set the pot on a cooling rack.

I ladled the jam into three eight-ounce jars, put on the lids and the rings, and used my jar lifter to put the jars into the boiling water bath for ten minutes. I used my jar lifter to move them onto a cooling rack and left them undisturbed until they were completely cool. The jam thickened to a nice consistency as it set.

This pineapple jam recipe uses much less sugar than many jam recipes, so it makes a smaller batch. It's fairly sweet, but there's some pleasant tartness, and it is amazing on toast! I tried it out on a small slice of fresh baguette, and it was heavenly!

Now that I have made my pineapple jam, I'll share the Jezebel sauce recipe in the next day or two! Meanwhile, here are some really fun things you can do with pineapple jam, and you can be sure I'll be making more!!

What You Can Do With Pineapple Jam

Oh, so many delicious things!

• Slather pineapple jam on toast, bagels, croissants, or any bread you choose for a delightful breakfast or snack.
• Use pineapple jam to fill pastries, tarts, or thumbprint cookies.
• Make a banana split!
• Swirl pineapple jam into plain yogurt or layer it in fruit parfaits for a tropical twist.
• Combine pineapple jam with other ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and garlic to create a flavorful glaze for ham, chicken, or pork chops.
• Drizzle pineapple jam over pancakes or waffles for a tasty fruit topping.
• Use it as a spread in sandwiches or wraps, particularly with ham, turkey, or cheese for a sweet-savory contrast.
• Mix pineapple jam with vinegar, oil, and spices to create a marinade for grilling meats or a sauce for stir-fries.
• Add a spoonful of pineapple jam to cocktails or mocktails for a tropical flavor. It can enhance the taste of beverages like margaritas or even fruit smoothies.
• Serve pineapple jam on a cheese platter or charcuterie board. It pairs extra well with creamy cheeses like Brie or goat cheese.
• Heat pineapple jam slightly and use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, chicken nuggets, or fried appetizers.

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Yield: 3 half pint jars

Pineapple Jam

Print

A wonderful sweet-tart jam made from frozen pineapple.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen pineapple chunks, defrosted
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 tbsp powdered pectin
• 2 cups sugar

Instructions

1. Defrost the frozen pineapple and crush it to the desired consistency in a food processor or mash with a pastry blender.
2. Measure the sugar and set it aside.
3. Put the pineapple, pectin, and butter in a heavy stockpot and cook over medium-high heat until the pectin is all dissolved and the mixture is boiling rapidly.
4. Add the sugar all at once and cook until it reaches a hard boil, then cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly, about two or three minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and ladle into half-pint jars. Wipe the rim with a clean, damp cloth, place a flat on the jar, then hand tighten with the canning ring.
6. If you want the jam to be shelf-stable for long-term storage, process the jars in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.
7. Remove the jars from the water bath, set them on a cooling rack, and let them cool undisturbed until they reach room temperature.
8. Check the seal and refrigerate any jam that did not seal.

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Love, GB (Betty Streff)

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