For months now, I’ve been working on finding a way to make a jam from apples that is satisfying and, well, jammy. The problem with apples is if you try and cook them raw with sugar, which is the way you approach the fruit in most jam recipes, the apples don’t break down. They stay hard and firm, releasing little of their sugars and leaving you with a final product that is closer to marmalade than jam.
In some recipes, such as my Cranberry-Apple Jam, this isn’t such a bad thing. The cranberries and sugar do the jammy work, and the apples add nice texture and mouthfeel. But up until down, I’ve found that making a good jam with apples as the primary fruit just hasn’t been all that great (I did get close with my Apple-Ginger Jam, but it still wasn’t quite right). That is, until now.
This time, I cooked the apples down into a sauce with two cups of lemon juice before adding the sugar. And this did the trick. I got close to the texture I wanted from the fruit before I added the sugar (ensuring I’d get what I wanted once the sugar and honey was added), and I was able to infuse the tart flavor of the lemons fully into the jam to boot (this is a great way to get a whole variety flavors into jam, I’m already envisioning lavender, more ginger or chai spices).
You may be wondering why I’m so excited to find a good apple jam technique. Well, apples are cheap, abundant and store really well. I overbought at the fall farmers’ markets and so had an entire crisper drawer full that needed to be used (and I have plenty of applesauce and butter already stashed away). And, I just like apples. I think they’re endlessly adaptable and knew there was a way to make them do jam nicely.
Before, I jump to the recipe, I want to talk pectin. I do include one envelope (half of the contents of a box) of liquid pectin in this recipe. However, many apples are naturally high in pectin. If you’re working with green or under-ripe apples, you might not need to add any pectin. But if you’re using old apples that have been in your fridge for a couple of months, adding a little pectin is good insurance that your jam will have a good set.
Ingredients
- 12 cups chopped apples
- 2 cups lemons juice (I used a combination of freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice and bottled)
- 2 cups honey
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 envelope of liquid pectin (can be omitted if you use a few firm, green apples)
- zest of three lemons
Instructions
- Prepare your canning pot, as well as seven pint jars, lids and rings.
- Combine the chopped apples and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (an enameled Dutch oven works well here) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the apples have broken down. When you’ve got a nice, chunky applesauce, add the honey and sugar and stir to incorporate.
- Bring the fruit to a boil and cook for at least five minutes at a roll (watch out though, it will bubble and depending on the size of your pot, can get a little splashy). Add pectin and boil for a few minutes more, to active the pectin. When it seems nice and jammy, turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest.
- Fill jars, wipe rims (this jam is sticky, so you may need to add a bit of white vinegar to your towel, to help ensure a clean rim), apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for ten minutes (if you are above 1,000 feet in altitude, adjust your processing time accordingly).
- Eat on toast, spoon on muffins or use to glaze roasted chicken pieces.
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To us who did not know what verbena was…here are the health benefits of verbena, while including it’s uses; Lemon verbena has a strong lemony smell, both as a fresh and dried plant, and has been used as a flavoring in all types of dishes–salads, stuffings, meat dishes, baked goods and grains–for generations, as well as being a popular tea, notes Sara’s Superb Herbs. The dried leaves of lemon verbena are a prized scented filling for sachets and pillows and a popular ingredient in potpourri mixtures. For most medicinal purposes, users will make a tea by pouring boiling water over the fresh or dried leaves and allowing the concoction to steep for at least five minutes, says the herbal website Ageless. At the end of the steeping time, the leaves are strained out, leaving lemon verbena tea.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/242277-what-are-the-benefits-of-lemon-verbena/#ixzz2548rQaAV
Hi There, just thought I’d share my experience with this recipe. First off, I have to give many thanks for such an easy-to-follow recipe. This was my first time making jam so it is much appreciated. The idea of adding lavender to the recipe really intrigued me so I decided to add about eight lavender sprigs to the apples and lemon as it was cooking down. I then removed them right before jarring because I didn’t want the fibrousness of the plant to end up in the jam. Well, it didn’t really impart it’s flavour all that much. Any suggestions on how better to infuse the lavender? Also, I’d like to mention a cautionary note regarding the lemon. I used the recommended amounts and my batch is so lemony that it’s almost a lemon spread more than it’s apples or honey. The next time, I’ll try halving the lemon quantity and see where it goes. Thanks again for this recipe and I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
I made this jam for my wedding favors last year and people are putting in orders for this year! Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you like it!
I made some apple jam, and what did I do wrong?? That the jam is at the bottom, apples went to the top….. the jam is like it should be but why did the apples go to the top??
Help if you can…..
Emma, some fruits tend to want to float in the jam or syrup. Peaches are especially bad. One thing you can try is to let the jam sit for about 5 – 10 minutes in your jam pot before you put it in the jars. Give it a stir and fill your jars. Another thing I’ve found is if you have your fruit chunks too large, they tend to want to float as well. Hope this helps! Happy jammin’!
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Help! Making this right now and the recipe has 2 different measurements for the sugar/honey!!! 1 cup honey 5 sugar or 2 honey 3 sugar????
TJ, you should use the recipe that’s typed out, not the photograph of my original notes.
That’s what I went with….but it did not set…….
Hello!
I made the recipe last night using Granny Smith apples, Meyer lemons, and sourwood honey. I only got 5 pints. I suppose I need to pre-measure how far up on the pot 5 pints is, so I don’t boil things down too much. Volume might be a better metric than boiling time! It is a little stiff, but tasty. Thanks for the recipe.
Here’s the thing about making jam. Yield always varies depending on the fruit you’re using the, size of your pan, and the heat of your stove. So volume isn’t a reliable metric because it will always change. That’s why I give a range for boiling time and recommend that you use a variety of methods to determine the set.
I made this jam last canning season and everyone loved it so much that I am going to make it again! I have some apples that I have stored all winter that I need to use up, so this is the recipe I am going for!