For the last few months, I’ve been making jam at a dizzying speed. While I hot water process most of what I make for long term storage and gifting, my fridge is still full of jars of jam (mostly half empty ones that hold the overflow from each batch). I can only eat so much jam on toast or stirred into yogurt/oatmeal and so have been taking serious measures to get a handle on my multiplying jam supply.

One tactic I employ when faced with an abundance of jam, is to encorporate it into recipes. I make thumbprint cookies, glaze fruit tarts and fill baked goods. But what to do when you can’t stand another sweet treat? Use jam to spice up your main meal!

My mother has always been a devotee of the humble chicken leg and they appeared by the half dozen on our dinner table during my childhood at least once a week. She liked to bake them and would rotate through a handful of flavor enhancers, including teriyaki sauce, homemade honey mustard, good seasons italian dressing and thinned out jam.

Last night, I channeled her by warming up a few spoonfuls of yellow plum and ginger jam in the microwave and slathering it over two bone-in chicken breasts. Sprinkled with salt and roasted in a 400 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes, the main course took two minutes to prep and was delicious (there was enough leftover to top our lunch salads today as well!).

You can use just about any jam (although I find that strawberry is best reserved for toast and yogurt) as a glaze/marinade on savory items. I like plum, apricot and cherry best for chicken. A sweet/tart marmalade is nice on salmon. You could even fancy up a marinated and baked tofu with a sweet slick of fruit spread.

What’s your favorite way to use jams, jellies and preserves beyond breakfast?

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