Pumpkin is a versatile and simple vegetable to cook. This fruit has not only a bright appearance, but also a composition rich in useful properties. No wonder this vegetable is used in a variety of dishes: cold and hot appetizers, desserts and even jam! It is about such an unconventional way of using pumpkins as jam, that will be discussed in an article describing the most common recipes.
Pumpkin selection and preparation
Pumpkin can be stern and canteen. Eating table varieties. The most delicious jam is obtained from sweet early varieties.
Among them are the following:
- Aport;
- Smile;
- Country;
- Bush orange;
- Mushroom winter;
- Sweetie;
- and other hard-bark, nutmeg and large-fruited varieties.
The fruit should be chosen not too stocky, as it may be devoid of sweetness. The skin should be smooth, without damage. By color, preference is given to bright, saturated pumpkins, but it is important that it is not overripe. Before cooking, the vegetable is washed, cut into two parts, then into smaller ones.The peel is cut from each bar and seeds with fibrous formations are removed. The cleaned parts are cut into small pieces or rubbed on a grater to obtain jam.
Did you know? Cultivated more 50 varieties of table pumpkin, among which it can be white, green and even blue!
Best Pumpkin Jam Recipes
There are many different recipes for pumpkin jam, because this product is combined with many ingredients, especially those that have a sour taste. You can do it with citrus fruits, dried fruits, apples, even cranberries and sea buckthorn.
A feature of pumpkin jam is that it can visually and taste like apricot jam. To please different preferences, consider the most delicious and unusual recipes.
Did you know? The heaviest pumpkin was raised by farmer Matthias Williams from Germany. She reached a weight of 1190 kg. This record was set in 2016 and is still not broken.
Classic recipe
Even the classic recipe is in different variations and may differ in cooking technology. Therefore, we consider the easiest and fastest way for the winter.Ingredients:
- pumpkin weighing 2-3 kg;
- sugar - 1 kg;
- water - 1 l;
- vanilla sugar (optional).
Step-by-step instruction:
- Rinse the pumpkin and chop. To make the process of cutting the fruit easier, the pumpkin can be preheated. Cut into two parts, then into quarters. We cut off the peel and clean out the fibrous formations. After removing all the excess, 1 kg of pulp will remain from the fetus weighing 2-3 kg, which we will cut into small squares.
- Sugar is soaked in water and brought to a boil, after which we cook for 3-5 minutes.
- When the syrup is boiled, pour the cubes of pumpkin and cook until tender. At this point, you can add a pinch of butter. Or dilute with additional flavors: such as cinnamon or vanilla.
- Let them cool and store in the pantry until the onset of cold weather.
Important! Seeds can not be thrown away, but washed, dried on both sides and fry in a pan. Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of fats, vitamins of groups A, B, C, E, K, phosphorus, manganese and other trace elements. Due to its composition, pumpkin seeds increase immunity.
With lemon
Pumpkin blends perfectly with citrus fruits, in particular with lemon. This jam has a pleasant aroma and sour notes in taste. This type of treat is no less popular than the classic one. The cooking technology is lightweight and unpretentious.
Ingredients:
- pumpkin - 1 kg;
- sugar - 800 g;
- lemon - 1 pc.
Pumpkin jam with lemon: video
Cooking steps:
- Getting started with pumpkin. Wash, cut into small pieces and clean from seeds. Cut the flesh into small squares. It is not recommended to make very large bars.
- We spread the pumpkin cubes in a cooking bowl, pour sugar and gently mix. We are waiting for the pumpkin to be saturated with sugar. Can be left overnight. During this time, sugar completely dissolves and stimulates the release of pumpkin juice.
- Then put the workpiece on fire and bring to a boil. After boiling the mass, reduce the heat to a minimum and boil another 10-15 minutes,
- We leave the pan and leave it to cool completely for 7-8 hours. During this time, the fruits are saturated with sugar syrup and their taste will become even brighter.
- We prepare the lemon. To do this, wash it, remove the seeds and cut into circles. Lemon together with the peel must be chopped in a combine or meat grinder.
- Add chopped lemon to the bowl. Then you should mix everything, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to the very minimum and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave for another 8 hours.
- Before the last stage of cooking, you need to prepare and sterilize the container in which the jam will be stored.
- Boil for several minutes and pour hot into the container. Wrap in a towel and after cooling, store in a dark, dry place, avoiding sunlight.
Pumpkin and lemon dessert has a light golden color and a delicate taste.
With orange
For pumpkin jam with orange, we need the following ingredients:
- peeled pumpkin - 500 g;
- orange - 1 pc.;
- half a lemon;
- sugar - 500 g;
- water - 0.5 l.
Pumpkin jam with orange: video
Phase:
- Thoroughly clean the middle of the pumpkin. Cut the vegetable into slices and gently peel the peel. Then cut the flesh into thin sticks, which will give the effect of “transparent candied fruit”.
- Cut the lemon into rings and peel it. Each slice again cut into quarters.
- Before peeling an orange, rub the zest, and then remove the entire white part of the skin to avoid bitterness. Cut the core of an orange, remove the seeds and cut into small bars.
- Add sugar and grated zest with fruit to the bowl of water. We are waiting for the syrup to boil and cook for 40 minutes until the fruit is translucent. Without turning off the fire, we pour a pumpkin into the container. After boiling, let it boil for a few minutes. The first cooking phase is over. We leave the pan to cool completely.
- When the mass has completely cooled, we begin the second cooking approach for 40 minutes.
This jam is golden-transparent with rich notes of zest, and the recipe is simple and quick to prepare.
With dried apricots
Jam with dried apricots has a bright yellow hue and a rich sour-sweet taste. It is also unpretentious in cooking and both experienced housewives and novice cooks can cope with it.
Ingredients:
- peeled pumpkin - 1 kg;
- sugar - 800 g;
- dried apricots - 400 g;
- zest of 1 orange and orange juice (half a cup);
- orange - 1 pc.
Pumpkin jam with dried apricots: video
What are our steps:
- Peel the pumpkin and cut the flesh into small cubes.
- We spread the pumpkin in a pan and pour sugar on top.
- While the pumpkin is saturated with sugar, we prepare dried apricots. Cut it into small strips.
- We rub the peel of the orange, and extract the juice from the pulp (this can be done using both mechanical and manual juicers). Half a glass of juice will be enough.
- Pour the zest into a pot with pumpkin and pour juice.
- We cover the workpiece with a lid and set it on fire. After boiling - we throw the prepared dried apricots and cook the mass with one approach until cooked.
- Willingness is determined by the achievement of moderate adhesiveness and a golden transparent texture of goodies.
With apples
Pumpkin jam with apples has a bright ruby color and a delicate sweet taste.
To prepare it, we need:
- peeled pumpkin - 500 g;
- apples - 500 g;
- sugar - 1 kg;
- water - 1 l;
- citric acid - 0.5 tsp;
- lemon juice 1 tbsp. l
Pumpkin jam with apples: video
For cooking, follow the instructions below:
- Before preparing the ingredients, make acid water. To do this, dissolve half a teaspoon of citric acid and lemon juice in 1 liter of water.
- First of all, we cut apples, since they tend to quickly change color. Do not peel, but simply cut into small cubes. After that, immediately spread the apples in acidic water so that they retain their whiteness.
- At this time, we cut the pumpkin, cut into smaller parts, peel the skin layer and peel the seeds inside. Cut into small cubes.
- Put sliced fruits in a saucepan or basin and cover with sugar. We insist for 1 hour.
- We put this pot on the fire and expect to boil. Cook the fruit with syrup for another 20 minutes.
- After cooking, let the mass cool and brew for a day.
- Then we begin the second stage of cooking for 20 minutes. After the jam has been prepared, pour it into a sterilized container.
To save time, jam can be boiled in one day in two stages of 20 minutes each with a break of several hours.
Raw Jam
"Raw" jam, or "cold" pumpkin jam, in principle, is not jam, since it is not cooked. But it boasts a high content of vitamins. This is a vitamin supplement that can be stored in the refrigerator and consumed with tea or added to various desserts.
Pumpkin jam without heat treatment: video
This "jam" helps to preserve all the most valuable useful substances of the fruit. One spoon of this elixir every morning - and you do not face a cold. Let us examine in more detail the technology for its preparation.
Ingredients:
- pumpkin - 1 kg;
- orange - 1 pc.;
- lemon - 1 pc.;
- sugar - 700-800 g.
For cooking, follow the instructions below:
- From the pumpkin we leave only the pulp and chop into small pieces.
- Orange and lemon are cut into small cubes, peeled (we leave the peel).
- We grind the whole pumpkin and citruses in a food processor or meat grinder until a homogeneous mass is formed (we preserve the juice).
- Pour the whole mass into the container with the allocated juice and fill it with sugar.
- Leave for 1 day, stirring occasionally.
- During this time, the mass is saturated with sugar and the resulting "jam" can be sorted by banks.
- Store in a cold place.
Features of making jam
In addition to traditional methods of making jam - boiling and stewing in containers on the stove, there are alternative methods: using modern kitchen appliances. Multicookers and microwave ovens greatly facilitate the cooking process and save time and effort of the hostess.
In a slow cooker
Pumpkin jam in a slow cooker is also tender and rich. Contrary to popular belief, kitchen machines in the cooking process do not kill the aroma and properties of the product, but rather help to preserve their valuable vitamins. The process of making jam in a slow cooker is not complicated and will be available even to novice housewives.To prepare this jam, follow the step by step instructions:
- Prepare a multicooker bowl, wash thoroughly after previous dishes.
- Peel the pumpkin from excess peel and seeds and chop finely (can be passed through the combine).
- Optionally, chop the remaining fruits that will complement our jam (apple, dried apricots, orange, lemon, etc.).
- Pour pumpkin and all chopped fruits into the multicooker bowl (if used).
- Pour with 1 glass of water and add all prepared with sugar (standard for 1 kg of fruits - 800 g of sugar).
- We set the "Extinguishing" mode and set the time to 1 hour (if you passed the fruit through a meat grinder or combine harvester, the cooking time is reduced to 30 minutes. The larger the pieces, the longer they require cooking).
- When time runs out - you can add to your taste half a teaspoon of citric acid, ground ginger or cinnamon. Extinguish for another 5 minutes.
- The pan can be removed from the fire.
In the microwave
Pumpkin jam can also be cooked in the microwave. A feature of such cooking is the preservation of all vitamins and minerals of the product, as the wave penetrates its particles directly, without external destruction.
Food in the microwave does not burn and, according to experts, makes food healthier. It should be guided by the technology of cooking in a multicooker. However, here we carefully choose the dishes. It can be porcelain or glass, always covered with a lid.
We put the dish on the “Microwaves” mode for 20 minutes. Cooking time depends on the power of the microwave, so the second stage of cooking will reach 10-20 minutes, depending on the strength of your equipment. Before the second cooking, be sure to mix the jam. After the mass has reached the desired consistency, and the fruits have become translucent - jam can be poured into containers.
Methods and storage periods
After the jam is bottled in jars, they should be rolled up tightly in order to avoid air penetration. If this is not done, it will begin to roam or succumb to mold. Many housewives prefer to tightly wrap preservation in towels or blankets, but pumpkin jam does not require this.
It can be stored simply on shelves, the main thing is to adhere to climatic conditions. Keep jam during the winter should be in a cool, dark and dry place. The temperature should not exceed + 16 ° C. The penetration of heat or sunlight should not be allowed.
Humidity will also be detrimental. Raw jams should be stored in the refrigerator. Jars with ordinary jam can be stored for up to a year.
The recipe for pumpkin jam is varied and can cater to even the most whimsical tastes. In addition to the classic options, you can play with combinations and invent your own jam. It can be berries and fruits with a sour taste.
For example, sea buckthorn, gooseberries or red currants. After all, pumpkin can perfectly combine with other fruits.