Homemade Quince Jam

Quince is under appreciated here in the US. This easy to make and aromatic ruby red quince jam will soon make you a quince lover out of  you!

Since November is here, I think I can officially think about what the heck I’m going to give to friends and family for the holidays. If you are more organized than me, you might have all of your gifts figured out!

One of my favorite gifts I give every year to friends, neighbors, teachers or family are homemade gifts – especially food gifts. And today, I am going to share with you a beautiful and unique fall recipe you can giveaway in a beautiful canning jar: quince jam.

Why this recipe is so awesome

I am a huge fan of jam and I make all kinds of fruit jam. Strawberry rhubarb, strawberry balsamic, peach or blueberry, summer jams bring a smile to faces that are shivering in the winter months.

But don’t be sad. Fall fruits make wonderful jams, too! You can make fig jam, pomegranate jelly and my personal favorite, quince. Jams are super easy to make and don’t require a long list of ingredients.

Quince jam is quite unique, which makes it even more special. Quince has some beautiful floral tones to its flavor. The fruit is coveted in the middle east and unknown here in the west.

It is hard as a rock and very bitter if you eat it raw. Don’t eat it raw. Why bother with this fruit at all? Well, the magic happens when you cook it.

Quince is high in carbohydrates and is a great source of vitamin C and potassium. It is also high in fiber. Quince contains a lot of natural pectin, making it perfect for jamming.

Ingredients you need

You don’t have a giant shopping list when it comes to making jam. It’s super simple and only requires a handful of ingredients.

• Quince: You want fresh quince, so look for fruit that isn’t bruised or old. Once you buy quince, use it within a week as old quince turns brown inside. You won’t notice anything wrong on the outside. So if you cut into your quince and you see brown meat instead of white, toss the quince. It’s too old.
• Granulated Sugar: Jam making requires sugar. You can use brown sugar or honey, but the amounts will be different and I do not know what color it will turn into as I never made quince jam with any sugar but regular ‘ole sugar.
• Water: Quince does not have a lot of juice inside it so you need to add water for the ruby syrup that will swim along your jammed quince.
• Lemon Juice: Like apples and pears, quince oxidizes and starts turning brown when it is cut and exposed to oxygen. Lemon juice also helps quince’s color component, anthocyanins, to develop its beautiful red color. Learn more about quince’s chemistry here.

Recipe Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Wash, core and carefully cut quince into small or large chunks, whichever you prefer. Quince is very hard so pay extra attention as you try to cut it.

2. In a stainless or copper pot whisk together water, sugar and lemon juice. Stir in quince chunks and coat fruit with liquid.

3. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cover lid with a towel, to catch steam, and reduce heat to low and simmer until quince changes color, from light pink to dark red. This takes about 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to keep from burning. If low on water, stir in more as needed.

4. When fruit is fork tender and ruby red in color, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, if you are canning your jam, click here for hot water canning instructions.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQS

Quince is a knobby looking pear that is very hard. At first glance, you would think one could just take a bite out of it like an apple or pear, but please don’t. Quince don’t soften and they are very bitter in the raw state. That is why you will find that quince is best when cooked, in both savory and sweet dishes

• Because quince are very hard, be very careful when you cut them. You need a very sharp knife and a good grip on the fruit.
• Quince oxidizes very quickly when cut, like apples. Lemon juice helps slow this down.
• Old quince fruit may look fine on the outside, but they will have big brown spots when you cut into them. So please make sure your quince is fresh.
• Hot water can your quince jam and give them as gifts.

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Yield: 16 ounces

Homemade Quince Jam

Print

This ruby red quince jam is fragrant, unique and makes a unique gift for friends and family.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lb quince
• 1 cup water
• 2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 TBS lemon juice

Instructions

1. Wash, core and cut quince into chunks.
2. In a stainless or copper pot whisk together water, sugar and lemon juice.
3. Stir in the chopped quince.
4. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
5. Cover the lid of the pot with a towel (to catch the steam), reduce heat to low and simmer until quince changes to a dark, ruby red color, approximately 2-3 hours.
6. Stir quince every 30 minutes to keep from burning. If low on water, stir in more as needed.
7. When jam is fork tender and ruby red in color, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, if you are canning your jam, click here for hot water canning instructions.

Notes

You can also add a stick of cinnamon, 4 cardamon pods or a star of anise for added flavor. Just remove after quince jam is done cooking.

The key to your quince jam to changing into a ruby red color is to use a stainless or copper pot. The towel around the lid of the pot is also crucial.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 TBS
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 0g

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