I love making jams literally out of our berries and fruit harvest. The best way to preserve fruits long term without refrigeration is with sugar. Pineapple Jam is an easy way to preserve tropical fruits like pineapple to enjoy all year round. This homemade pineapple jam fits the bill for many reasons. Its perfect on sandwiches, toast and great as an ice cream topping too.
Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits, I use this tropical fruit in many ways. The best is to eat it fresh as they don’t last that long at room temperature. At best, the flavor of ripe pineapple remains only for a few hours in the refrigerator. So the best way to preserve any fruit’s flavor to last longer is to make fruit preserves with sugar. I make jams and jelly from almost any fruit I have. My mother used to make jams with tomatoes and sour gooseberries too.
Granted Pineapple is not native in Europe, but due to modern transportation from afar, we are able to get them in our supermarkets easily today. Although, I prefer locally grown fruits and produce, sometimes I break this rule and indulge myself once in a way.
Jams and jellies are top on my food preservation list during the summer months. In addition to preserving our fruit harvest, they also make great handmade gifts. I love to add jams and other preserves into my Christmas gift basket.
How to Make Homemade Pineapple Jam
Making pineapple jam isn’t all that different from making any other homemade fruit jam. As with other jams, you have to prep the fruit and then cook the pineapple in sugar until it thickens.
There are 2 ways to make jam i.e. with or without pectin. Well a lot depends on the pectin content of the fruit. Pineapples don’t have much natural pectin, but they still thicken up nicely due to the fiber when cooked. If you want to make pineapple jam without pectin the flavor is stronger, concentrated and sweeter too. This is technically called a fruit preserve, because jams need pectin.
The basic method to make pineapple jam without pectin, is to use 1 part sugar to every 2 parts of fruit.
Preparing Pineapple for making Jam
For making homemade pineapple jam, you can either use fresh and ripe pineapples or from the tin. Tinned pineapple does not have much flavor and has a strange metallic taste to it.
How to cut fresh Pineapple.
Cut the green crown part and the bottom part a little. Next halve the pineapple and then slice of the peel. Its easier to peel that way and you can easily remove the thorns too. Next remove the core of the pineapple and then cut into smaller cubes.
Then place the chopped pineapple in a food processor and pulse for 2 or 3 pulses, till its fine but not completely pureed.
Tips to make Pineapple Jam without Pectin
- If you choose to make pineapple jam without pectin and want more quantity, then add 2:3 sugar to fruit proportion. Which means you add 2 cups of sugar for 3 cups of crushed pineapple. This proportion will yield 3 cups of very sweet jam.
- On the other hand, you can reduce the amount of sugar to half the quantity of crushed fruit. I personally prefer this measurement as its not too sweet.
- Since pineapple is acidic you can omit the lemon juice. Lemon juice on the other hand will retain the color of pineapple when cooked and will increase the pectin content of the fruit.
- If you make the jam with pectin sugar, the process is fast as it will thicken quicker than without.
Tools needed to make Jam
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Silicone Canning Jar Lifter and Funnel
Ingredients
For Recipe without Pectin
3 cups of chopped and crushed pineapple after peeling and coring
1 1/2 cups of sugar ( if you want jam without pectin)
For Recipe with pectin sugar
3 cups of crushed pineapple
2 cups of pectin sugar if you want it sweeter you can add same quantity as that of the fruit.
Reduce sugar if the pineapple is ripe and sweet.
Measurement with weight
500 gm of crushed pineapple
250 gm of pectin sugar
Method
I have a rule of thumb for all my jams recipes and its really very simple. Hence, I will not make it complicated and by following this method you will have a jam for many months that has a long shelf life.
- Mix the crushed fruit and sugar in a heavy bottom pot and cook between medium to high heat.
- Keep stirring the mixture to avoid it getting burnt.
- Thicken the fruit and sugar mixture, this takes about 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the quantity you are making.
- If you make the jam with pectin sugar, the process is faster.
- Once the bubbles change from boiling, it will attain a glossy sheen and texture when it is finished.
- I usually do a plate test to confirm that its ready. Place a plate in the freezer and drop a little of the jam and tilt it. If it sets then its ready for bottling.
- Fill the jams in hot and dry sterilized glass jars by placing the hot jars on a tea towel or a wooden board.
- Leave about 1/2 cm space and wipe the rims of the jar before closing the lid tightly.
- Cool it, and a vacuum will be formed after several hours, you will hear the lid popping which means it sealed well.
- A nicely vacuum sealed jam will last up to a year or even more. I have jams which lasted even 2 years in our cellar.
- Once you open the jam jar store it in the refrigerator.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Instructions
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