Pineapple and melon jam

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Serves Makes about six 300ml jars.

Ingredients

  • 1 large pineapple (approx 1.2 kg)
  • 1 jam melon or honeydew melon (approx 2 kg)
  • 1.8–2kg sugar
  • 3 lemons

Note

Like many jam recipes, the fruit needs to soak overnight before cooking, so it's made over two days. Traditionally made with a jam melon, you can substitute with honey-dew melon. We have also provided tips on how to sterilise glass jars and bottles in a separate 'techniques' post.

Directions

Slicing and deseeding the melon and preparing the pineapple
Peel, core and dice the pineapple, removing and discarding the eyes. Cut the melon in half and discard the seeds. Remove the skin and dice the flesh. Weigh the diced fruit.
Adding the sugar
To work out how much sugar you need, calculate two-thirds of the weight of the fruit. For example, if you have 2.4 kg of diced fruit, you will need 1.6 kg sugar.
Place the diced fruit in a large ceramic bowl. Sprinkle over half the sugar. Cover the bowl with a large plate or cloth and leave overnight.
Cooking the fruit
The next day place the sugared fruit and any liquid it has produced into a large saucepan. Zest and juice the lemons, discarding any seeds, and add to the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the fruit has softened and the green colour has cooked out of the melon. Stir occasionally to ensure the fruit doesn't burn.
Meanwhile, place a small saucer in the freezer, ready for gel or set point testing, and sterilise the jars.
Reaching setting point
Reduce the heat and add the remaining sugar, stirring until it has fully dissolved. Then increase the heat, bring the mixture to a rapid boil and, stirring frequently, cook until the syrup starts to thicken. Ensure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn, stirring constantly as the mixture develops and colour deepens. Test for setting point once the syrup seems thick enough to cling to the sides of the pan as the jam is stirred.
Bottling the jam
Once at setting point, remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to rest for 5–10 minutes. Ladle the jam into warm sterilised jars and seal. When the jam has completely cooled, label and date the jars.

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