Salted Cantaloupe Jam
One of my Mom’s favorite fruits was cantaloupe. I can remember my Dad would bring her one of the first cantaloupes of the season from the field.
The smile on her face said it all. Mom would cut the cantaloupe into pieces and add salt.
Having a few very ripe cantaloupes, I wondering if there was a jam recipe that would remind me of Mom's love of cantaloupe with salt.
After searching the internet, I found a “salted cantaloupe” jam recipe. After making this recipe, I know that Mom would have approved this jam. For those of you who love salted cantaloupe, I am hoping you will enjoy this recipe as much I am sure my Mom would have.
Ingredients
6 cups diced, very ripe cantaloupe
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups granulated sugar, divided
5 tablespoons powdered pectin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons salt
Preparation
Prepare canner, jar and lids.
Bring cantaloupe, lemon juice, and 3½ cups of sugar to boil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a full, rolling boil that cannot be stirred down (which should take 10-15 minutes).
Once the mixture Is at a full boil, whisk together the remaining sugar and the pectin, and whisk the mixture Into the cantaloupe mixture.
Bring mixture back to a full boil, and then boil hard for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the mixture looks thickened and is set.
Once set, remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Ladle hot jam into hot clean, sterile canning jars to within ¼ inch of the upper rim of the jar. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
Use either a hot water bath or steamer canner. I use the steamer for my canning. If you decide to use a steamer, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.
For hot water bath, standard instructions would apply: place jars in a canner and cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a fully rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack.
For both the hot water bath and steamer canner, leave the jars to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth, then label.
Makes about six 8-ounce jars.
