Sweet, spicy, and a little sassy, this pineapple jam will brighten up cold winter days after you preserve it. This is a small batch recipe for jam made with fresh pineapple.
Fill a canning pot with water, set the lid in place, and heat on high heat until boiling. It can take awhile for the water to come to a boil, so get it started before you begin making the jam.
Gather the jars you'll use and wash in hot soapy water. Make sure each is free of nicks in the rim, which could impede sealing.
Bring a small pot of water to a simmer and turn off the heat. Place lids and rings into the water and leave them there until you're ready to screw them onto the filled jars.
MAKE THE CALCIUM WATER
Combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (from the small packet in the box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small jar.
Screw on a lid and shake until well-combined. You'll have more than you need for this recipe.
Store the excess in the refrigerator for use in making additional jam or jelly recipes.
MAKE THE PINEAPPLE JAM
In a large saucepan, combine pineapple, jalapeños, and calcium water. Over medium heat, bring to simmer, stirring frequently. Cook until the pineapple softens and takes on some translucency, about 20-25 minutes.
4 cups pineapple, ½ cups jalapeños, 2 teaspoons calcium water
Meanwhile, mix the sugar and pectin together in a small bowl. When the pineapple mixture is adequately cooked, add the sugar/pectin mixture to simmering fruit and stir until completely dissolved, about two minutes.
Ladle hot jam into quarter-pint, half-pint, or pint sized jars, leaving 1/4" head space. A canning funnel makes this easy.
Wipe jar rims to remove any jam that may have spilled. A clean rim is essential to a good seal.
Set jar lids in place. Screw bands on finger tight.
Use a jar lifter to gently submerge jars into hot water in the canning pot. Water should cover the top of the jars by an inch. The water will cool somewhat in reaction to the addition of the jars. Return the water to a full rolling boil and then set the timer.
Process for 10 minutes 0-1,000 feet altitude; add an additional minute for every additional 1,000 feet in elevation.
Remove jars from water using the jar lifter and transfer to a solid, towel-covered surface. Allow to cool for 24 hours.
Check seals. Lids should be solid and pulled down tight. (if they flex and pop, the jar didn’t seal; put unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use those first).
Remove rings and wash outsides of jars. Store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
Two small pineapples will net about the right amount of pineapple for this recipe.
This recipe is made using Pomona’s Universal Pectin. This is the only pectin I use anymore as it allows me to use much less sweetener. The standard pectin brands use an obscene amount of sugar in my opinion, often requiring equal amounts of sugar and fruit! This product uses a low methoxyl method and calls for using two different ingredients, which are included in the box: pectin (the large packet) and calcium powder (the small packet).