How to make a simple and delicious watermelon and melon jam

We often hear the question: what do you like more - watermelon or melon? We advise you to try the jam made from these berries, and you will definitely fall in love with both. Today we will tell you how to choose the right ingredients for jam, cook it from pulp, crusts, with the addition of lemon or in the form of jam. After spending 10 minutes reading the article, you will certainly want to see several jars of delicious jam according to the new recipe in your cellar.

What watermelons and melons are suitable for jam

Mid-season watermelons are needed. Overripe fruits are overcooked. And even for recipes that involve preliminary grinding in a blender, overripe berries and fruits are not suitable. It is better to choose an unripe fruit, but add more sugar. Completely unripe ones are also not suitable - they will not give either color, taste or smell.

For melon, the principle is the same. Overripe fruits are not suitable. When buying, hold the melon in your hands. If it seems to you that its size does not correspond to the weight, do not take it - the berry may be dry and empty inside. Pay attention to the stalk: if it is strong and green, feel free to take melon for jam.

Selection and preparation of fruits

So you have chosen watermelon and a melon of medium ripeness, the fruits are not dry, not burned by the sun, without signs of rot. In size, it is better to take two medium watermelons and melons than one large fruit.

The preparation of the ingredients is simple. The main thing is to rinse the watermelon and melon well, even if only the pulp is used for cooking. All seeds must be removed from the watermelon. To do this, use a sharp knife, do not remove the grains with your fingers.

Melon seeds also need to be extracted, but there is a difference here. The melon is freed from the grains before being cut into pieces, and the watermelon is vice versa.

If a jam plan to cook from crusts, you can pre-blanch them. Such a process will relieve the finished product of the bitter taste, and the crusts themselves will boil much faster.

The best recipes for the winter

Watermelon and melon jam does not require many additional ingredients. It itself turns out rich and aromatic. Introducing four successful recipe from pulp and crusts.

Pulp jam

This is the simplest recipe and is considered a classic.

Required:

• 0.5 kg of watermelon pulp;
• 0.5 kg of melon pulp;
• 1 kg of sugar;
• 1 lemon.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the watermelon and melon.
2. Cut the watermelon into pieces, remove the seeds, cut the peel. Cut the pulp into cubes.
3. Cut the melon in half, remove the seeds. Cut into chunks, then into wedges.
4. Mix the berries in a deep bowl.
5. Pour 500 g of sugar into a container.
6. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
7. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon and grate the zest on a fine to medium grater.
8. After 4 hours, use a blender to turn the mixture of berries with the addition of lemon zest into a uniform mass. If you don't have a blender, you can use a pusher.
9. Dissolve 500 g of the remaining sugar in water. Put on fire.
10. When the syrup boils, pour in the lemon juice. Boil for 3-4 minutes.
11. Mix berries with syrup, cook for 45 minutes.
12. Remove from heat, cover with gauze. Leave it on for 3 hours.
13. After 3 hours, repeat the cooking process for 30 minutes. Remember to skim off the foam and stir occasionally.
14. Sterilize the jars while the jam cools.
15. Transfer the jam to jars, cork.
16. Store upside down for 48 hours. Be sure to wrap the containers.

Jam from crusts

Ingredients:

• 700 g watermelon crusts;
• 700 g melon crusts;
• 1.5 kg of sugar;
• 2 tspcitric acid;
• 0.5 tsp vanillin.

Cooking method:

1. Separate the rind from the pulp.
2. Cut the crusts into cubes.
3. Put water on fire, bring to a boil.
4. Dip the sliced ​​crusts in boiling water for 4 minutes.
5. Transfer the crusts to a container of cold water for 3 minutes.
6. Drain the water.
7. Dissolve 500 g of sugar in 700 ml of water, put on fire.
8. As the syrup boils, add the crust to the pan and add citric acid, mix well.
9. Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.
10. Remove from heat, cover jam with paper towels or cheesecloth for 3 hours.
11. After 3 hours, turn on the stove again, cook the mass after boiling over low heat for 15 minutes.
12. Cool the jam again for 3 hours.
13. After 3 hours add vanillin and 1 kg of sugar. Mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes.
14. Sterilize the jars.
15. Fill the jars with the slightly cooled jam. Screw on the covers.
16. Turn upside down, wrap up.

note! Vanillin can be omitted by replacing it with cinnamon. Both give a richer flavor to the dish. It all depends on personal preference.

Jam from watermelon and melon

Required:

• 1 kg of watermelon pulp;
• 1 kg of melon pulp;
• 2 kg of sugar;
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon if desired.

How to cook:

1. Rinse the watermelon and melon well. Dry off with a towel.
2. Cut the watermelon in half and then into large pieces. Remove the seeds and cut the crust.
3. Cut the watermelon pulp into cubes.
4. Cut the melon in half, remove the grains.
5. Cut the melon pulp into cubes and mix with the watermelon pieces.
6. Cover with sugar. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
7. After 3 hours, put the mixture on fire. Stir occasionally. After boiling, reduce heat, cook for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from heat, leave to cool for 1-2 hours.
9. Boil the jam again, but with the addition of spices.
10. Boil for 10 minutes.
11. Turn off the heat, cool slightly.
12. Grind the mixture with a blender.
13. Boil again for 5 minutes.
14. Sterilize the jars.
15. Spread the slightly cooled jam in the jars and screw tight with lids.
16. Turn upside down and wrap.

Council. You can add cloves as a spice.

Melon jam with lemon

Ingredients:

• 700 g watermelon pulp;
• 700 g melon pulp;
• 1-2 lemons;
• 2 kg of sugar.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the watermelon and melon.
2. Slice the watermelon so that it is convenient to remove the seeds and cut the crust. Leave only the red pulp, cut it into small pieces.
3. Remove the grains from the melon, cut into several large pieces, peel off the peel. Cut the pulp into cubes.
4. Mix the ingredients, add 1 kg of sugar and refrigerate for 4 hours.
5. During this time, the berries will give juice, you do not need to drain it.
6. Put on the stove, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Skimming off the foam, cook for 15 minutes.
7. Turn off the stove, remove the bowl with future jam and cover with gauze.
8. Leave it on for 1 hour.
9. Grate the zest of one lemon, squeeze the juice from the other lemon (or from the same). The seeds should not get into the dish.
10. After an hour, put the bowl of berries on the stove again. After bringing to a boil, pour in the juice and add the grated zest. Cook for 25 minutes.
11. Remove from heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes. Better cover the jam, otherwise insects will immediately attack it.
12. At the same time, sterilize the jars and pour boiling water over the lids.
13. Put the slightly cooled jam in the jars and close.
14. Turn over and wrap with thick towels until cooled completely.

Note! If you don't like the pieces in the jam, grind the mixture with a blender before boiling again.

Terms and conditions of storage

The jam can be stored for several years. But it loses its taste and useful qualities after about 15 months. This means that it is better to eat the treat before the new summer season, and enjoy fresh berries in the summer.

As for the conditions, the optimum temperature is + 15 ° С. If the room is stuffy and hot, the jam will begin to ferment. If, on the contrary, the temperature is too low, it will become sugar-coated.But many people like candied jam - it is thicker, and sugar crystals are felt when eaten. Only fermented jam can harm health.

If you have already opened the jar, store it in the refrigerator for no more than 1.5 months. Watermelon and melon jam is good for tea with mint.

Tips from experienced housewives

Experienced hostesses are happy to share their secrets with beginners:

1. Add at least 1 tbsp to any watermelon and melon jam. l. lemon juice. It gives the dish freshness and delicate aroma, and the taste becomes beyond words. In combination with sweet melons, sourness comes in handy.
2. Remove the seeds first, then cut the pulp into cubes. Otherwise, you risk getting a sieve instead of mouth-watering pieces.
3. Don't try to shorten the process of making the crust jam. It is long lasting but worth it. If you are too lazy and boil the jam only twice, your family will be disappointed to open a jar of jam in winter. The pieces will be tough and inedible.
4. Do not pour excess water into the jam. If it's too thick, add lemon juice or no more than 0.5 cups of water. To prevent such a situation, be sure to leave the candied berries to give juice for 3-4 hours before cooking.
5. Do not be afraid to add extra sugar, it will not spoil the jam. But its lack will be felt. Take the time to weigh the ingredients. The sugar weight should be equal to or greater than 0.5 kg of the pulp weight.

Let's sum up

Watermelon and melon jam is best cooked from medium-ripening small berries. The seeds are removed from the watermelon after cutting into large pieces, and from the melon - vice versa. The amount of sugar should slightly exceed the weight of the berry slices. Jam from crusts takes much longer to cook than from pulp, but if you break the recipe and rush, you will be disappointed. We do not recommend adding too many additional ingredients. It is better to do with lemon, spices or mint.

Bon appetit to you and enthusiastic compliments to your workpieces!