Meats and Sausages
Quince Jam
Being pectin rich, the quinces gel easily and are used to make jam, jelly and quince pudding, or they may be peeled, then roasted, baked or stewed. The flesh of the fruit turns red after a long cooking time. The fruit is hard, astringent and sour to eat raw and must be cooked to be edible. Quince produces a wonderful combination when mixed with sugar. The quince is a small tree that bears a pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear and apple, and is bright golden-yellow when mature.
Quince tree.
Quince fruit is covered with tiny hairs which are easily wiped off.
Quince fruit.
- Quince, peeled and cored, 1.0 kg (2.2 lb)
- Sugar, 800 g (1.76 lb)
- Lemon juice, 125 ml (4.23 oz fl), 1 lemon
- Lemon zest, 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- Finely diced fresh ginger, 10 g (2 tsp)
- ½ pint jars
Quince jam.
- Wipe off little hairs, wash and quarter quinces. Discard the blossom ends. Peel the skin off, remove cores and seeds, but do not throw away. Slice the fruit thinly.
- Liquid pectin. Place the skins, cores and seeds in pot, add a little water (do not cover with water), bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and save the liquid for later.
- Place sliced quinces in a large pot, add a little water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add cinnamon stick, cloves, diced ginger, lemon zest and continue cooking over low fire for 15 minutes, stirring often. Add sugar and lemon juice and continue cooking for 25 minutes.
- Add the liquid pectin (see step 2) and cook for 5 minutes more. Perform refrigerator test to test jam.
- Fill jars with jam to within ¼ inch from the top. Remove air bubbles, install and tighten covers.
- Place jars in a bath canner and bring water to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars from the canner and leave undisturbed for 12 hours.
- Store in cool and dark place.
