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Cantaloupe Jam with Vanilla

Source of Recipe

From "Food in Jars" by Marisa McClellan


Recipe Introduction

"Cantaloupe is not the first fruit that springs to mind when a canner's thoughts turn to jam. However, for the melon lovers in the crowd, I beg you not to skip this one. When you combine cantaloupe with a bit of sugar and vanilla, it ends up tasting like the best and most exotic Creamsicle you've ever had. As a Creamsicle lover, I find this feature highly enticing. By design, this recipe makes a fairly small batch. I find that one smallish melon or half of an enormous one yields just the right amount."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 ½ cups chopped peeled cantaloupe (from about 2 pounds cantaloupe)
â—¦ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
â—¦ 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
â—¦ Zest of 1 lemon
â—¦ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
â—¦ 1 (3-ounce) packet liquid pectin


Recipe

Prepare a boiling water bath and three half-pint jars. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.

Combine the cantaloupe, sugar, and vanilla bean pod and seeds in a nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the packet of liquid pectin. Return to a vigorous boil. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the bubbles look thick. Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard.

Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.


Makes three (half-pint) jars