Watermelon jam is tasty, healthy, unusual, and most importantly, extremely simple. If you have never tried to cook it, then this summer you simply must not miss the watermelon season. If you have already tried to prepare such a dish, we will help you diversify the recipe.
After reading, you will learn how to make thick jam, like jam, with gelatin, jam from watermelon rinds, with mint, citrus fruits, rosemary and spices. It is almost impossible to spoil watermelon jam if you follow all the advice we give in the article.
The easiest and fastest way to make watermelon jam
Some housewives do not undertake to prepare watermelon jam, thinking that it is difficult. But they are deeply mistaken. Preparing a delicacy is not difficult, the main thing is to follow the sequence of actions and the given recommendations.
You will need:
- watermelon rinds – 800 g;
- vanilla – 2 g;
- sugar – 600 g.
Preparation:
Peel the watermelon rinds from rough skins. Cut randomly into cubes, strips, slices.
Add the specified amount of granulated sugar, mix, leave for 2-3 hours. During this time, the crusts will release juice.
After the time has passed, heat the watermelon mass and cook for half an hour, stirring occasionally. The jam should not boil too much. Do not forget to periodically remove the foam that appears on the surface.
After half an hour, pour in 150 ml of water, add vanilla and cook for another half hour. The cooking time can be changed, choose the consistency you need. Remember that hot jam is a little thinner. It will become thicker as it cools. Cool the jam before serving.
If you are preparing jam for the winter, place it hot in a sterilized dry container and close it tightly.
Possible harm and side effects
The main disadvantage of jam is the abundance of sugar. Today, enough is known about the dangers of sucrose, and nutritionists call carbohydrate the main poison of our time. The effect of sugar on the body is even compared to a drug. As soon as the substance is ingested, the body responds by producing a huge portion of dopamine. This is a hormone that is responsible for the pleasure centers. Our brain remembers this sequence and in the future looks for the easiest way to get this pleasure - to eat a product that contains the most sugar. This is why it is so difficult to stop at one square of chocolate or limit yourself to two spoons of watermelon jam.
In addition to psychological dependence, the product leads to:
- uncontrolled hunger, overeating, obesity;
- internal inflammatory processes;
- development/worsening of acne;
- deterioration in the functionality of the heart, blood vessels, metabolism, and other organs and systems;
- destruction of tooth enamel;
- decreased protective functions of the immune system;
- noticeable external changes - sagging skin, decreased firmness/elasticity, early aging.
How to avoid this? Replace white sugar with healthier alternatives. For example, maple or coconut sugar is identical in structure to refined sugar, but their taste and composition are significantly different. The main thing is to choose a high-quality product without any cane sugar in the composition. If you value the taste of classic watermelon jam, then try to balance your diet so that the body “does not notice” the destructive effects of carbohydrates.
You can afford to eat orange jam every day. The main thing is that sweets make up only 10-20% of your diet. The remaining 80-90% should be allocated to quality grains, legumes, meats, fruits, vegetables, clean water and superfoods. With this ratio of products, you will be able to satisfy the psychological need for desserts, avoiding problems with skin, weight and health.
Watermelon rind jam with vanilla and lemon
Vanilla gives watermelon jam a characteristic aroma, and lemon juice gives it a pleasant sourness and citrus aroma. If desired, you can add the juice of half an orange.
You will need:
- watermelon rinds – 1 kg;
- sugar – 800 g;
- vanilla sugar – 15 g;
- lemon - half;
- water – 1-1.2 l;
- soda – 10 g.
Preparation:
Remove rough skin from washed watermelon rinds. Cut the pieces into any shape and size.
Dissolve soda in water, place the cut pieces in it, and leave for 3-4 hours. They will become softer. Rinse with clean water.
Add the specified amount of sugar and stir. After 2 hours, heat and boil for a quarter of an hour, remove the resulting foam. Leave for 4 hours, let the pieces soak in the syrup.
Boil for 20-25 minutes, add vanilla sugar, add lemon juice.
Boil for another 10 minutes. Place the prepared watermelon jam into sterilized containers and close tightly.
general characteristics
We are used to eating fresh watermelon or making soft drinks based on it. But the classic scheme for jam “50% sugar + 50% fruit/berries” works flawlessly with any product. Both the pulp and the rind of the watermelon are used for preparation. The taste and structure of the finished dish depend on the main component. If you choose pulp, you will get classic viscous jam with a uniform consistency. If we take watermelon rinds as a basis, we get dense, barely crispy cubes in a sweet fruit syrup.
Content:
- general characteristics
- Useful properties of the dish
- Chemical composition of the food component
- Possible harm and side effects
- Use in cooking
- Use in folk medicine
Preparing a dessert from the pulp does not require much effort. You can boil it for a long time or use the “five-minute” method, fill it with syrup and immediately roll it into a jar. Crust jam requires effort, time and patience. To soften the structure, the peels are soaked for a long time in a solution of soda and plain water. Soaking does not affect the taste, but it makes it easy to bite through the crust without ruining your teeth or making Herculean efforts.
Most often, lemon or citrus zest is added to watermelon jam. The ingredient adds a special touch to the finished dessert and colors it in a unique shade from rich gold to translucent. The finished jam exudes a bright berry aroma and tastes like a sweet, thickened watermelon cocktail.
How to make jam from watermelon rinds for the winter
This watermelon jam will be a great addition to morning toast, sandwiches, and pancakes. If desired, you can add kiwi, pineapple, peach and other fruits to it.
You will need:
- orange;
- lemon;
- peels – 1 kg;
- water – 200 ml;
- sugar – 1 kg.
Preparation:
Trim the rough rind off the watermelon. Cut them into cubes. Grind the cubes using a blender or meat grinder. You can use a grater.
Prepare sugar syrup: mix water with granulated sugar and boil. Place the watermelon mixture into the syrup and stir. Cook for 30 minutes.
Wash the orange and lemon thoroughly. If the surface of the citrus fruit is ribbed, use a brush. Grate the top of the orange and lemon peel. Add the zest to the watermelon mixture and pour in the juice of half a lemon.
Mix everything and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Place in dry, sterilized containers. Close tightly.
Watermelon question
A very interesting situation has developed with this plant. Until now, scientists have not decided whether to classify watermelon as a berry or a fruit. In recipe books, it is also not clear in which section to look for the cooking method you like. But in this case, the people's ingenuity put the scientific approach on both shoulders, ingenuously calling the watermelon a “melon crop.” At this point, the dispute at the everyday level was over, and recipes for winter preparations were scattered in the sections of pickles, marinades and sweet desserts.
The taste properties of watermelon depend on the region of cultivation. The culture requires a large space, since its vines are creeping, reaching 4 m. Light yellow flowers are formed on them, then ovaries. In order for the fruits to be large, only a portion is left, no more than 8–10 pieces per plant, the rest are removed.
The ancestor is considered to be the tsamma melon, growing in South Africa. Mentions of culture are found in Ancient Egypt as a source of water, food and medicine. Based on the wild species, many varieties and hybrids have been bred, differing in shape, size, taste and ripening time. Many of them are acclimatized to the central and northern regions.
Covering the fragrant watermelon jam with cloves
The finished dessert has a spicy taste. If desired, you can add cardamom, cinnamon, star anise. Then, already during the cooking process, the kitchen is filled with a pleasant oriental aroma of cinnamon and spices. Ginger will add a special taste and aroma. The root must be peeled, grated and added with lemon juice directly to the watermelon jam.
You will need:
- peels – 1-1.2 kg;
- water – 0.5 l;
- cloves – 10 inflorescences;
- lemon - one;
- sugar – 1 kg.
Preparation:
Remove the rough part of the crusts. Cut them into cubes. Fill with water so that the water level is level with the crusts, boil for an hour, periodically skim off any foam that appears.
Place in a colander and let all the liquid drain.
Pour sugar into 0.5 liters of liquid, stir and boil. You will get sugar syrup.
Place watermelon pieces into the syrup, add cloves and other spices as desired.
Cook the mixture for half an hour. Let the jam sit for 4-5 hours.
Remove cloves, cardamom and star anise (if added). Finding spices is not difficult, they float on top.
Boil the mixture, simmer for half an hour, add lemon juice, cook for another 5 minutes. Serve the jam after cooling. To prepare for the winter, place the hot mass in a sterilized container.
And now a little secret on how to make real marmalade that kids can enjoy:
- Catch pieces of crust from the jam and place in a colander to drain all the liquid.
- Place the pieces on a tray or wire rack, leave for 2-3 days, they will dry out a little.
- Roll the pieces in sugar or powdered sugar. You can use coconut shavings and sesame seeds.
How to cook using a multicooker
You can choose any set of ingredients to suit your taste, and cooking in a slow cooker will save time.
You need to do the following step by step:
- Pour sugar into the multicooker bowl, pour in water, and set the “Cook” mode for 5 minutes. Prepare syrup.
- Place the cut rinds and soaked in soda into the syrup. Set the “Simmer” mode for 1 hour.
- At the end of the mode, put the jam into the prepared container and close.
How to make jam from watermelon pulp with pieces
To ensure that the watermelon jam turns out in pieces and the pulp does not boil over, it must be periodically given time to steep in sugar syrup. The recipe uses citric acid, but it can be replaced with the juice of half a lemon.
You will need:
- watermelon pulp – 1 kg;
- citric acid – 2 g;
- sugar – 1 kg.
Preparation:
Remove the seeds from the pieces of pulp and cut into cubes.
Cover the watermelon with granulated sugar and let stand for 1-2 hours. Juice will come out.
Boil the watermelon mass and leave for 5-6 hours. The pieces will be saturated with sugar syrup. Then the liquid component of the jam is guaranteed to be transparent, and the pieces will retain their integrity.
Repeat boiling and settling 3-4 times.
Boil for the last time, add citric acid or lemon juice, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Close in a prepared, sterilized, dry container.
In a slow cooker
A slow cooker will help the housewife prepare delicious watermelon jam in just a couple of hours. The resulting workpiece will have a liquid consistency; it should be stored for no more than a couple of months.
You will need the following ingredients:
- watermelon pulp – 0.5 kg;
- sugar – 0.5 kg;
- citric acid 3-4 g.
Step by step recipe:
- Watermelon pulp, cut into pieces, is placed in a slow cooker and covered with sugar. The mass is left for 2 hours to release the juice.
- The delicacy should be cooked for 1 hour using the “Stew” mode. 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking, add citric acid.
- The finished mass is transferred into prepared sterilized jars, rolled up with lids, and placed upside down until completely cooled.
Watch the video! Watermelon rind jam in a slow cooker
Preparing confiture from watermelon pulp with agar-agar
This confiture is perfect for breakfast sandwiches; it can be served with pancakes and pancakes. If you use brown sugar, the finished dessert will have a caramel flavor.
You will need:
- ground cinnamon – 5 g;
- watermelon pulp – 1.5-1.7 kg;
- sugar – 1 kg;
- white wine (dry) – 250 ml;
- agar-agar – 8-10 g;
- lemon.
Preparation:
Cut off the rough rind of the watermelon and divide it into slices. Remove the seeds and cut into cubes.
Pour the wine into a separate container and soak the agar-agar in it. Add cinnamon there too.
Add granulated sugar to the watermelon pieces, stir gently and let stand for 1-2 hours. Boil the watermelon mixture. Be sure to skim off any foam that forms.
Pour wine with cinnamon and agar-agar into the watermelon mixture. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
- You may be interested in: Red currant jam. For the winter in jars without cooking. 8 simple recipes
Pour in the juice of one lemon, cook for another 15 minutes.
Place the resulting mass into clean, dry, sterilized containers and seal tightly.
Tips and tricks
Expert advice will be useful to both experienced housewives and those who are making watermelon jam for the first time:
- The watermelon must be clean. Even if you only use the pulp, rinse the vegetable well.
- Blanching watermelon rinds before cooking will soften them and remove bitterness.
- Watermelon goes best with any citrus fruits and spices, worst of all with raspberries and currants.
- Do not put jam that has just been removed from the stove into jars. It should cool slightly, but remain hot.
- Be sure to skim off any foam at any stage of cooking.
- When making jam from watermelon rinds, you can leave a small thin layer of red pulp for a beautiful color and sweeter taste.
- The amount of sugar should be equal to the amount of watermelon or exceed its weight by 0.5 kg.
Watermelon rind marmalade - video recipe
If you don't feel like eating watermelon jam or jam, you might like the option of making gummies from the rinds of the large berry. There are no chemicals, this marmalade can be given even to children, the main thing is not too much, because they are very sweet.
Watermelon rind jam will be a wonderful addition to a friendly tea party, especially on long winter evenings, and will create a warm, cozy atmosphere. All of the recipes presented above can be varied by adding fruits or berries. After all, this is how new culinary masterpieces are born.
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Selection and preparation of watermelons for making jam
Choose a medium-sized watermelon . If you cut it and see that the pulp is overripe and loose, then it’s better to make jam from watermelon rinds. In such berries, they are most amenable to cooking, quickly become soft, but do not become overcooked.
If the watermelon, on the contrary, turns out to be too unripe, then double the amount of sugar and do not add citrus fruits.
As for preparation, the watermelon just needs to be washed and dried with a towel . Both the pulp and the rinds are cut into small pieces.
Useful properties of watermelon
Almost any part of this melon culture is used. The pulp has a powerful diuretic, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic effect. Small portions of watermelon activate intestinal motility, eliminate constipation, and remove waste and toxins.
Regular introduction of fruits into the diet strengthens the immune system, maintains visual acuity, improves skin elasticity, and accelerates the breakdown of fats. Magnesium is useful for the female body at any age, maintaining metabolic rate, stabilizing the functioning of the nervous system, eliminating the prerequisites for seizures and contraction of smooth muscles, which is especially important during pregnancy.
Interesting:
Watermelon pulp contains a significant proportion of L-citrulline, which stabilizes the condition of blood vessels and prevents sudden surges in pressure.
Watermelon is valued for its ability to:
- suppress the development of cancer cells;
- neutralize the effects of oxidative processes;
- prevent premature aging;
- stimulate kidney function;
- restore microflora after long courses of drug treatment;
- improve liver function, reducing the load on it.
Men should not neglect the sweet pulp and try to replenish the body’s reserves with valuable amino acids during the season, which improve potency and increase sexual desire.
For women, seeds containing one and a half times the daily dose of magnesium are of great benefit. But juicy slices of pulp will also come in handy, reducing emotional stress, eliminating swelling, improving skin turgor and complexion.
Video:
what happens if you eat watermelon every day Expand
This kind of watermelon is just for the trash!
Do you think that watermelon is tasteless because it is unripe or picked at the wrong time, and taste is its only problem? But not always. My nephew’s wife, an infectious disease specialist, told me how people are often poisoned by watermelons pumped with chemicals. Even people are in intensive care. So these watermelons can be identified by taste. Although they are red, they are completely unsweetened, with large veins, watery, with a taste of acetone or something unpleasant, sour. It’s better not to cook anything with them, but to throw them away immediately (I don’t even recommend using them in a compost bin).
It goes without saying that all of the dishes listed can be prepared from ripe and juicy watermelon. It will turn out even tastier. But personally, I don't see the point in this. Sweet watermelon is simply ideal fresh, straight from the refrigerator, and in the heat... mmm. But the tasteless one is perfect for cooking.
