My Welcome to Maine Fall Pumpkin Jam

Submitted by Hajar Elizabeth

"This recipe is for canning. I adore anything to do with pumpkin sweet or savory. Pumpkin soup, puree, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cakes and breads. This is all about New England and what a Maine fall is to me. I prefer the smaller "sugar pumpkins" or the "milk/cheese pumpkin" which has a white-ish peel. I do recommend using the fresh pumpkin. You can do anything with this from spreading on toast to replacing canned pumpkin in sweet recipes. Try on a hot scone,Mmm!"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 40mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 8 8oz Jar
• Serves: 128

ingredients

• 5 lbs fresh pumpkin or 5 lbs canned pumpkin
• 1 lb dried apricot
• 1 lb seedless raisin
• 2 1⁄2 lbs sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

directions

1. If using fresh pumpkin, peel, remove seeds, cut into 2-3" chunks and place in large pot with enough water to prevent scorching. I use approximately 1/2 cup of water.
2. When soft, mash and sieve pumpkin to make a puree of the pumpkin.
3. If watery, gently simmer to evaporate much of this water. Add sugar and allow to stand for 12 hours. Cut apricots into eighths, approximately the size of your raisins.
4. Add raisins, apricots lemon juice, and spices to pumpkin which has stood with sugar.
5. Cook slowly on medium heat until the mixture is thickened. Seal, and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

Reviews

[Rookie with a few B]

I've heard nothing but compliments on this -- thanks for sharing. Didn't know how to sieve, but I took everything but the fruit and tossed it in the blender. Also let the sugar/pumpkin mix sit in spices overnight. It's been my experience that I always like pumkin recipes better after they've sat in spices several hours. Some indedient modifications: I used only half the fuit it called for, and replaced raisins with our local dried cherries. Was plenty of fruit. Also used brown sugar -- not white. And I just did my own blend of spices, instead of a prepackaged mix.