Pumpkin & Ginger Jam tastes more like marmalade than jam due to the crystallised ginger and lemon but there is also the subtle sweetness of pumpkin shining through.
This is the perfect breakfast preserve and a great way to use up leftover Halloween pumpkin (Jack-o’-lantern).
Pumpkin & Ginger Jam has been a labour of love (if you follow me on Facebook and Instagram you’ll already know this)!
I have never made jam out of a vegetable before. So with Halloween just around the corner, I felt I had to devise a recipe to use up leftover Halloween pumpkin (Jack-o’-lantern). After all, we all need to cut down on food waste.
Did you know that 51% of Brits throw away their Halloween pumpkins according to a recent article in The Guardian?
After a false start where I soaked my jam ingredients for 24 hrs rather than overnight and ended up with shrivelled, dehydrated pumpkin, I decided to abandon the whole soaking idea on my second attempt.
Luckily, I managed to salvage the first attempt with my trusty stick blender.
Further research churned up recipes where reviews complained of hard pumpkin so I decided that cooking the pumpkin first was the best course of action!
Hence, it’s important to cook your pumpkin until it squashes easily with the side of a wooden spoon. It’s then mashed (or for a smoother jam you can use a stick blender).
What’s the best way to prepare pumpkin?
If you want to involve your kids then slicing the pumpkin into narrow wedges and using a vegetable peeler is a good option.
However, I discovered that the quickest way to prepare the pumpkin was to slice it into wedges and then slice along the line of skin as if preparing a melon.
Then chop the slices into small pieces (too small is better than too big).
What does Pumpkin & Ginger Jam taste like?
Pumpkin & Ginger Jam is more like a marmalade than a jam in flavour due to the lemon and crystallised ginger but you can taste the sweetness of the pumpkin shining through.
Therefore, I’d say this is the perfect jam to have for breakfast.
Is Pumpkin & Ginger Jam easy to make?
Yes, there are just 4 ingredients and no pectin.
Once the pumpkin has boiled you simply drain, add the lemon quarters, crystallised ginger and sugar and heat through until dissolved.
Then you bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, test on a chilled saucer and pot up if ready.
How long will the Pumpkin & Ginger Jam keep for and how should it be stored?
I’m always asked how long jam will keep and the usual answer I give is that it’s best eaten in the first year and should be stored in a cool, dark place (I keep mine in a cupboard in my garage).
However, jam can last for years as the sugar acts as a preservative and this Pumpkin and Ginger Jam will be no different.
Once opened jam should be stored in the fridge and will keep for about 3 months providing you use a clean spoon to serve (no dirty buttery knives kids)!
Is it OK to use a Halloween pumpkin (Jack-o’-lantern) that has had a candle burning in it?
No, you don’t want to use a pumpkin that’s had a candle burning in it as it will taint the flavour.
It’s best to use an electric tealight to light up your pumpkin and it’s also a lot safer for your trick-or-treaters!
I’ll never forget the year when my daughter got far too close to a neighbour’s lit pumpkin and I quickly pulled her away.
There are too many stories of kids being injured when their costumes catch light.
What other recipes can leftover Halloween pumpkin be used in?
Here are some delicious recipes to use up your leftover pumpkin!
- Curried Pumpkin Soup
- Easy Pumpkin Pie Pudding
- The Best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe (boil & roast method)
- The Best Pumpkin Risotto
- Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta Bake
- Slimming World Syn Free Spiced Lamb & Pumpkin Shepherd’s Pie
- Cheesy Pumpkin Dip
- Roast Pumpkin Hummus
- Pumpkin Butter
- Pumpkin and Spice Dark Chocolate Bark
- Pumpkin Fruit Cake
After an initial reluctance to try my Pumpkin & Ginger Jam my hubby gave it a huge thumbs up and encouraged me to see this recipe through to its successful conclusion!
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Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Pumpkin & Ginger Jam
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin mine weighed 1.4 kg with some left over
- 1 kg (5 cups) granulated sugar
- 75 g (1/2 generous cup pre chopping) crystallised ginger very finely diced
- 2 small lemons quartered (remove any loose pips)
Instructions
- Before you start place 2 saucers in the freezer (for testing the set) and sterilise jars as per notes below.
- Prepare the pumpkin by cutting into quarters and scraping out the seeds.
- Then slice into wedges and either peel or slice off the skin like you would prepare a melon. (I found the latter method far quicker).
- Chop the pumpkin flesh into 1 – 2 cm pieces and weigh out 1 kg (8 cups).
- Place pumpkin in a preserving pan or similar and just cover with boiling water.
- Bring to the boil and boil under a lid for 20 – 25 mins or until the pumpkin is easily squashed with a wooden spoon.
- Drain and then mash with a potato masher (or blend if you prefer a smooth jam).
- Add the lemon quarters, crystallised ginger and sugar.
- Place on a low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved (do not simmer).
- Turn up the heat and bring to a rolling boil (it won’t froth up like jam usually does).
- Time for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Then remove from heat and place a few drops on a chilled saucer.
- Place saucer in the fridge for 30 seconds.
- Push you finger through the jam and if it forms a crinkle and is tacky then it’s ready, if not continue boiling for 2 minutes at a time and repeat test.
- Squeeze the juice out of the lemon quarters with a wooden spoon and then remove from the pan (remove any escaped seeds too).
- Pot up into hot sterilised jars (makes just over 1 ltr which is 2 large jars plus a bit for tasting).
- Place lids on immediately.
- Ready to eat when cool although the flavours will mature on keeping.
- Store in a cool dark place and once opened keep in fridge and eat within 2 – 3 months.
Chel
Do I use the peel of the lemon too?
Camilla
Hi Chel, I’m not sure what you mean. The lemon quarters are added and then removed at the end as per instructions and there’s also a video in the recipe card of all the steps.
Pat wagar
Can this jam be canned and if so how long please. Thank you. Pat
Camilla
Hi Pat, I’m afraid I have zero knowledge of canning as it’s not something we need to do to jam in the UK. So I imagine you can can this and from speaking with other US jam makers they have told me that people should follow the instructions that come with their jars.
Julie
Hi, I’m looking forward to making this! I was wondering if you could roast the pumpkin in the oven instead of boiling it down?
Camilla
Hi Julie, I think roasting would make the pumpkin flesh more like puree so wouldn’t be advisable.
Angie B.
Is it possible to use canned pumpkin in this recipe?
Camilla
Hi Angie, I’m afraid I don’t know, canned pumpkin is not common in the UK so it’s not something I’ve ever bought but I imagine it’s already cooked so not sure how it would tie in with my raw pumpkin recipe.
Alison
Can this be water bath canned?
Camilla
Hi, we don’t water bath can jam in Europe as it’s not needed to be safe or shelf stable here but I would imagine that any jam can be water bath canned, I just couldn’t tell you how I’m afraid. If it was me I’d look at a similar canned recipe and adapt.
Marie Sacca
can you use canned pumpkin
Camilla
Hi Marie, I wouldn’t have thought so as canned pumpkin is nothing like fresh pumpkin, you’d have no texture You could make Pumpkin Curd with canned pumpkin I’m sure by adapting say my Blackberry Curd Recipe!
jan
Could butternut squash or marrow be used, do you think, instead of pumpkin, or wouldn’t there be enough flavour?
Camilla
Hi Jan, the inspiration for this recipe was from Marrow Jam but from memory you didn’t pre boil the marrow, that’s a step I had to add because otherwise the pumpkin turned to tough nuggets without pre boiling. You could try using butternut squash as it’s similar to pumpkin but having never tried I can’t say what it would be like.
Irene
Made this yesterday. It is gorgeous. It’s gone into my favourite recipe book.
Camilla
Thank you Irene, that’s wonderful to hear:-)
POOJA DOSHI
Hey! Wonderful recipe. What is crystallised ginger? Can I use regular ginger or fresh ginger juice instead?
Camilla
Hi Pooja, it’s candied ginger, you can see it in the video. You can use regular ginger but I wouldn’t know the quantities so cross reference with another recipe that uses fresh ginger.
Alica
This sounds utterly delicious! I must give it a go!
Camilla
Thanks, it’s so good:-)
Sonia
Oh wow.. pumpkin jam!! Never heard or had it.. but I love pumpkin and I am definitely going to make this!! So excited
Camilla
Excellent Sonia, I’m sure you’ll love it:-)
Chrissy
Can you use stem ginger in syrup?
Camilla
I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not.
Jacqueline Meldrum
That looks amazing Camilla. I am continually wowed by your jam recipes. Sharing this now.
Camilla
Thank you so much Jacs:-)
Annissa
Great idea for using pumpkin in jam recipe. The perfect jam for this fall season!
Camilla
Thanks Annissa, it really is an amazing jam:-)
Adriana Lopez Martin
Never had pumpkin jam I bet it is good looks perfection on your pictures I need to give it a try. Like the fact it has ginger great addition.
Camilla
Thank you Adriana, I’m sure you’ll love it:-)
Lauren Vavala | Delicious Little Bites
What a great idea! I never would have thought to make jam – my kids will love it too!
Camilla
Thanks Lauren, I wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s totally delicious:-)
Choclette
Ooh how clever is that? That jam sounds wonderful and as for your photos – spectacular. Love the shining orange lit up against the dark background. I used to regularly make marrow and ginger jam, which was good, but the colour of this is so much better.
Camilla
Thank you so much Choclette, funnily enough it was a marrow and ginger jam that inspired this jam in the first place:-)
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
I’m so intrigued by the flavour of this I would love to try it!
Camilla
Thanks Kat, it’s so good:-)
Ceri Jones
Very topical for today. I noticed there was a lot of pumpkin jams in the markets in Portugal (Algarve) earlier in the month. I tried one and it was delish. Great recipe Camilla, and the pics too!
Camilla
Thanks Ceri, yes someone else mentioned they’d had pumpkin jam in Portugal and loved it. I’d assumed it was an American thing!
Karly
Delish! I’m excited about trying this! Thanks!
Camilla
Thank you Karly, do let me know how you get on:-)
Janice
This looks wonderful, I loved following your journey to creating this recipe and the ultimate success! Happy Halloween.
Camilla
Thank you Janice, yes it was certainly a journey with a bit of a bumpy road but the destination was worth the hiccups:-)
Elizabeth
What an absolutely clever way to use up that Halloween pumpkin! Genius, this! I’ll be trying this myself when I get more pumpkin in this weeks’ veg box.
Camilla
Thank you Elizabeth, pumpkins are so versatile:-)
Kate Hackworthy
I absolutely LOVE the sound of this jam! Great pix too.
Camilla
Thank you Katherine:-)
Kavita Favelle
What a clever way to use pumpkin, definitely agree with you that it’s best to use rather than waste! Ginger sounds like the perfect flavour partner too.
Camilla
Thanks Kavey, yes it’s shocking how many pumpkins go to waste each year!
Emma
I would never have thought of using pumpkin in jam. Great recipe!!!
Camilla
Thank you Emma, it works so well:-)