Cantaloupe Jam With Pectin Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/14/21
cantaloupe jam

Getty Images / AD077 

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 96 servings
Yield: 6 cups

 This attractive cantaloupe jam is an easy and nearly foolproof jam made with two pouches of liquid pectin. This is a delicious summer jam, perfect with buttermilk biscuits or scones.

Use firm, ripe melons, but they shouldn't be over-ripe or excessively sweet.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Wash six 8-ounce jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water; rinse well.

  3. Fill a large canning kettle with water; place the jars in the rack. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat and keep the jars hot while you prepare the jam.

  4. Put the flat lids in a saucepan; cover with water and then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Keep them hot, but do not boil.

  5. Have the clean bands near the work area.

  6. Cut the cantaloupe in half and remove seeds. Remove the outer peel and dice the cantaloupe. Put the diced cantaloupe in a large stockpot and crush; drain off some of the excess juices and measure 3 cups of crushed cantaloupe.

  7. Transfer the 3 cups of crushed cantaloupe to a large stockpot. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and butter.

  8. Place the pot over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches a full rolling boil. Stir in all of the liquid pectin at once. Bring the mixture back to a full boil and continue boiling, stirring constantly, for one minute.

  9. Remove the pan from the heat and skim off foam with a large spoon. Let stand for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the fruit from sinking.

  10. Ladle the jam into the hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp paper towel or cloth. Cover with lids and then screw on the bands. Don't screw them on too tightly. They should be just finger-tip tight.

  11. Place the filled jars back in the rack in the kettle. Add more hot water, if necessary, to bring it at least 1 inch over the jars.

  12. Bring the water to a gentle, or slow boil (about 200° F/93.3° C). Once the water begins to boil, you must cover the pot and process for 10 minutes. If using pint jars, 15 minutes.

  13. Turn off heat, remove the cover of the kettle, and let the jars stand in the water for 5 minutes. Using the canning jar tongs, carefully remove the jars to a rack or heavy towel to cool. Don't tilt, turn, or dry the jars, and don't disturb the lids or tighten bands. 

  14. After about 24 hours, check for seals and remove bands.

How to Store and Freeze

Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within a week to 10 days. Alternatively, you can reprocess unsealed jars within 24 hours following the instructions above with new lids and new jars, if necessary. Or freeze the unsealed jam. Use freezer containers, leaving about 1 inch of headspace or adjust the headspace to 1 1/2 inches if using standard canning jars. The jam will expand when frozen.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
26 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 96
Amount per serving
Calories 26
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 27mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)