Rustic Quince Jam
I don’t want to be all bottled up. Eat me fresh! [Photo credit: Alex Paternostro]
by Seth Paternostro
November 20, 2021
Picture your favorite ass, then combine that with a horse. The result is a hinny or a mule, if you prefer. Now, imagine merging the spirit of an apple with that of a pear. What might “appear” in your mind is probably a squat fruit with light-colored flesh. Like any backasswards offspring, a quince needs time to fully mature. While the little fruit will grow bored of a stable life and want to roam free, a sugar cube or two will help when it gets heated.
Makes 1 cup
Total time
1 hour, plus cooling
Equipment:
cutting board, chef’s knife or cleaver, small pot, measuring cups and spoons, wooden stirring spoon, tasting spoon, bench scraper, box grater, microplane
Tableware:
medium bowl or jar
Ingredients
2 large quinces
2½ cups water, plus as needed
¼ cup lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
2 tsps lemon zest
1½ cups sugar
Kosher salt, as needed
Instructions
Set out all equipment, tableware, and ingredients. Rinse the quinces.
Mix the water and lemon juice in a small pot off heat.
Grate the quinces, working around the hard cores. Immediately immerse the grated fruit in the lemon water to avoid discoloration.
Add the lemon zest to the pot, and stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until very soft, stirring occasionally.
Add the sugar and a pinch of salt, then stir to dissolve.
Return to a boil, and cook over medium until the consistency of a thick jam, stirring frequently. The mixture should change in color to a subtle pink.
Taste, adjust with more lemon juice if desired, and turn off the stove.
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Grab a spoon, and enjoy this sweet spread!
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 177 Total Fat 0g (0%) Saturated Fat 0g (0%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 8mg (0%) Total Carbohydrate 47.2 (17%) Dietary Fiber 0.2g (1%) Total Sugars 46.1g Protein 0g Vitamin D 0mcg (0%) Calcium 1mg (0%) Iron 0mg (0%) Potassium 0mg (0%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
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