The Best Homemade Pumpkin Jam Recipe (Confiture de Citrouille)
My great grandmother’s recipe for this simple pumpkin jam is definitely worth trying. The mild flavor of the pumpkin is enhanced with , lemon peel, cinnamon stickrum, and sugar, to make the best jam! You will not regret trying this delicious pumpkin recipe.
Leftover Halloween Pumpkins
The cool, crisp air of the fall season is here, and so are the pumpkins! You might be wondering what will become all of those Halloween pumpkins that you bought for decoration. Some people make pumpkin pies, or roast the seeds, but, I’ve got another idea….delicious pumpkin jam!
My mom gave me this recipe, just a few weeks ago. She told me how much she enjoyed it, when her grandmother made it for her. It is a great way to cut down down on food waste, and to use up all of the pumpkins that I’ve collected over the past few weeks!
What Kind Of Pumpkin Works Best?
Fresh pumpkin flesh works best for this recipe. Any variety will do.
Here, I used organic pumpkins that we bought from the kids’ school pumpkin patch.
My great grandmother made this pumpkin jam recipe using “potirons.” They are similar to pumpkins, but slightly sweeter. Talk in French has a great post on the difference between the two, if you are interested!I know that potirons are not as readily available in the United States. But, don’t worry, you can certainly make this with a regular citrouille (pumpkin). In fact, on the top of the recipe, my great grandmother wrote, “potiron ou citrouille”!
If you are able to read French, you can see from her recipe that there are a couple of details that are missing. No problem. I took some notes when I made it myself, and I will include the missing information in these step-by-step instructions.
Preparing The Pumpkin
You will need to prepare your whole pumpkin for use in this recipe. We only want to use the pumpkin flesh. So, first, you will have to peel the skin off of your pumpkin. I found that the easiest way to do this is to set your pumpkin on its base, on top of a cutting board. Using a large kitchen knife, start cutting the thin layer of skin away. Start at the top of the pumpkin, near the stem, and work your way down towards the base. Keep doing this process all around your pumpkin, until it is completely skinned.
Next, cut your pumpkin in half, and with the flat side down, cut off the stem. Flip it over, and scoop all of the seeds out with a spoon, until it is completely cleaned. Now, it is time to cut your pumpkin up into 1-inch cubes.
Place the flat side of the pumpkin half down on the cutting board, and cut 1- inch strips in the flesh, working from top to bottom, and left to right. Turn your cutting board 90 degrees, and repeat the process. You will be left with 1-inch cubes that are ready for cooking!
Measuring Ingredients For The Pumpkin Jam
The best way to measure out the small pieces of the pumpkin flesh is by using a kitchen scale. You will notice on the recipe card that I have the weight measured out in kilograms, because it is a French recipe, after all. If your kitchen scale does not toggle between kilograms and pounds, then, you can adjust the weight to approximately 4.4 pounds. The same is true for the granulated sugar. One and a half kilos is equal to 3.3 pounds.
The rest of the ingredients are self explanatory as they are measured in units. Zest from two lemons, one vanilla bean, two cinnamon sticks, and 3 tablespoons of rum.
Cooking The Pumpkin Jam
You will need a large pot in order to fit all of the pumpkin pieces along with the sugar and water. You will start with these three ingredients, and simmer them over medium-low heat for one hour. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, periodically. After one hour of simmering has passed, it is time to add the lemon peel, cinnamon, rum, and vanilla bean. Increase the temperature to medium heat, until the mixture reaches a rolling boil. Don’t forget to stir it occasionally, while scraping away any jam that sticks to the side of the pot.
Homemade Pumkin Jam (Confiture de Citrouille)
Equipment
- Large Pot
- 6, 13 oz. sterile canning jars
- Kitchen scale
- 1 Regular spoon placed in the freezer
- 1 Wooden spoon optional
Ingredients
- 2 kg pumpkin flesh diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1.5 kg granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1 vanilla bean sliced down the middle
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 tbsp Meyer's dark rum Any dark rum will work
Instructions
- Place an everyday spoon into the freezer for later.
- Place the diced pumpkin flesh, granulated sugar, and water in a pot.
- Simmer over medium heat for one hour, stirring occasionally.
- At the end of the first hour, add the lemon zest, vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and rum, to the mixture. Stir until incorporated.
- Cook over medium heat for an additional hour, stirring occasionally, and scraping the sides of the pot so that the jam does not stick.
- When you are nearing the end of the full 2 hours, test for doneness. Spoon out a small amount of jam, and drop it onto a separate, frozen spoon and allow it cool. Wipe your finger through the cooled jam. It is ready when it does not run back together after being wiped.
- When the jam is done, remove the cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean, and place the jam into jars.
- Allow the jars of jam to cool to room temperature before putting them away. They can be stored in your pantry for up to 2 years. Refrigerate after opening.
Checking For Doneness
There are a few methods for checking to see if the pumpkin jam is ready.
The first method is checking the temperature with a candy thermometer. When the mixture reaches a temperature of 220 degrees Fahrenheit, it is at its setting point.
Another method is to use the drop test. To use this method, take a teaspoon of jam from the pot, and allow it to air cool before dropping it into glass filled with water. If the drop of jam touches the bottom of glass without disintegrating, jam is considered to be ready.
The method that I was taught by my mom, is to test on the back of a frozen spoon. For this method, quickly dip a frozen spoon into the jam mixture, and remove immediately. The cold temperature of the spoon will cause the jam to cool quickly. Then, wipe your finger through the jam. If it stays put, and does not flow back together, then it is ready.
Canning the Pumpkin Jam
It is important to use sterilized jam jars for canning. I won’t go into detail on how to do it here. That is for another day. For reference, you can check out these step-by-step instructions from the Food Network.
I really like using these jam jars from Le Parfait. They have a sealing lid, not to mention that they are really cute!
Once your pumpkin jam is finished cooking, very carefully pour the hot jam into a sterile glass jar. Fill the jar to the top, and immediately place the lid on the jar, while the jam is still hot. Wait for the jam to reach room temperature before storing in a cool, dark place, like your pantry. These jars of pumpkin jam can last up to 2 years in the pantry, if they stick around that long! Just remember to refrigerate the jar of jam after opening.
Ways to Enjoy Your Delicious Pumpkin Jam
This the perfect jam for spreading on top of a toasted baguette or croissant for a French breakfast, or even spread over crêpes for Le goûter!
Jars of jam also make the perfect gift. Think hostess gift for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
This is such an easy recipe, and I hope that this gives you an additional idea of how to use that leftover Halloween pumpkin. But, you don’t have to use left over decorations. Don’t be shy about going out and getting one specifically for this recipe. Give it a try! It is really delicious jam.
I hope you enjoy this jam as much as my family has.
Bon Appetit!
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