One of the best parts of summer is the abundance of incredible fruit. If you’re lucky enough to be inundated with enough berries, peaches, or melons that you just don’t know what to do with them all, set some of your haul aside for later with these recipes for jams, jellies, preserves, compotes, chutneys, condiments (fruit ketchups!), and more. Some of these recipes will keep your fruit good for a few extra weeks, but others can be canned and stored to recall summer well into the cooler seasons.
Homemade jams and jellies are infinitely better than the too-sweet, preservative-packed stuff you find in stores. During summer harvest season, make big batches and can them. They’ll last until summer comes again—unless you eat them first. Rhubarb and strawberries are a great summery pairing. The tartness of the rhubarb and sweetness of the strawberries balance each other perfectly. Blueberries make great jam, too—kick up the acidity with lemon juice and add some depth with thyme. Enjoy the flavor of summer fruit all year long with these jam, jelly, and preserve recipes.
The elusive Italian plum makes a luscious, ruby-colored jam. Get the recipe for Italian Plum Jam
Italian plums on their way to becoming plumbrillo, a riff on the quince paste known as membrillo. Get the recipe for Plum Paste (Plumbrillo)
Angelica, the herb used as a main flavoring component of Chartreuse, adds a distinct anise aroma and flavor to this sweet-and-tart rhubarb jam. Get the recipe for Rhubarb and Angelica Jam »
Jalapeños, red bell peppers, poblanos, and serrano chiles come together in this spicy-sweet jelly from Elizabeth Stark, the blogger behind Brooklyn Supper. It’s perfect paired with rich meats, spread on sandwiches, or served on a cheese-and-cracker spread. Get the recipe for Four Pepper Jelly »
Like apple butter, melons can be cooked down to a jammy, spreadable condiment, as in this recipe from chef Silvia Baldini of Strawberry and Sage. Spread it on toast tomorrow morning or save it (via proper canning technique) for a pork chop in the dead of winter.
Preserve summery tomatoes and nectarines with this chunky, vinegary chutney from cookbook author Cathy Barrow. It’s the perfect preserve to serve with a sturdy cheese and crisp crackers.
Chef Hugh Acheson gave us the recipe for this simple, savory jam, featured in his cookbook The Broad Fork. It’s perfect for serving with shaved pork loin or steak and eggs, or simply spooned on toast. Get the recipe for Hugh Acheson’s Ramp Jam »
Boiling garlic with apples yields this mild, sweet British condiment. Its honeylike consistency makes it perfect for drizzling over roast lamb.
Slow-cooked rhubarb takes on a jammy texture
Cooking the rhubarb quickly is the secret to this compote from pastry chef Michael Laiskonis. By peeling the rhubarb before dicing and tossing it into a hot sugar syrup, he minimizes the cook time, preserving the rhubarb’s bright flavor. Get the recipe for Rhubarb Compote »
Blueberries are great candidates for jam-making because of their high level of pectin—preserve them at the height of summer and enjoy their flavor year-round.
Savory-sweet ketchup is a great way to use soft, less-than-perfect cherries—it makes a great stand-in for barbecue sauce in just about any application. If their season has already passed, frozen cherries work just as well.
Sweet and smoky blueberry chipotle ketchup makes a perfect addition to all manner of grilled foods; it’s great in place of barbecue sauce on chicken legs and meaty portobello mushrooms.
Rhubarb, a reddish pink vegetable that grows in celery-like stalks and is harvested through the late summer, has a pleasing tartness, so it pairs well with sweet strawberries in a jam.
