Preserve the Season with Our 13 Favorite Jam and Jelly Recipes

Enjoy that perfect produce all year long.

By SAVEUR Editors | Published Aug 24, 2021 11:20 PM

Food

Matt Taylor-Gross

Though one of the best parts of summer is the abundance of incredible fruits and vegetables, sometimes those blessings are just too much. Whether your backyard bramble drops more berries than you can eat or you just can’t resist overdoing it at the farmer’s market, it’s tough to decide what to do with this sweet seasonal harvest. That’s when to let your inner prepper out. Winter is coming, and you’re going to miss the dizzying heights of peak-season produce. The best way to preserve it all? Jams and jellies.

Roll up your sleeves, throw on an apron, and grab as many jars as you can carry. Simple fruit preserves will keep your market haul good for a few extra weeks in the fridge (or several months in the freezer), or try your hand at our streamlined canning method to stock your larder for the snowy season ahead.

Homemade jams and jellies are infinitely better than the overly sweet, preservative-packed stuff you find in conventional grocery stores, and they allow for plenty of creative customization too. Rhubarb and strawberries are a lovely early summer pairing, while blueberries, enhanced with a squeeze of lemon juice and a few sprigs of thyme, make for an elegant, late-season conserve. No matter which ingredients you start with, seek out the ripest specimens you can find so you can enjoy that fresh-from-the-market flavor all year long.

Plum and Raspberry Jam

This recipe, which can be adjusted to feature a variety of different fruits, is adapted from the basic jam recipe in Camilla Wynne’s book Jam Bake: Inspired Recipes for Creating and Baking with Preserves. Get the recipe for Plum and Raspberry Jam »

Rock ‘N’ Rye Peach Jam

Cookbook author Cathy Barrow adds rye whiskey and cardamom to this peach jam, giving it a slightly spicy, complex depth. Get the recipe for Rock ‘N’ Rye Peach Jam »

Italian Plum Jam

The elusive Italian plum makes a luscious, ruby-colored jam. Get the recipe for Italian Plum Jam »

Plum Paste (Plumbrillo)

Italian plums on their way to becoming plumbrillo, a riff on the quince paste known as membrillo. Get the recipe for Plum Paste (Plumbrillo) »

Rhubarb and Angelica Jam

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 »

Four Pepper Jelly

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 »

Melon Butter

Like apple butter, melons can be cooked down to a jammy, spreadable condiment, as in this recipe from chef Silvia Baldini of Stra w berry and Sage. Spread it on toast tomorrow morning or save it (via proper canning technique) for a pork chop in the dead of winter. Get the recipe for Melon Butter »

Hugh Acheson’s Ramp Jam

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 »

Rhubarb-Rose Oven Jam

Rhubarb Jam — *Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross*

For an easy, splatter-free jam, make it in the oven. This version adds floral flavors to sweet-tart rhubarb with vanilla bean and rosewater (we recommend Carlo for its fresh flavor). Get the recipe for Rhubarb-Rose Oven Jam »

Rhubarb Compote

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 »