Lemon is a very healthy source of vitamin C, as well as a fruit that helps reduce blood pressure. It combines very well with other foods and you can make a delicious jam with it. The problem with lemon is that it is made up of a lot of water, and it is always difficult to make jams with fruits that have a high water content because they tend to remain liquid. This is not the case with the apple, for example, which has a large amount of pectin and will act as a thickener.
However, in this article, we give you the keys to making a thick lemon jam, creating the pectin with its own seeds and all in an easy and natural way. And as a result, we will get a homemade jam that will last for many months, made only with sugar and lemon. Let’s go for this interesting recipe to discover how to make lemon jam.
Ingredients to make homemade lemon jam:
- 1 kilogram of lemons
- 650 grams of sugar (3¼ cups)
- 1 pinch of salt
How to make homemade lemon jam:
- We are going to make our lemon jam three days in advance to try to take some of the bitterness out of the lemons.
- To do this, wash the lemons well, cut them in half and remove the seeds to place them on a clean cheesecloth.
- Tie the gauze tightly with the seeds, put it in a cup with water, cover it with plastic wrap and reserve the cup like this for three days in the fridge so that the seeds release the pectin and act as a thickener for the homemade jam.
- Part, in turn, half lemons in half, place them in a pot covered with water and let them rest for three days.
- Go changing the water twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
- After three days, remove the lemon pulp from the rind. Since they will be very soft, they will easily come off with your hands.
- Also collect the juice that is released when peeling the lemons.
- Take several lemon rinds and scrape them with a knife so that there are no white skins left, which are the most bitter.
- Cut the rind into thin strips to add to the lemon jam.
- It is very important that you weigh all the pulp and juice obtained, since that will be the amount of sugar you will need to make the lemon jam.
- As my pulp has weighed 650 g, it is the amount of sugar that I have put. So, place the lemon pulp, the juice it has released, the sugar, the stripped skins and a pinch of salt in a pot.
- Also take out the cup of water where you have reserved the seeds and add them, both the water and the seeds. Cook over low heat for an hour and a quarter, stirring occasionally. You will see that it is liquid, but do not worry, as it cools down it will thicken.
- At the end, remove the seeds and if you see any loose take it out too.
- You can crush the jam with the mixer, I leave that to your choice, in case you like it more with chunks or less.
- Fill the chosen boats with the jam and cover them well. Let them cool down and store them in the fridge until consumption.
- It can be kept in perfect condition for up to six months without opening.
