Clementine Jam has a unique, brilliantly fresh flavor that plays well with all kinds of toast, croissants, scones, and biscuits. It’s not a marmalade because there’s no bitter peel involved, it’s a thick no-pectin jam bursting with sunny citrus that takes just 30 minutes on the stove.
Who wouldn’t want this bright clementine jam waking up their morning toast? The color is gorgeous and the flavor is pure fresh clementine. I only use a cup of sugar, and a good dose of lemon juice, so there is a nice balance of sweet and tart. The natural pectins in the fruit are enough to thicken it so I didn’t need to add any. This unique citrus jam makes a thoughtful gift for someone who could use a little touch of winter sunshine.
what you’ll need to make clementine jam
- 3 pounds of clementines, (they’re often sold in 3 pound bags)
- the juice of 2 lemons
- and a cup of sugar — that’s it!
how to make clementine jam (it’s easy!)
- Remove the peels from your fruit. Cut the clementines in half crosswise to reveal any seeds to discard.
- Puree the fruit.
- Add the sugar and lemon juice and boil the puree for 30-40 minutes, or until thickened.
- Transfer to jars to cool, then refrigerate.
the secret to a sweet clementine jam
Taste your fruit! If your fruit is sweet and juicy, your jam will turn out perfectly. Any variety of tangerine can work for this jam. They peel easily and are often seedless. I cut each one in half through the middle to check for seeds anyway.
Personally I’m not a big fan of the bitterness of marmalades, and this is a nice alternative. As with so many of my homemade jams and curds, this clementine jam can do double duty as a filling for desserts, too.
If you like this idea, try my Pink Grapefruit Habanero Jam — it’s the spicy version and would also make a fabulous gift. And my latest citrus jam is the gorgeous Blood Orange Jam ~ this one is like nothing you’ve ever tasted!
more citrus recipes to try
- Fresh Tangerine Cake
- Gluten Free Tangerine Cake
- Candied Orange Peel
- Orange Cardamom Crumb Cake
- Orange Creamsicle Cake
- 10 clever uses for that orange in your stocking
- Chocolate Dipped Orange Shortbread Cookies
“Here it is years after your first post-just finished my first batch using this recipe. It is absolutely awesome and it looks beautiful in the jars! It has an amazing taste. My friends and family will love it.”
Lorrese
Clementine Jam
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet juicy clementines
- 1 cup sugar
- juice of 2 lemons
Instructions
- Peel the clementines and cut each one in half through the middle to check for seeds.
- Put the fruit, in batches if necessary, in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.
- Pour the puree into a heavy pot and add the sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat a bit and boil for about 30-40 minutes, stirring fairly often. Do not cover the pot!
- The liquid will foam up at first, but will eventually get absorbed. The mixture will start to thicken and get a little deeper and glossier when it is ready. I like to freeze a small plate and test the jam by dropping some onto it and letting it cool. If the jam firms up, it’s done. If not, keep boiling a little longer.
- When it is done, ladle it into clean jars and let cool on the counter. When it reaches room temperature, cover and refrigerate. It will keep at least 10 days in the fridge. Clementine jam can be frozen for longer storage.
Notes
- Your jam will only be as good as your fruit. We’ve all had those clementines that don’t measure up, so skip those and try to find fruit with great juicy flavor. It shouldn’t be too hard, tangerines are in season right now.
- I didn’t use pectin, but if you want a super firm jam, you can use some Low Sugar Pectin (I use Sure Jell brand, in the pink box.)
- The longer you cook the jam, the thicker it will be when it cools. I like to test by putting a small plate in the freezer and then dropping a bit on the cold plate. If the jam jells when it cools, it’s done.
Making this recipe when I get home today. Looks scrumptious. Just a note to those who have been asking about water-bath canning this recipe….yes, you can …..leave 1/4-inch head-space and process for 10 min (adjust for your elevation).
Thank you Lori! I’m always hesitant to give advice on canning when I haven’t tried it myself, I appreciate you jumping in 🙂
you are most welcome 🙂
Hi Sue. After the oranges are peeled do you have to clean the white stuff of the oranges before you puree them ?
Yes, I’d do that if there’s a lot of it, Sharon, it is bitter.
I am really into making curds and jams recently. What are the little jars used in the clementine jam and do they have a lid? Thanks, Dee
Those are Weck canning jars, Diann, and they do come with glass lids with little clips, they come in all sorts of sizes and I love them. Here’s a link to them on Amazon.
Thanks for this recipe. The host school gave our team fruit for our playoff games and I didn’t want the uneaten clementines to spoil, there were lots of them, so I made this jam. Excellent taste!
So glad it worked out for you, enjoy!
Can it be water bath processed for a longer shelf life?
yes you can, leave 1/4-inch headspace and then water bath process for 10 min (adjust time for your elevation
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am wondering why the Clementines need to be fully pureed before they are cooked. I prefer to make “preserves” with various fruits, so I’m wondering if I could put them in the pot and crush them somewhat with a potato masher. That is how I make my blueberry, strawberry and other preserves. Do you think I could do this?
I think that method would work find too, Charlene ~ let us know how it goes.
Hi
Would love to know if this jam can be frozen and then thawed later…..
Thank you for this recipe…have a newbie question– should the skin be removed before puréeing?
Yes, this jam is made with the pulp of the fruit, not the peel.
So, are we peeling the clementines, removing the pith, and then removing the “skin” on each section of the clementines to get just the pulp of each section? I’m sorry, betweenthe comments and your recipe instructions itis not clear.
Hey Alicia ~ you’re peeling the clementines, and then just removing the seeds, that’s it. The easiest way I’ve found to remove the seeds is to cut the peeled clementine in half and pick any seeds out. Hope this helps!
Hi. I am needing to make a clemintine puree for a cheesecake. I only have the juice of the clemintines and zest. Would this recipe work ( thicken) with those ingredients as well as the sugar and lemon juice? I would need it to set with gelatin inn the cheesecake?
No, that won’t thicken on its own, Lee, you’d need some sort of thickening agent like cornstarch.
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Serach »confiture de clémentines « .sorty i am french.
Good night
Thank you so much for letting me know Claire, it’s the wild west out there on the Internet these days!