Pink Grapefruit and Vanilla Bean Jam ~ I bet you’ve never tasted it, but that just means you’ll be all the more amazed when you do…this small batch vanilla scented grapefruit jam is unforgettable!
Citrus jam is something you must experience. I’ve been experimenting with them for a while now, and I think they have such a bright, fresh, not-too-sweet flavor that puts them in a category all by themselves. If you’ve tried my CLEMENTINE JAM or my BLOOD ORANGE JAM you know what I mean.
This citrus jam is a little different because grapefruit has a characteristic bitter flavor which most people either love or they don’t. You can adjust the amount of sugar you use to either accentuate or tone down this bitterness, but it will be there no matter what, so if you’re not a fan of bitter flavors, this probably isn’t the recipe for you. Another way of putting it is ~ if you like marmalade, then you will probably like this.
Pink grapefruit jam is heavenly on a thick slice of whole grain toast, or with warm scones and biscuits…
how to prep your grapefruit for jam
Remove the peel from your grapefruits by slicing off the top and bottom, and then around the fruit with a sharp serrated knife to remove the outer peel and any white pith. I slice them thickly and then am careful to remove any seeds.
I then puree the fruit in my food processor or blender. It will be like pulpy juice at this point. It goes into a pot and onto the stove for about 45 minutes, give or take.
TIP: You want to use a heavy bottomed pot for jam making so the fruit cooks evenly and doesn’t scorch. I use cast iron or a good quality stainless steal. A heavy nonstick pot will work, too.
how long will this jam last?
This is a small batch, refrigerator jam, it will keep up to 2 months in the refrigerator, or you can freeze it for up to a year.
how to use your grapefruit jam
I love to eat this jam on toast, biscuits, and scones, but I also love it swirled into Greek yogurt.
Grapefruit and Vanilla Bean Jam
Ingredients
- 5-6 large pink grapefruits, about 5-6 pounds, you can also use Ruby Red grapefruit
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, or more to taste
- 2 vanilla beans
Instructions
- Remove the rind from the grapefruits. Thickly slice the fruit and then cut or break apart into pieces. Discard any seeds.
- Puree the fruit in a food processor or blender, and then pour it into a heavy bottomed pot, along with the sugar.
- Cut the vanilla beans in half and then make a slit down the length of each piece. Pry the beans open with the tip of your knife and scrape out the seeds, adding them to the pot with the grapefruit. Throw the pods right in, too.
- Bring the pot up to a boil, then turn down and boil for about 40-50 minutes. You won’t have to tend it much at first, but toward the end you’ll need to keep an eye on it and stir often to prevent scorching. It will be greatly reduced, darker, and thicker at about the 40 minute mark. The longer you boil it the thicker the jam will be, but I found about 45 minutes was sufficient. Remove the vanilla bean pods and discard.
- Pour the hot jam into jam jars and let cool before covering and refrigerating. Use within 2 months, or freeze.
Notes
- Try using cardamom instead of the vanilla beans.
- Turn this into a hot pepper jam by adding chopped habanero peppers toward the end of the cooking process. See my Pink grapefruit habanero jam for inspiration.
Can this be canned?
This recipe wasn’t formulated for canning, but you can freeze it for longer storage.
Do you think it would be possible to substitute vanilla extract for the beans? We don’t have any and with the quarantine, I’m not sure I want to venture out for this ingredient. We have plenty of extract though. What are your thoughts?
Yes that would be fine.