Simple step-by-step recipes for making watermelon jam for the winter at home, with and without gelatin

Want to surprise your friends during tea? Treat them to some watermelon jam. It has a pleasant, unusual flavor. They'll be wondering for a long time what you made this unusual treat from. What is noteworthy is that many useful macro- and microelements retain their value even after heat treatment.

Features of cooking watermelon jam

One of the main features is the ability to use not only ripe pulp, but also watermelon rinds.

If jam is made from rinds, they must be chopped, first removing the green outer skin. The chopped rind pieces are then soaked for several hours in a baking soda solution.

This removes any nitrates present, which are likely present if the watermelon is purchased rather than grown at home. Furthermore, the rinds soaked in baking soda will have a slightly firm, crunchy texture in the finished product, similar to candied fruit.

For jam made from pulp, it's recommended to choose later varieties, as they contain more sucrose and glucose. To make jam from pulp, you need to remove the seeds first. It's best to use a larger container for the jam, as watermelon pulp foams a lot.

Don't limit yourself to the ingredients suggested in the recipes. You can add variety to the jam by adding sprigs of mint, pieces of melon, kiwi, gooseberries, and other fruits you have on hand.

Recipes using pulp

The pulp is the most sought-after part of the watermelon; it makes a delicious and stunningly beautiful jam. By varying the ingredients, you can create a treat with a variety of flavors.

With lemon

Lemon adds a pleasant tartness to this sweet treat. To prepare, you'll need the following ingredients:

• watermelon pulp – 850 grams;
• vanillin – 2 grams;
• sugar – 750 grams;
• lemon is a thing.

Step-by-step procedure:

1. Remove the rinds from the watermelon, trimming off the whites as well. Use them to make jam. Remove the seeds from the flesh and cut into cubes of the desired size.
2. Place in a prepared container and cover with sugar. Let sit for 2-3 hours. The berries will release juice.
3. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil and leave until it cools completely.
4. After 3-4 hours, wash the lemon, puree it in a blender, add it to the watermelon mixture, add vanilla, boil for half an hour, and distribute among the prepared containers. They should be sterilized and dry.

Cooking time depends on the desired consistency; if you prefer a thicker consistency, you can increase the cooking time. For variety, you can add lime to the lemon or even replace it with the tropical fruit entirely.

With orange

Making watermelon jam with orange is easy, and the result is a wonderful delicacy for a winter tea party with friends. The orange adds a pleasant tropical flavor to the jam.

Necessary components:

• watermelon pulp – 750 grams;
• orange - one;
• sugar – 550 grams.

Cooking instructions:

1. Remove the peels, extract the seeds from the pulp and cut it into pieces of any size.
2. Place in a prepared container, cover with sugar and leave to infuse until the berries release juice.
3. Wash and dry the orange. Grate the zest and squeeze the remaining zest to extract the juice. Alternatively, puree the orange in a blender. The flavor of the jam will remain the same.
4. Add the orange mixture to the watermelon.
5. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil and simmer for half an hour.
6. Place the prepared mixture into a dry, sterilized container and close.

With an apple

This jam is a red preserve with apple pieces. It's easy to make, especially since watermelon and apple seasons coincide. The result is amazing, as regular apple jam takes on a completely different flavor.

Necessary components:

• watermelon pulp – 750 grams;
• apples – 850 grams;
• sugar – 750 grams;
• vanillin – 2 grams.

Cooking instructions:

1. Cut the rind off the pulp and remove the seeds. Cut into pieces.
2. Place in a prepared cooking vessel and cover with sugar. Let stand for 2-3 hours until the juice separates.
3. Wash the apples, cut them in half, remove the core and cut into slices or cubes.
4. Bring the watermelon mixture to a boil, place the apples in the hot mixture and leave for 2-3 hours.
5. After the time has elapsed, bring the mixture to a boil, simmer for half an hour, and transfer to a previously prepared, hermetically sealed container. It should be sterilized and dry.

With pectin

If you need to make jam or so-called confiture, then you should use this recipe.

To prepare you will need:

• watermelon pulp – 650 grams;
• sugar – 330 grams;
• mint - sprig;
• lemon (juice) – 80 milliliters;
• pectin – 2 grams.

Cooking instructions:

1. Trim the rind from the watermelon, leaving the flesh. Cut into wedges and remove the seeds. Place the flesh in a blender and blend.
2. Pour into a container for making jam, add sugar, pour in lemon juice and simmer for half an hour.
3. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, pour in the pectin according to the instructions on the packet, and add a sprig of mint (it will need to be removed later).
4. Pour the mixture into sterilized and dry jars and seal tightly. It will thicken after cooling.

With spices

Making this jam isn't difficult; the key is choosing the right spices. Cardamom and star anise can be added to the list above, if desired:

• watermelon pulp – 950 grams;
• sugar – 560 grams;
• lemon juice – 75 milliliters;
• vanillin – 2 grams;
• carnation – 2 inflorescences;
• ginger (grated) – 2-3 grams.

Scheme of actions:

1. Remove the rind from the watermelon and remove the seeds. Chop the pulp, place it in a prepared container, and cover with sugar. Let it sit for 2-3 hours until the berry releases its juices.
2. Place the spices in a cheesecloth bag.
3. Bring the watermelon mixture to a boil, add spices and cook for half an hour.
4. Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, remove the spices and pour the jam into sterilized, dry jars. Seal tightly.

With gelatin

Jam with gelatin looks like jam or confiture.

Necessary components:

• gelatin – 5-7 grams;
• pulp – 750 grams;
• sugar – 350 grams;
• water – 50 milliliters.

Scheme of actions:

1. Scoop out the pulp and remove the seeds. Cut into pieces, place in a saucepan, and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit for 2-3 hours until the juice separates.
2. Soak gelatin in the specified volume of water.
3. Bring the watermelon mixture to a boil, simmer for half an hour, add the swollen gelatin and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4. Place the jam in sterilized and dried containers. Seal tightly.

Crust recipes

You can make candied fruit from the peels at home. They look beautiful, are very unusual, and are delicious. By adding certain ingredients during the cooking process, you can create a dish with additional flavors.

A simple recipe

The simplest recipe won't take much time, and the result will exceed your expectations.

Necessary components:

• crusts – 450 grams;
• water – 80 milliliters;
• citric acid – 2 grams;
• sugar – 350 grams;
• soda – 2-3 grams.

Cooking instructions:

1. Remove the green skin from the watermelon rinds. Cut them into random pieces and soak them in the baking soda solution for 2-3 hours. Then rinse.
2. Make a syrup from sugar and water. Place the peels in the syrup, add citric acid, and simmer for 1-1.5 hours.
3. Place in prepared containers and seal tightly. The containers must be sterilized and dry.

With soda

This recipe calls for baking soda. However, it's used during the prep stage, not during the cooking process. The peels are soaked in the baking soda solution, which removes nitrates and imparts a distinctive crunchy flavor to the finished dish.

Necessary components:

• crusts – 950 grams;
• sugar – 650 grams;
• vanilla – 2 grams;
• soda – 5-7 grams;
• water – 110 milliliters.

Scheme of actions:

1. Remove the tough, green outer skin from the peels. If possible, you can leave some of the pink flesh, but pure white ones will also work.
2. Cut them into strips or cubes of any size. It all depends on how you want the jam to look. The peels will remain intact.
3. Dissolve the specified amount of baking soda in water and place the peels in it. They should be completely covered. Let them sit for 3-4 hours. After the specified time, drain the water and rinse the peels several times with water; soak again for an hour in clean water.
4. Pour water into a prepared container for cooking, add sugar and cook the syrup.
5. Drain the water from the peels in a colander.
6. Place the peels in hot syrup, bring to a boil and leave for 8-10 hours.
7. Next time, boil the jam, cook for a quarter of an hour and leave again for 8-10 hours.
8. On the third day, add vanilla and simmer for an hour. The simmering time depends on the desired consistency. If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can increase the simmering time.
9. Place the finished dish into pre-sterilized jars and seal tightly.

With orange and lemon

Orange and lemon will add a pleasant tropical flavor and aroma to the jam. You can use not only the zest but also their juice, if desired. Ingredients required:

• crusts – 950 grams;
• orange – 350 grams;
• lemon – 250 grams;
• sugar – 750 grams;
• soda – 7-9 grams;
• vanillin – 2 grams;
• water – 110 milliliters.

Cooking instructions:

1. Remove the outer green skin from the peels. Cut into pieces of the desired size and shape.
2. Dissolve the specified amount of baking soda in water and add the peels to the solution. Let it sit for 3-4 hours. This will remove the nitrates. After the peels are removed, rinse them and soak them in clean water for half an hour. After half an hour, drain the water, discarding the peels in a colander.
3. Pour sugar into the container where the jam will be cooked, add water and prepare the syrup.
4. Place the peels in hot syrup and bring to a boil. Leave for 7-8 hours. Repeat this procedure 2-3 times.
5. At the final stage of preparation, wash the oranges and lemons. Using a grater, grate the zest and squeeze the remaining fruit to extract the juice. Add all the ingredients to the jam and simmer for 1-1.5 hours. Cooking time depends on the desired consistency.
6. Place the finished product into prepared containers. They should be dry and sterilized. Seal tightly.

How to cook using a multicooker

You can choose any set of ingredients to suit your taste, and cooking in a multicooker will save time.

The following steps must be taken:

1. Pour sugar into the multicooker bowl, add water, and set the "Cook" mode for 5 minutes. Make the syrup.
2. Place the chopped and soaked peels in the syrup. Set the "Stewing" mode for 1 hour.
3. At the end of the mode, place the jam in the prepared container and close.

How to make jam from unripe watermelon

I came across an unripe watermelon. What should I do? It's a shame to throw it away. You can make a delicious treat from an unripe fruit.

Necessary:

• pulp – 450 grams;
• sugar – 450 grams;
• lemon - half.

Scheme of actions:

1. Remove the seeds from the pulp and cut it into pieces.
2. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and pour it into the pulp.
3. Sprinkle with sugar; this amount is necessary, as the watermelon is not sweet. Let stand for 2-3 hours.
4. After separating the juice, bring to a boil and cook for half an hour.
5. Place in dry containers, previously sterilized. Close.

How long can jam be stored?

It is important to store jam prepared for the winter properly:

1. Treats sealed hermetically in sterilized jars will keep for a year.
2. Using pectin or gelatin – about 7 months.
3. Jam covered with a plastic lid can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 months.

Regardless of the recipe and ingredients chosen, the finished product will pleasantly surprise you. This delicacy will become a favorite during friendly tea parties.