Cranberry Mandarin Jam or Christmas Jam
Cranberry Mandarin jam brings together two of my favorite winter fruits, mandarin oranges and cranberries. Together they make a perfect Christmas Jam.
More jam recipes: Homemade Mandarin Orange slices, Mandarin Orange Jam, Blueberry Jam, Strawberry Jam and Strawberry Rhubarb Herb Jam.
Fantastic on toast, pancakes, waffles, French toast or as a glaze for your turkey or ham. Make a batch for yourself or for others; the 125 mL or half jam jar sizes are perfect for gift giving.
Jam NOT Marmalade
This is jam, not marmalade. In other words, there is no peel or pith (the white part of the rind that has a bitter flavor) in this jam. This means you need to spend a little more time to prep the oranges since all the pith (white bits) have to be removed from the mandarins to prevent bitterness. I found sitting in front of the TV and using a paring knife to scrape the sides of the oranges makes this task bearable. I didn’t remove the membranes between the segments, but I did cut out the core from inside the oranges. Doing so allowed me to catch any stray seeds that you occasionally find in seedless oranges.
Once the oranges are prepped, you’re all set to go to make cranberry mandarin jam.
Cranberry Mandarin Jam
Ingredients
- 2 lbs mandarin oranges 10-12
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup chopped cranberries fresh or frozen
- 2 cups sugar*
- 1 pack No Sugar Needed Pectin
Instructions
Prepare Oranges
- Peel mandarins and remove as much of the white pith as possible from the outside and center of the oranges. Remove any seeds.
- Separate segments and chop into small pieces.
- Zest and juice one lemon, add to oranges.
- Add chopped cranberries.
- You should have 4 cups of prepared oranges. Add orange juice or more orange segments if needed.
Prepare Jars
- Wash jars and lids and keep hot. (No need to sterilize).
Prepare Jam
- In large saucepan, combine 4 cups prepared oranges and No Sugar Needed powdered pectin. Stir until pectin is fully dissolved.
- Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently.
- Add sugar. Stir constantly and return mixture to a full rolling boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Pour into hot jars leaving a 1/4 inch headspace.
- Wipe rim of jars and apply 2 piece lids tightening ring finger tight.
- Place jars in hot water bath and boil for 10 minutes (start timing when water starts boiling).
- Allow jars to rest in canner for 5 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
- These jars will last on a shelf for one year.
- Makes: 4-5 half pint (250 mL) jars or 8-9 quarter pint (125 mL) jars
Notes
*Sugar Note: The beauty of No Sugar Needed Pectin is that you can add as much or as little sugar as you want. Sugar adds depth of flavor, helps preserve color and extends shelf life of jams once opened.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
For my next batch, I think I’ll add a combination of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to make this truly Christmassy.
For other mandarin orange preserves, try:
This jam is so pretty, if you make a batch, I’d love to see how it turned out for you. Please take a photo and share it with me by tagging @getgettys on Instagram. Or leave a comment and let me know how it went.
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please help me find a recipe for strwberry and rubarb freezer jam
Hi Ena,
Here is the direct link to strawberry rhubarb freezer jam. http://www.gettystewart.com/strawberry-rhubarb-freezer-jam/
I hope you like it as much as we do.
If you’re ever looking for something on the site, there is a search bar at the top right on the Blog or Recipe page.
All the best,
Getty