Any ideas for using obscene amounts of jam?

My mother recently bemoaned our seemingly chronic shortage of available food containers. Being the one with the least sparse knowledge of the wilderness that is our freezer box, I suggested that we might just not be eating whatever we're storing, and decided to take a look.
Basically, the culprit is my mothers penchant for jam making, and the fact that we've never actually finished an entire batch of jam. We have about 5 dl to a litres worth (2 to 4 cups) from each year, starting from 2011's exquisite, but now toddler-aged strawberry jam and ending at 2015's lingonberry jam, as well as some of my sister's sporadic chutney-making. Not only that, but the reason she was worried in the first place was because she just finished making a new, citrus-flavoured batch.

Fredrik Backman
  • 5835 views
  • 22 Comments

22 Comments

Adianne February 7, 2016
I use a little in plain yogurt, melt it for meat and vegetable glazes, make a jelly roll cake.... Absolutely, gift some to friends. Homemade jams and jellies make fantastic hostess or any time gifts.
 
Fredrik B. February 6, 2016
Cheers to getting featured! Pretty awesome, albeit admittedly awkward.

I just wanted to thank you all for the brilliant advice, as well as the concern for my jam consumption, which I'll try to keep at a reasonable level. Made a roast chicken last night with some fig jam which turned out wonderfully. I've also pawned off what I could, the age of the jam being relative to how much they love me. Most of them went to friends who promised to return whenever available (soon enough), and one was sacrificed as a surprise gift for my favourite semi-homeless guy (A new one, promise). I even managed to do some old-school trading with a family friend named Pia, who owns hens.
Next up is probably baking, but for now, I'll have to get back to my ploughman's-lunch-for-dinner.

(Oh, and the strawberry jam? We kept it. Fingers crossed on not getting food poisoning.)
 
Sara R. February 5, 2016
Make hand pies or a jelly/jam roll. :) Jam on waffles is delicious. Also you can use jams and chutneys as a pretty awesome base for marinades to roast meats.
 
Lesley S. February 4, 2016
Mix jam with cream cheese to make a spunky dip. Use the jam in a homemade tart. This sounds weird but my great grandmother used to make jam tea: boiled water with some jam and it's actually a lovely hot drink. Of course who does not appreciate gifts of jam? I can think of lots of folks who would gobble up such a gift. Think of the people who don't get gifts much -secretary at an office, a janitor at a rec centre, the mail person, the guy who makes your coffee at the coffee shop.....! Call it Jam Makes Friends
 
Tyler February 4, 2016
the strawberry in particular would be delicious swirled into brownies or blondies pre-baking. it would make a great Valentine's Day treat to boot!
 
Diana B. February 3, 2016
A few more: http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2011/01/turn_jam_into_a_savory_shortcu.html
http://whatjuliaate.blogspot.com/2012/07/jamgria.html
http://www.somethingswanky.com/brie-jam-hand-pies/
http://hungrytigress.com/2012/03/roast-the-toast-peach-bourbon-jam-butter/
http://eatboutique.com/2011/12/30/sparkling-jam-cocktail/
http://www.motherthyme.com/2012/05/jam-squares.html
http://growitcookitcanit.com/2012/07/25/jam-vinaigrette-from-the-redwood-valley-farmers-market-chef-demo/
http://www.spoonforkbacon.com/2011/09/blackberry-jam-straws-blackberry-stuffed-cinnamon-rolls/
http://redstartolonestar.blogspot.com/2012/07/grated-cake-with-jam.html
http://www.thekitchn.com/-guest-post-from-josue-86073


Jam and Blue Cheese Savouries
Makes about 3 dozen

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Ground black pepper
Fig preserves (or any jam), about 3 Tablespoons

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the flour, butter, blue cheese and a few grinds of black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dough just comes together and starts to form a ball.
3. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to pull the dough together. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick with a floured rolling pin. Cut rounds out of the dough with a floured 1-inch cutter and transfer the rounds to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Using the back or a round half-teaspoon measure or your knuckle, make an indention in the top of each dough round. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon of fig preserves into each indention, using your finger to push the preserves as best as possible into the indentations.
5. Bake the savories for 10 – 14 minutes, until the preserves are bubbling and the pastry is light golden on the bottom.
6. Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, the remove to a wire rack to cool.

 
Exbruxelles February 3, 2016
It's probably just me, but I'd throw away the jam that's old enough for kindergarten. And if mom is going to continue with the jam factory, I'd be looking for people who actually eat jam regularly and put them on a subscription. (This doesn't solve your food storage container problem. For that: Ziploc.)
 
amysarah February 3, 2016
I also love jam/marmalade in a glaze for chicken or roast pork - mixed with Dijon, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, wine....improvise! Also, swirled into homemade ice cream (or even softened store bought vanilla.) I often use up jam by making what my kids called Jammy Muffins - basically any muffin recipe, filled halfway with batter, dollop of jam, topped with remaining batter. They also loved Jammy Tart (notice a trend here?) - I used the same cakey tart base as my blueberry tart posted here, but spread jam on top as the filling, sprinkled with slivered almonds or chopped walnuts. Really simple, homey dessert.
 
amysarah February 3, 2016
I also love jam/marmalade in a glaze for chicken or roast pork - mixed with Dijon, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, wine....improvise! Also, swirled into homemade ice cream (or even softened store bought vanilla.) I often use up jam by making what my kids called Jammy Muffins - basically any muffin recipe, filled halfway with batter, dollop of jam, topped with remaining batter. They also loved Jammy Tart (notice a trend here?) - I used the same cakey tart base as my blueberry tart posted here, but spread jam on top as the filling, sprinkled with slivered almonds or chopped walnuts. Really simple, homey dessert.
 
creamtea February 3, 2016
Some flavors are good as a sweet/savory mix to smear over chicken (I sometimes use commercial fig or cabernet cherry). I often do this, whisking it first in a small bowl with a splash of wine and possibly a spoonful of dry mustard (or not--depends on taste) and I slice thinly some shallots to go in the roasting pan (add an inch or two of water and replenish it if necessary so they won't burn). (Not for the strawberry one!). This recipe for buttery, crumbly bars, not too sweet, is my mother's remembered version of my grandmother's, and really good: https://food52.com/recipes/14877-sossie-beile-s-little-cherry-crumb-bars. I've also made it with plum preserves; change out the almond extract depending on the jam used.
 
Diana B. February 3, 2016
I have a ton of stuff on what to do with jam, but at the moment the only two I can lay my hands on are these. I'll poke around on the computer and find the rest tomorrow:

All-purpose Savory Jam Glaze
Published in The Oregonian January 18, 2011

Makes enough for 4 pounds of meat

The author suggests the following meat/jam combinations: Pork -- fig, peach, plum, cherry, blueberry or blackberry; salmon -- peach, cherry, blackberry or blueberry; chicken -- peach, cherry, blackberry, blueberry or raspberry. Note that because of the sugar in the jam, the glaze may burn if applied on meats too early or cooked at higher temperatures.

2 teaspoons butter
1 shallot, diced
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup jam
1/4 cup red wine
1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard


Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the shallot until translucent, then whisk in the salt, jam, wine, vinegar and mustard. Simmer until thickened to a glaze and brush on meat before roasting; for a deeper glaze, repeat application a second time during cooking.


Jam Cake

Mix in a large bowl:
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Whisk until light:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup olive oil

Add in and beat well:
3 large eggs

Then add in:
1/4 cup of milk or yogurt

Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture.

Then beat in:
1 half-pint of jam

Bake at 350 degrees in a 9-inch plain tube cake pan for thirty minutes. Let cool at least ten minutes before unmolding.
 
LeBec F. February 3, 2016
think how happy you would make some disadvantaged people who shop at food banks etc. Unlike refrigerated products, it's jam; it's safe. Donate it. You could probably find empty containers from a local chef too.
 

Voted the Best Reply!

702551 February 3, 2016
Food banks will not take home-prepared goods.
 
HalfPint February 2, 2016
What I always recommend with a glut of jam: gin & jam
 
penelope February 2, 2016
Jam bars:

http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/simple-oatmeal-cookie-jam-bars/
 
Nancy February 2, 2016
In addition to lleello good ideas:
1) spread between layers of cake, then frost the whole cake with a traditional icing
2) mix lightly with savory spreads (mayo, yogurt, soft cheeses) for interesting hors d'oeuvre
package in pretty jars and give as hostess gifts or loot bags (with peanut butter) for children's birthday parties
3) fill sweet omelettes or crepes. similarly, use as topping for pancakes or waffles, sometimes thinned with a complementary liqueur
4) use instead of other sweetener in milkshakes and smoothies
5) use as topping for sweet or savory cheesecake (e.g. fig jam with blue cheese cheesecake).
 
Nancy February 2, 2016
missed a #.
the "package in jars and give away" is a separate idea from the "mix with savory spreads"
 
ktr February 2, 2016
Plain yogurt is wonderful sweetened with a little bit of jam.
 
702551 February 2, 2016
Personally, I would try to gift most of the jam to friends, family, etc. and not try to consume a huge amount of jam.

The main reason is health: jams are sugar, high amounts of fructose and other sugars. Not only are these empty calories, they also contribute to other physical ailments.

For sure, keep a little around to enjoy your mother's and sister's efforts, but I would avoid trying to shoehorn a large amount of jam into my diet because of a glut of supply.
 
QueenSashy February 2, 2016
cv, that's a good suggestion, but I would not gift the old ones, only the ones made last season
 
QueenSashy February 2, 2016
Idea #1: I like to use tart jams and chutneys to make panini. Actually, this is how I make most of my paninis. My favorite combo is red pepper jam, arugula, Swiss cheese and avocado. The world of possibilities is endless. For example, lingonberry + turkey + Swiss cheese + mustard. Or chutney + ham + cheddar... Idea #2: You could consider jams as a glaze for lavish roasts -- especially pork or ham. Idea #3: If you dilute a cup or so of jam with a little bit of water and reheat, and spoon warm on top of vanilla ice cream -- it's to die for...
 
foofaraw February 2, 2016
- Jam tart! http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/07/jam-tart/ or http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/04/easy-jam-tart/
- use it as honey/sugar (reduce fluid) substitute whenever baking quick bread, bread, pudding, bread pudding, etc
- part of marinade in pork, chicken, etc.
- substitute for sweetener in teas and some fruity cocktails (will need to experiments for which ones).

*Or I can send you my address so I can get some lol. I love homemade jam.
 
Recommended by Food52