Melon Jam with Tarragon is a Unique Condiment

Are you looking for a unique jam recipe to make for family and friends? Or maybe you want to preserve the summery flavor of melon to enjoy in the dead of winter. It's time to try some Melon Jam.

Read on to learn how to make this sweet spread with a light herbal kick.

Melon Jam? with Tarragon? What is Tarragon anyway? It is used in more than Béarnaise sauce? Is the jam any good?

Yes. Yes. An herb. Yes. Yes.

I understand your confusion. Melon is not the first fruit that comes to mind for jam making to me either. Sure, I have made Watermelon Rind Preserves, but I never thought of making jam from the actual fruity part. Like the Watermelon Rind Preserves, I got the idea from a book.

This recipe is from Home Made Summer by Yvette Von Boven.

What type of melon should I use to make jam?

You can use any summer melon except watermelon (the water content is too high for proper gelling). Think cantaloupe, honeydew, canary, crenshaw, casaba, etc.

What type of herb should I use?

I used tarragon, which is a light soft stemmed herb. You can use just about any herb. A few suggestions that would pair well with melon:

• basil
• fennel fronds
• mint
• lavender *
• rosemary *
• thyme *

* For the woody herbs I recommend putting them in the pot in step one then removing them with the citrus rinds. Otherwise chop the leaves VERY finely as they can be tough.

If you don't have fresh herbs, crush dried leaves or wrap them in a little bit of cheesecloth and add in step one and remove with the citrus rinds. Use ⅓ less dried herbs to fresh (1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon).

Tips for Jam Making and Canning

This jam is a great "starter" recipe for people that are new to jam/jelly making since it uses powdered pectin to gel. I have been making jam for quite a few years now. I am not any expert by any means, but I've discovered a few tricks in my own jam making journey.

You might want to read through these instructions on Ball's Fresh Preserving site if you haven't canned before. Don't be intimidated, it is easy. Use fresh jars and boil everything before filling.

Run a wet paper towel along the rim of the jar before affixing the lids.

Use frozen metal spoons to quickly cool a sample of jam to test if it is done. If it is too soupy, cook a little longer and test again.

If canning seems intimidating, or you don't have the right jars and lids just put the jam in a container directly in the fridge. It'll keep for a month or two.

Recipe

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Ingredients

 

• 2 ¼ pound ripe melon (see note) (peeled, cleaned and chopped)
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 packet (1.75 ounce powdered pectin)
• 1 orange (halved and seeds removed)
• 1 lemon (halved and seeds removed)
• 4 -5 tablespoons fresh tarragon (finely chopped)

Instructions

 

• Put the melon, sugar and pectin in a large non reactive pot (stainless steel or cast iron for example). Squeeze the orange and lemon into the pan then add the rinds too. Mix and let sit for ½ - 6 hours.
  2 ¼ pound ripe melon (see note), 5 cups sugar, 1 packet, 1 orange, 1 lemon
• At least 10-15 minutes before cooking, place 2 or 3 metal spoons in the freezer.
• Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• With your stirring spoon place a small amount of jam onto one of the frozen spoons and let it cool for about 15 seconds. If the jam is still too liquid, cook for another few minutes and retest with the other spoon.
• Remove the orange and lemon rinds and add the tarragon. Use an immersion blender briefly to blend in the herb.
  4 -5 tablespoons fresh tarragon
• Immediately ladle the hot jam into sterilized half pint jars to the ¼ inch line. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Notes

Use any kind of melon except watermelon for this recipe (the water content is too high).

Makes 4 half pint jars.

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more easy jams

Until next time, happy eating.
~Audrey