Winter Melon Jam Food

MELON & VANILLA JAM

Steps:

• Deseed, remove the skin and cut the melon into 1 - 2 cm size cubes. Place in a bowl and mix in the sugar so all the melon is coated. Leave the melon to stand for around 4 - 5 hours, stirring every so often.
• After at least 4 hours the juice of the melon will have been drawn out. Pour the juice into a pan and reserve the melon chunks in a bowl.
• Begin to heat the melon juice in the pan along with the vanilla pod that has been cut in half lengthways and the seeds scraped out. Bring to a simmer and reduce by around half. Add the melon chunks to the juice and bring to a rolling boil.
• Prepare a hot water bath and carefully place the cleaned jars in it. Bring to a simmer and then remove the jars when ready to fill.
• Boil the melon jam until it reaches 105°C / 221°F. Stir in the liquid pectin or follow the instructions for doing so and perform a wrinkle test to check the jams set. Boil for another 5 minutes if the setpoint hasn't been reached and test again.
• Once the jam has reached setting point ladle into the still-hot jars. Add the lids and bands and screw on until just tight. Process the jars in the boiling water bath submerged by at least 1 inch for 10 minutes, starting the timer when the bath reaches a boil.
• After 10 minutes remove from the heat, allow the jars to stand in the boiling water bath for 5 minutes and then lift out with jar tongs. Allow to cool to completely.

WINTER MELON JAM

Steps:

• Cut melon and lemon, sprinkle with sugar (about 2 cups) and let stand overnight.
• Next day, boil the mixture until clear. Add remaining sugar and boil until it gels. Bottle and seal.