Easy Kumquat Jam Recipe (No Pectin Added and Award-Winning )
This easy kumquat jam recipe is a great way to use this little citrus fruit. It takes much less work than making kumquat marmalade and has won awards!
Recently, I picked all the remaining kumquats off my tree.
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*Edited to add: now can be called “award-winning kumquat jam”! See the comments below.
This jam has placed 1st and 3rd at the LA County Fair (that’s not a little one)!
I think leaving them on for a longer period of time is not good for next year’s production, but I’ll have to see how next year’s crop fares in order to test my theory.
Two weeks ago, I flew to Chicago and then drove to Michigan to visit my parents. I decided to bring them a little bit of California sunshine, so I brought them some kumquats, Meyer lemons and navel oranges from my trees.
My mother usually makes kumquat marmalade, and everyone who has tried it absolutely raves about how marvelous it tastes. However, there is much more work involved in kumquat marmalade, due to having to slice up these tiny citrus fruits. Here’s the recipe.
Mum decided to have a go at an easy kumquat jam this time. She didn’t use a recipe, but I told her I wanted to know the amounts so that if it was really good, I could share it with you. Well, she kept track of the recipe and it was a hit! I’m not the biggest fan of marmalade, but I really like this easy kumquat jam recipe! I bet you will, too.
What are Kumquats?
Many of you have probably never heard of, or seen a kumquat. They are tiny (one or two inches long) citrus which have edible skins. The skins are sweet and their juice is sour. They have seeds just like any other citrus fruit. However, kumquats are considered a superfruit. “Forget pomegranates—start popping kumquats. The tiny little olive-sized citrus fruits are full of disease-fighting antioxidants, which are contained in their sweet, edible skin.” –Prevention.
Want to know how to eat kumquats so that they taste sweeter?
What can I do with lots of kumquats?
Here are 11 ways to use kumquats. How about a frosty kumquat martini?
Love this crystal bowl? Here is a similar crystal jam pot.
Easy Kumquat Jam Recipe
by Lidia Conte makes approximately 5 pints
PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
January 2021 ~ I’ve had two people email me in the last week to say their jam tasted amazing, but it didn’t set. The first lady reboiled her jam, and she said it turned out perfectly. I’ve just emailed the second lady to tell her to reboil hers, too. Here’s what I think the problem is: the jam is not boiling hard/fast enough after the sugar is added. It should be at a rolling boil. The other problem is that the jam should not be removed from the heat until it reaches the correct temperature, or passes the plate drip test. This recipe is solid, just follow the directions and you will have perfect results.
Special equipment: clean jam jars
Prepare the Kumquats
Place the seeds in a small, food safe bag or some cheesecloth. Tie the top.
Put the sliced kumquats and water in a heavy pot on the kitchen counter. Let the seeds hang into the kumquats and water and place the lid on to keep the top of the bag from submerging. The seeds contain pectin which helps the jam to set.
Allow to rest for a minimum of 8 hours (there is no cooking yet).
Remove the bag and squeeze as much as you can from it (this is the natural pectin which helps the jam set). With a large bowl nearby, measure the amount of jam mixture that you have in the pot with cups. This number of cups is a better measurement of how much sugar you should use.
Example, if have 9 cups of mixture, use 9 cups of sugar. My mother always uses a little less, but if you like it sweeter use the same amount.
Cook the Kumquats
Move the pot to a cooktop over medium heat. Slowly bring to a boil, stir and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minute or until the rind has softened. Stir occasionally and don’t allow the jam to boil too hard so that it may stick.
Next, add the sugar; stir and bring to a rolling boil (do not simmer) for approximately 30 to 45 minutes. The less sugar, you use, the longer it will need to boil to reach the setting point (220˚F / 105˚C).
The jam is ready when it congeals when dripped onto a plate from the freezer, if you do not have a candy thermometer. Do not stop cooking the jam after the time frame I’ve given; that’s simply an estimate (how long mine took to set). You must rely on a thermometer or the plate test.
Next, remove the pot from the heat and using an immersion blender, carefully blend the jam.
Pour the Kumquat Jam Into Jars
Rinse the jam jars and lids with boiling water then immediately ladle the jam into the jars. It’s helpful to have a widemouth funnel, but not necessary. Clean the rim with a damp cloth and put the lid on tightly as soon as possible. Finally, set aside and allow to cool completely, and refrigerate. Process in a boiling water bath if you want to keep the jars in the pantry. If you’ve never made jam before, the lids will make a popping sound and the middle of the lid will be concave once sealed. If this does not happen, you must refrigerate the jam.
Use the jam as desired. Isn’t this truly an easy kumquat jam recipe?
This Easy Kumquat Jam Makes a Beautiful Hostess Gift!
Easy Kumquat Jam Recipe
An easy kumquat jam recipe that makes great use of this little citrus.
Ingredients
- approximately 8 cups (1.8 kg) sugar
- 6 cups (1.4 l) water
- 3 cups (550 g) of sliced or chopped, deseeded kumquats (reserve the seeds)
Instructions
- Place the seeds in a small, food safe bag or some cheesecloth. Tie the top.
- Put the sliced/chopped kumquats and water in a heavy pot. Let the seeds hang into the kumquats and water and place the lid on to keep the top of the bag from submerging. The seeds contain pectin which helps the jam to set.
- Allow to rest for a minimum of 8 hours.
- Remove the bag and squeeze as much as you can from it (this is the natural pectin which helps the jam set). With a large bowl nearby, measure the amount of jam mixture that you have in the pot with cups. This number of cups is a better measurement of how much sugar you should use. Example, if have 9 cups of mixture, use 9 cups of sugar. My mother always uses a little less, but if you like it sweeter use the same amount.
- Move the pot to a cooktop over medium heat. Slowly bring to a boil, stir and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minute or until the rind has softened.
- Next, add the sugar; stir and bring to a rolling boil (do not simmer) for approximately 30 to 45 minutes. The less sugar, you use, the longer it will need to boil to reach the setting point (105C or 220F).
- The jam is ready when it congeals when dripped onto a plate from the freezer, if you do not have a candy thermometer.
- Remove the pot from the heat and using an immersion blender, carefully blend the jam.
- Rinse the jam jars and lids with boiling water then immediately ladle the jam into the jars. It's helpful to have a widemouth funnel, but not necessary. Clean the rim with a damp cloth and put the lid on tightly, as soon as possible. Finally, set aside and allow to cool completely and refrigerate.
Notes
- You do not need to peel the kumquats; the peel is the sweet part of the fruit.
- If you've never made jam before, the lids will make a popping sound and the middle of the lid will be concave once sealed. If this does not happen, you must refrigerate the jam.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 50 Serving Size: 1 tbspAmount Per Serving: Calories: 10Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
Nutrition information is not reliable.
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Hi 👋 first time jam maker here. I have a couple of Cumquat trees so decided to do something with the fruit. My question is ‘do I need to soak for the full 8 hours?’
If you do, the chances that it will set are higher, however, no, it’s not super “critical”. Leave it as long as you can for best results, Nicole. Let me know how it turns out.
Hi, If I double the fruit and sugar, do I double the water?
Yes double everything.
Hello Christina,
I’m making your mums jam for the second time and it’s just great!
As I don’t always have the same amount of fruit, can I assume the water should usually be about twice the weight of kumquats ?
Thank you for your reply
That’s correct, Bérangère! So glad you enjoy it! :) (Sorry for the delayed response; I was in Germany until yesterday.)
I have this on the boil right now. Results TBD. The question I came to was – what about the juice? Does it go into the recipe or is it discarded? I deseeded by cutting them in half and squeezing out the seeds and juice into a strainer over a bowl. There wasn’t a huge amount of juice, but enough that I wondered what to do with it. I went with adding it in. We’ll see how that turns out.
Yes, of course it goes in to make the jam, Lori. Let me know how it turns out! :)
Hi Christina, what is the maximum amount of time I can leave the seeds and chopped kumquats resting in water? Is it too long to leave it from 1pm to morning around 9am – so about 20 hours?
I honestly don’t know, Tatiana. I’ve never left it that long before and the fruit may begin to ferment after that much time, tbh. Can you chop the fruit, keep it in the fridge and then do the soak just before you go to bed?
I am an experienced Jam maker, I think your recipe is great, it came out great and everyone I gave some to loved it. Until last month I had never been able to lay hands on a Kumquat. But vacationing in Florida gave me the opportunity to get my hands on some and experiment with them. Never one to do things like jam in a small way, I made a batch out of 5 pounds, I listened to an audiobook while preparing the kumquats. The time went by easier. I am amazed at how many and how large some of the seeds in that tiny fruit. I look forward to the Kumquat season next year, Thank you for the recipes.
Oh I am so sorry I didn’t respond to you until now, ML! Apologies for the delay.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, and I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and your recipients loved the jam! My kumquat tree is just flowering now, so looking forward to my harvest in spring as well!
Happy jam makin, and thanks again! CC
Hello! Your definition of EASY is a little different than mine. Removing the 4 to 8 seeds in each tiny fruit was quite time consuming. Do you have a secret? I’ll let you know how the jam turns out, but I need a break. Haha
Ah yes, the deseeding! I suppose when you compare it to making kumquat marmalade it’s easy (try slicing them all up once you’ve finished deseeding them)! :) I hope you’re happy with it! Let me know for sure, Lise!
You say chopped seedless Kumquats. Did you mean chopped with the skin on or just chop the meat of the Kumquat? I understand that the skin is sweet and the meat bitter so I assume with the skin on.
Hi Dave, you are correct in your assumption. Just remove the seeds and chop everything else. Let me know how it turns out!