Crab Apple And Rosemary Jam: Sweet And Savory Preserve
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Crab apple with rosemary is a delicious blend of sweet and savory. This crab apple jam requires no pectin and is low in sugar. We don’t want to brag, but it might just be the best crab apple you’ve ever tried.
Say hello to our delicious small-batch crab apple jam.
When a neighbour surprised us with two pounds of crabapples, we were left wondering what to do with them. Unsurprisingly, our answer was to turn them into crabapple jam. We always get inspiration for our jams from a variety of sources. This time, the inspiration came from a visit to a local market, where we tasted apple galettes with rosemary and a touch of sea salt. The sweet and savoury taste of the galettes was out of this world. We did our best to capture the essence of these fantastic backed goodies with the unique flavour of our crabapple jam.
Crabapples used in this recipe
In this recipe, we used red crab apples. Despite their sweet appearance, in truth, they are known to be the sourest of all crabapples. You can use crabapples of any color to make this crab apple jam; just ensure you remove any bruised or spoiled bits.
Jam Yield
The quantity of ingredients listed in this recipes yielded one 8 oz (250 ml) of crabapple jam for canning, with some left over to enjoy right away. The number of jars required may vary depending on the desired jam consistency.
Recommended Equipment
- Wide, heavy-bottomed stainless steel pot
- Large wooden spoon
- Stainless Steel mesh strainer
- Heavy-duty stainless steel kitchen tongs
- Stainless steel pairing knife
- Stainless steel canning ladle
- Stainless steel canning funnel
- Mason Jar lids for canning
- Mason Jars for canning
- Non-slippery trivets and pot holders
- Thick cotton kitchen towel
Small Batch Crab Apple Sauce with Rosemary
Equipment
- large pot with a heavy bottom
- wooden spoon
- large bowl
- colander with large holes
- potholders, oven mitts, trivets for hot dishes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs crabapples
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ small lemon juiced, not more than 1 tbsp.
- ¾ cup water
- 1 small sprig of rosemary
Instructions
Prepare the Crabapples:
- Begin by giving the crabapples a thorough wash. Keep the skin on but remove stems, calyxes, and any bruised or spoiled spots.
- Cut the apples in half, and if they’re large, into quarters.
Mix and Steep:
- In a suitable-sized, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the cut crabapples, lemon juice, water, rosemary sprig, salt, and sugar. Mix everything together.
- Allow the pot to sit for about an hour to let the sugar and salt dissolve.
Simmer, Steep, Simmer:
- Place the pot over low heat and gently bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the crabapples cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the crabapples mixture steep for 6-8 hours or even overnight.
- Return the crabapples to the stove and, using medium-low heat, slowly bring them to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the crabapples simmer for 10 minutes.
Mash and Strain Cooked Crabapples:
- Let the pot cool down a bit. Using a potato masher, gently mash the stewed crabapples.
- In the next step, you'll need a large bowl and a colander with large holes ready. Place the colander on top of the bowl to catch the juices and crabapple pulp. Transfer the pot contents to the colander and, using a silicon spatula or a large metal spoon, press the mashed crabapples against the colander's holes, pushing the pulp and juices through.
Simmer and Prepare Crabapple Sauce For Canning:
- Return the crabapple pulp and juices to the pot and slowly bring them to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for an additional 30 minutes for a runnier consistency, or up to 40 minutes for a thicker jam. Be sure to stir regularly.(!) While the crabapple sauce is cooking, begin preparing the Mason jars. It's important to have your jars ready at this point, because the next step, filling them with piping hot jam, must follow immediately.
Yield
Choose your preferred canning method to preserve your jam
For those processing this preserve using water bath or steam canner, the processing time guidelines at various altitudes are as follows:
0 – 1,000 ft: 5 mins
1,001 – 6,000 ft: 10 mins
Altitudes Above 6,000 ft: 15 mins
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to eat crabapples?
Surprisingly, the safety of crab apples is a common question that frequently arises in search engines. There appears to be a persistent myth suggesting that crab apples are poisonous. However, despite not being the tastiest among apples, crabapples are safe to eat and also quite healthy!
Are crabapples good to eat?
Crab apples are a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants. They come in various colors like red, yellow, and green. Admittedly, some varieties can be quite bitter, especially the red ones, which can be astringent, not exactly what you’d munch on for a snack. But don’t dismiss them just yet! These tiny apples are delicious in pies and make fantastic jams that are definitely worth trying.
What do you eat this crabapple jam with?
- This crabapple jam has a sauce like consistency and can be used in place of savory sauces whenever you are reaching out for an apple sauce.
- Use it on flatbreads or galettes instead of apples when making savory baked goods.
- Serve it alongside cheeses, particularly hard or semi-hard varieties like cheddar.
- Our crab apple jam pairs exceptionally well with pork belly.