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This simple ginger marmalade (ginger jam) is fresh, clean, and full of zing. Plus, this recipe takes just 4 ingredients (water included!) and uses a simple jam-making process for beginners!
I’ll admit, I’m not any kind of an expert on making jam, marmalade, or any fruit preserve. However, after a summer of jumping head-first into the world of jam-making, I may be slightly obsessed. I’ve already posted recipes for Rhubarb Jam, Fig Jam, and even Rose Petal Jam – now it’s time for this ginger jam/marmalade.Â
This ginger spread is referred to as both a jam and marmalade here in the UK – one of the only citrus-free products called “marmalade”. I actually still don’t truly understand what qualifies something to be called ‘marmalade’; though it seems to be a jam product made with citrus fruits, often with the entire fruit involved (juice, zest, etc.), with ginger marmalade as the exception. So this is a jam, marmalade, and possibly even called “ginger jelly” in the USA.
If you love (or even just like) ginger, then you’re sure to love this ginger marmalade/jam as much as I do. It combines the fiery heat of fresh ginger yet muted with the sweet sugars for an end product that is out of this world. Plus, this simple jam-making process is a great way to expand your culinary “coolness” and impress friends and family.
This recipe is also fairly customizable. I’ve made this with a softer set than many marmalades, and large chunks of ginger, though this can easily be tweaked to fit your preference. Plus, if you find the flavor of ginger alone a little bit “too much”, then there are ways to jazz this up with additional fruits, herbs, and/or spices.
Without further ado though, let’s get right into the instructions!
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The Step By Step Instructions
First, peel and slice the ginger into long, thin slices trying to avoid any pieces that are very hard and fibrous.
Add the ginger and enough water to fully submerge it into a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. This will help to reduce the pungent, strong flavor of ginger.
Drain the water (note: you can keep it and drink it or freeze in ice cubes and add to smoothies, lemonade, or iced tea).
Next, mix 1 cup of water with the cane sugar and powdered pectin.
Then pour the mixture over the ginger in the pot and boil for another 25 minutes over medium heat.
Transfer to a sterilized jar and allow it to cool down (it will continue to thicken as it cools), then cover and store.
To Sterilize the glass jars
Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinsing well. Then place the jars (no rubber or plastic parts) in a pre-heated oven for ten minutes at 160ºC/325ºF to completely dry.
Pour the hot jam into the warm jars then immediately put the lid on the jars and tighten.
How To Store
If you plan to use the ginger jam reasonably quickly and don’t intend to properly ‘can’ it, then it will last in the fridge for up to one month or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To Can The Marmalade
Disclaimer – Processing times for safe canning will vary depending on where you live (elevation), plus the acidity (pH) of the jam. Check reputable sources for correct canning information where you live. Check my Canning Guide for Beginners for a lot more information.
The below guidance is based on speaking to friends and trying to find the correct information online.
Transfer the hot marmalade to sterilized, warm canning jars leaving 1/2-1″ space at the top of the jar. After sealing the jars then place them in a large pot of boiling water (submerged with at least 2″ of water covering them at the top) and boil for 10 minutes or as needed for where you live.
Remove the jars from the pot using tongs and allow them to cool. While cooling, you’ll hear the pop as the vacuum seals ‘activate’ on the jars.
How To Use
- Spread over toast and cakes (like this Homemade Multigrain Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, Healthy Banana Bread (Naturally Sweetened), Chocolate Leopard Brioche Cake Recipe, and even carrot cake!
- Spread over other pastries and bakes like scones, Fluffy Japanese pancakes, add a little with a vanilla creme pat to Simple Eclairs/Profiteroles, or even homemade croissants. Or even add a spoonful to your One-Minute Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake batter, before cooking.
- Spoon into yogurt bowls with fresh fruit- like this Dairy-free Coconut Yogurt, Dairy-Free Almond Yogurt, or How To Make Yogurt (Natural Yogurt + Greek Yogurt).
- Dollop over ice-cream – like this Caramel Ice Cream or Simple Vanilla Ice-cream In A Bag.
- Add a teaspoon to hot milk or water for a soothing ginger drink – similar to this How To Make Ginger Tea.
- Add a little to crumbles and pies like an apple pie filling.
- Combine with Homemade Cream Cheese when spreading.
Recipe Notes
- The fibrous, stringy parts of ginger root won’t soften as much while cooking, so be careful to use new, fresh ginger and stop shredding/shopping the ginger and the tough, fibrous parts, to avoid them ending up in your jam.
- You can experiment with the texture of the ginger/jam. Chop, shred/grate, or even pulse the ginger (to a pulp) for different texture options.
- You can experiment with additional flavors including green/red chili for heat, and other herbs/spice including; cardamom, mint, basil, etc. Plus fruits such as orange, lemon (zest and/or juice), apricot, fig, rhubarb, etc.
- This ginger marmalade is fairly soft set. Increase the amount of pectin, for a harder set.
- You can adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe. However, less sugar will affect how the jam sets and how long it takes to reach the setting point.
- Feel free to use other varieties of sugar, such as unrefined brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc.
- If you end up making your jam too runny, it can be returned to the heat and cooked again to thicken up.
Related Ginger Recipes
- How To Make Crispy Ginger Chips
- Ginger Powder (Two Methods)
- How To Juice Ginger With and Without Juicer
- How to Peel Ginger Quickly and Easily
- Lemon, Ginger, and Cayenne Immunity Shots
- Simple Beetroot And Ginger Juice Recipe
- Simple And Healthy Ginger Lemonade
If you give this ginger marmalade recipe a go, then let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
Simple Ginger Marmalade (Ginger Jam)
Ingredients
- 0.55 pound ginger
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup cane sugar or more to taste
- 2 Tbsp pectin powdered
Instructions
- First, peel and slice the ginger into long, thin slices trying to avoid any pieces that are very hard and fibrous.
- Add the ginger and enough water to fully submerge it to a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. This will help to reduce the pungent, strong flavor of ginger.
- Drain the water (note: you can keep it and drink it or freeze in ice cubes and add to smoothies, lemonade, or iced tea).
- Next, mix the 1 cup of water with the cane sugar and powdered pectin.
- Then pour the mixture over the ginger in the pot and boil for another 25 minutes over medium heat.
- Transfer to a sterilized jar (process in notes) and allow it to cool down (it will continue to thicken as it cools), then cover and store.
How To Store:
- If you plan to use the ginger jam reasonably quickly and don’t intend to properly ‘can’ it then it will last in the fridge for up to one month or in the freezer for up to 6 months.To 'can' it , follow the guidance in my recipe notes.
Video
Notes
To Can The Marmalade: Disclaimer – I don’t have a lot of experience with canning at all so don’t know the varying rules. Processing times for safe canning will vary depending on where you live (elevation), plus the acidity (pH) of the jam. Check reputable sources for correct canning information where you live. The below guidance is based on speaking to friends and trying to find the correct information online. Transfer the hot marmalade to sterilized, warm canning jars leaving 1/2-1″ space at the top of the jar. After sealing the jars then place them in a large pot of boiling water (submerged with at least 2″ of water covering them at the top) and boil for 10 minutes or as needed for where you live. Remove the jars from the pot using tongs and allow them to cool. While cooling, you’ll hear the pop as the vacuum seals ‘activate’ on the jars.
- The fibrous, stringy parts of ginger root won’t soften as much while cooking, so be careful to use new, fresh ginger and stop shredding/shopping the ginger and the tough, fibrous parts, to avoid them ending up in your jam.Â
- You can experiment with the texture of the ginger/jam. Chop, shred/grate, or even pulse the ginger (to a pulp) for different texture options.Â
- You can experiment with additional flavors including green/red chili for heat, and other herbs/spice including; cardamom, mint, basil, etc. Plus fruits such as orange, lemon (zest and/or juice), apricot, fig, rhubarb, etc.Â
- This ginger marmalade is fairly soft set. Increase the amount of pectin, for a harder set.Â
- You can adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe. However, less sugar will affect how the jam sets and how long it takes to reach the setting point.
- Feel free to use other varieties of sugar, such as unrefined brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc.Â
- If you end up making your jam too runny, it can be returned to the heat and cooked again to thicken up.Â
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe looks and sounds great. How many 250ml jars will this recipe make?
Thanks.
Hi Kris,
This recipe makes about 1 cup worth of jam so that would be 1 250 ml jar.
How many jars does this recipe fill? It says 16 tablespoons. What if I’m looking to make 5 jars?
Hi Lynn,
This recipe makes about 1 cup worth of jam (8 oz/220 ml)
Why discard the cooking water, especially if it has enough flavor for other uses? Why not use it as the cup to mix with sugar and pectin?
Hi Ellen,
You can drink it or freeze it and add it to smoothies, lemonade, or iced tea.
Can I use jam sugar instead of granulated
Hi Maddy,
Normally you can use jam sugar but keep in mind that it already has added pectin in it. You might have to reduce or omit adding pectin as per the recipe.
Hi From Canada, to all you and going through the dreadful hot flashes, to I cup of hot water add 1 tsp of left over ginger root about 10 mins before bedtime, sip and enjoy the taste, relax, after about 3 nights you will notice the hot flashes get less and less, good news it might take less than 3 nights. Also don’t know why , but my athsmatic friend said sipping a cup of hot ginger water before going to sleep helped reduce his wheezing during the night, which is a bonus. take care hope these tips help. regards
Thanks for the tips, Elaine. Ginger is truly a magical ingredient 🙂
Hi,
I’ve boiled tiny slices of ginger now for 1 1/2 hours and the ginger is still not soft, how long does it take to soften. Should I leave it in water overnight?
I cut the pieces of ginger into tiny pieces.
Frustrated.
Hi Barbara,
Ginger can be tricky – the fibrous parts can be more tough and won’t soften as much while cooking, try using new, fresh ginger. You can also try to experiment with different textures, perhaps you can grate or shred it instead of cutting it into tiny slices. How did yours turn out in the end?
Hi, thanks for the recipe, I will use it as a Christmas present for my dad. Its really good but sooo spicy for me, do you think that for the next time will help to cook it for a longer time?
Hi Nicole,
Yes, to reduce the pungent, strong flavor of ginger, you can simmer it in water for longer than 45 minutes. I hope this helps.
Hello from Turkiye!
the ginger jam really sounds exiting. But can we pass the pectin step? or What can we use instead of it?
Hi,
You can try to simmer the mixture for longer so it thickens naturally as the moisture evaporates. Alternatively, you can use cornstarch as it is a natural thickener. I hope this helps.
I’m looking for Ginger Marmalade
Hope you like it! You can cut the ginger pieces as small or large as you wish!