Roselle Jam

5 from 1 vote

This easy roselle jam uses the seed pods to make the thickened cooking liquid, so there’s no boxed pectin. It’s tart, deep red, and one of our favorite ways to use a big roselle harvest.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 45

Course: Condiment

Keyword: Christmas, cranberry sauce alternative, crowd-pleaser, freezer-friendly, fresh, from the garden, holiday, homemade, make-ahead, multi-use, party recipes, roselle sauce, summer, sweet-tart, Thanksgiving, using your harvest

Servings: Cups

Calories: 52kcal

Author: Angela Judd

Equipment

Large heavy-bottomed pot
Medium saucepan
Fine Mesh Strainer
Clean jars
Gloves optional

Ingredients

6 cups fresh roselle calyces prepped and deseeded
Seed pods reserved from the roselle
Sugar equal in volume to the cooked-down roselle (usually about 3 cups)
Lemon juice 1 tsp for every 1 cup of sugar (usually about 3 teaspoons)
Water as needed
1 teaspoon butter optional

Instructions

Rinse the roselle well. Separate the red calyces from the seed pods. Place the calyces in a large pot and the pods in a saucepan.
Cover the seed pods generously with water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes. The pods will become more translucent and the liquid will feel thick and slippery.
Strain out the seed pods, reserving the liquid.
Pour the strained liquid over the calyces. Add a little more water if needed so the calyces are just about covered.
Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the calyces soften and break apart.
Measure or estimate the amount of cooked roselle. Add about the same volume of sugar and stir until dissolved. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for every cup of sugar.
Return to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
If foam forms, stir it back in or add the optional butter.
Remove the jam from the heat while it is still slightly looser than you want it. It thickens considerably as it cools.
Ladle into clean jars. Cool and refrigerate or freeze. If you plan to water-bath can the jam, read the canning information in the full post first.

Notes

Measure the sugar based on the cooked roselle, not the amount of fresh calyces you started with.
Don’t overcook the jam. It thickens quite a bit as it cools.
Save the seed pods. Simmering them creates the pectin-rich liquid that helps the jam set without boxed pectin.
For refrigerator or freezer jam, you can use less sugar if you prefer it more tart, but the finished set may be softer.
I have water-bath canned my roselle jam for years, but I have not found a current USDA- or NCHFP-tested canning recipe for this exact version. See the canning section in the full post before canning for shelf storage.

Nutrition