Clementine & Ginger jam with a twist of Rooibos Tea

I just made a fresh batch of Clementine & Ginger jam. And it’s about time! Those clementines have been waiting 2 weeks on the counter and life finally slowed down enough to give me a gap in my schedule.

I got the clementines directly from the farm in the Citrusdal area on the drive down from Namibia back to the Cape in South Africa after we had hiked the Fish River Canyon. (But that’s for another day). The farmer had a sweet little building on the side of the road packed with citrus straight from the farm.

Luckily citrus keeps pretty well, especially with our cool winter weather. So I grabbed the bag of Clementines and got chopping.

Here’s how to make a thick and zesty Clementine & Ginger jam with a secret ingredient.

Clementine & Ginger Jam

INGREDIENTS
2.5kg small Clementines / naartjies / tangerines
4 tspns ginger powder
1.4kg white sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup Rooibos tea

METHOD
Start by rinsing the clementines (or similar citrus)

I peeled about ½ of my batch and put those peels into the compost bowl, then sliced the flesh of the Clementine into 3 or 4 big slices depending on the size of the Clementine and put it in a separate bowl.

With the other half of the clementines, I top and tail the Clementine, removing the flat ends. I then sliced the Clementine as thinly as I could including the skin. I then cut those clementine rounds in half.

By the end of the chopping and peeling process I had about 2kgs of fruit ready for the pot.

Add the fruit to the pot. (I use a pressure cooker pot because it cooks evenly.)

Put the lid on the pot (but don’t seal the pressure cooker) for about 5-7 minutes to allow the fruit to poach and break down in its own juices and steam. You can add 1 cup of water if the fruit seems too dry and to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot. Check the fruit regularly and stir.

This is where the secret ingredient comes in!!!
I added 1 cup of strongly brewed Rooibos / red bush tea. Rooibos is a South African tea that is well known for its antioxidant and healing properties while also being naturally caffeine free. It’s so healthy that we often give it to babies as a warm drink with or without milk.

The tea added a lovely hue to the Clementine and was quickly followed by the sugar and ginger powder. The sugar will quickly dissolve.

Bring the fruit to the boil, stirring regularly for about 10 minutes. (Do not take your eyes off it as it can boil over!)

Lower the temperature to medium low and continue on a low boil / simmer for about 15 minutes.

By now the fruit will be boiled down and still chunky but more sticky and crystallised. The Clementine peels should be gooey and chewy but not tough.

JARRING
While the jam cooks put 10 x 250ml clean jars into the oven to heat up to 100•c. This sterilises the jars and ensured that the jars seal with a vacuum when you add the hot jam.

I only use new lids but sometimes recycle jars as long as they have been washed in hot soapy water and oven sterilised.

Once the jam is ready, I use a ladle to fill each jar, wipe the edges clean with a clean damp cloth and immediately place the lid tightly. I continue until all the jars are full and well sealed.

Allow the jars to cool on the table and then keep in a cool dark cupboard for 6+ months!

The wonderful thing about this jam is that the acid and sugar content ensure that the jam is preserved for quite a good amount of months and there’s no need to refrigerate unless you open the jar.

Notes:
I use 2/3 of the amount of sugar to the amount of fruit, so feel free to adjust the amounts as long as the ratio is the same.

I use ginger powder instead of fresh ginger because it’s always in my pantry cupboard and I can measure the quantities easily. Fresh ginger may give varying results and I would recommend grating the fresh ginger finely and starting with 3 teaspoons per 2kg batch. And adding more of you prefer. Fresh ginger will continue to add flavour as it stands.

Do not add water AND tea! Only water or only tea. So only 1 added cup of liquid with the fruit.

This jam is a lovely marmalade alternative for those who don’t like the bitterness of marmalade and also wonderful on cheeseboards and with savoury dishes like pork or grilled fish.

Have you ever made jam with clementines? What are your favourite fruity combinations.