Quince Jam (Preserves)

Name: Quince Jam (Preserves) Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 4 large quince ((chopped, approximately 4 cups)); 4 cups sugar; ¼ tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp cardamom; 1 med. lemon ((zested and juiced)); 2 cup water ((drained from cooked quince)); 1½ tsp rose water ((optional))

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If you're new to quince fruit, you're in for a real treat! Although the fruit isn't particularly tasty as is, it's delicious when slow-cooked or roasted. Quince can be used to make some delicious recipes including jam, quince cake, and quince paste.

quince preserves with other breakfast dishes

🧐 Why This Recipe Works

This Quince Jam Recipe is extra special to me. Not only because it always reminds me of my mom, who made the best quince jam I've ever had, but also because quince are not available all year round. In America, quince are available during fall.

Quince jam is called Muraba't Sparijleh in Assyrian. Although mom made all kinds of jams and preserves, including fig preserves and plum preserves, quince jam was savored. Most likely because quince was only available for a short time of the year.

I find that many people have never tasted quince fruit, which is so sad! I can only imagine someone purchasing the fruit and taking a bite, only to be sorely disappointed. That's definitely NOT the way to enjoy quince.

Quince needs to be cooked for a long period. This not only brings out the flavor of the fruit but intensifies the color to a beautiful amber. So the next time quince are in season, pick some up and make some quince jam!

🔖 Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions

Quince: Choose quince that are blemish free and have a pleasant aroma.
Lemon Juice: You'll need the juice and zest from 1 lemon.
Spices: I use cardamom and cinnamon in my preserves. You can do the same or use only one of the two.
Rose Water: Rose water is used in a lot of Middle Eastern sweets. You can leave it out if you need to.

🍯 How to Make Quince Jam

Wash the jars and lids in hot, soapy water and rinse. Sterilize the jars by boiling them for 10 minutes. Keep them in the hot water until needed.

Step 1: Wash and chop the quince into 1" pieces. If you prefer, you can dice the quince into smaller pieces.

Pro Tip: Later in the process, I use a handheld immersion blender to break the quince down to the consistency that I like. If you don't want to do this, you can just dice them into smaller pieces now.

Step 2: Place quince in a five-quart Dutch oven. Add enough water to completely cover the quince. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the quince, capturing the liquid. Reserve two cups of the liquid. This liquid will be used in the recipe instead of plain water because quince have a lot of natural pectin. This will aid in the jelling process.

Step 4: Place quince back into the empty Dutch oven and add the remaining ingredients, including the reserved liquid. Bring to a boil, while stirring over medium heat. Simmer anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup thickens.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind the preserves will thicken further upon cooling off.

Step 5: Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Screw the caps onto the jars, but not too tight. Place the filled jars back into the boiling water and process the jars for 10 minutes.

Use jar-lifting tongs to remove the jars from the boiling water. Cool, then store for up to a year.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What's the Difference Between Jam, Jelly, and Preserves?

Jelly is made with fruit juice and has a firm and smooth jello-like consistency. Jam, on the other hand, is made with crushed fruit. It has an even consistency, neither too smooth nor too chunky. Jam falls somewhere between jelly and preserves.

Preserves is chunkier than both jelly and jam. The fact that preserves contain large chunks of fruit makes it an easy favorite.

When are quince Available?

Unless you have access to a quince tree, the fruit is pretty hard to come by.
The fruit is available to purchase in fall and starts making its appearance in grocery stores usually around October, at least here in California.

However, not all stores carry them so you might have to do some digging until you can locate them. Ethnic markets are usually a good place to look!

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips

If you prefer the consistency of jam, use one of these handy emulsifiers to achieve the results you're after. To avoid splatter, keep the blade deep in the pot while using it, and make sure to turn it off before pulling it out of the preserves.
When Assyrians make quince preserves, they usually cut the fruit into slices or wedges. So if you prefer, you can do the same. I personally prefer cutting the fruit into small squares.

quince preserves in a jar with a spoon in the jar

I hope you enjoy this quince jam recipe! You may also want to try making quince candy.

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📖 Recipe

Quince Jam (Preserves) Recipe

Assyrian quince jam recipe, just like mom used to make!

4.41 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiments

Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 8 oz jars

Calories: 81kcal

Ingredients

▢ 4 large quince (chopped, approximately 4 cups)
▢ 4 cups sugar
▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon cardamom
▢ 1 med. lemon (zested and juiced)
▢ 2 cup water (drained from cooked quince)
▢ 1½ teaspoon rose water (optional)

Instructions

Wash and chop the quince into 1" pieces. If you prefer, you can dice the quince into smaller pieces.
Place quince in a five-quart Dutch oven. Add enough water to completely cover the quince. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the quince, capturing the liquid. Reserve two cups of the liquid. This liquid will be used in the recipe instead of plain water because quince have a high pectin content. This will aid in the jelling process.
Place the quince back into the empty Dutch oven and add the remaining ingredients, including the reserved liquid. Bring to a boil, while stirring over medium heat. Simmer anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup thickens.
Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Screw the caps onto the jars, but not too tight. Place the filled jars back into the boiling water and process the jars for 10 minutes.
Use jar lifting tongs to remove the jars from the boiling water. Cool, then store up to a year.

Notes

Later in the process, I use a handheld immersion blender to break the quince down to the consistency that I like. If you don't want to do this, you can just dice them into smaller pieces now.
Keep in mind the preserves will thicken further upon cooling off.
If you prefer the consistency of jam, use one of these handy emulsifiers to achieve the results you're after. To avoid splatter, keep the blade deep in the pot while using it, and make sure to turn it off before pulling it out of the preserves.
When Assyrians make quince preserves, they usually cut the fruit into slices or wedges. So if you prefer, you can do the same. I personally prefer cutting the fruit into small squares.

Nutrition

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Quince Jam (Preserves) Recipe

🧐 Why This Recipe Works