A great spread to put on bread or even to use in your desserts. This fragrant mango hibiscus jam does not contain any artificial pectin but uses orange juice as a natural source of pectin. If you are looking for a simple homemade jam recipe without artificial pectin then this is the one. This jam is not only gorgeous to look at, incredibly delicious but also a great way to use ripe mangoes if you have them abundantly.
Jam and jelly making is a staple in my household and I do enjoy orange, tangerine jellies, and pineapple jam a lot. This mango hibiscus one however has fast become one of my favourites.
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Ingredients
- mango - get ripe, fragrant mangoes for this jam
- sugar - sugar is a staple in most jam recipes and can act as a preservative.
- hibiscus - this adds a lovely touch to this jam and the amount added can be controlled easily.
- orange juice - this acts as our source of pectin as this recipe does not use any other pectin. In this recipe, I used oranges that were too sour to eat but perfect for this jam.
- dried hibiscus - these add a light floral taste to the jam.
Instructions for Mango Hibiscus Jam
Prepping the jars and lids
Prep the jars by washing them thoroughly with soap and then rinsing them. Then place them in a hot water bath and let them come to a boil.
Remove the jars with tongs and then leave them to dry.
Making Mango Hibiscus Jam
Remove the flesh from the mangoes and chop them into bits.
Puree the mangoes with a hand mixer or an immersion blender.
Pour the mango into a clean pot and add the sugar.
Add the orange juice and stir.
Get a tea bag filter.
Place the dried hibiscus into the tea bags.
Tie the tea bags.
Place the bags into the pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Stir and occasionally press the tea bag to get some of the hibiscus out into the pot.
Let the jam continue to boil and thicken up making sure to stir periodically.
Test whether the jam is set and then pour the hot jam into the jars.
Once the hot jam is in the jars, screw the lids on and turn them upside down for a few seconds. Turn them the right way up - this creates a vacuum and thereby creates a seal.
Substitutions & Variations
- Lemon juice - in the absence of orange juice you can use lemon or lime juice.
- Frozen mangoes - fresh mangoes are the best however if you cannot find them, then frozen mangoes make a good substitute.
Storage
Store the mango hibiscus jam in the fridge and consume it as quickly as possible, ideally within a month or two. Unopened and refrigerated it can last even longer. The jam does not contain any preservatives and even though the sugar plays a role in preservation, it will not last as long as store-bought jams or jellies.
Tip
- If you are tempted to use small fibrous mangoes - don't! These do not make for a pleasant eating experience and you are better off using large non-fibrous mangoes.
- To get even more of the hibiscus out, soak the dried flowers in some hot water before infusing the tea bags into the jam.
- Don't be lazy when it comes to cleaning the jars and their lids - make sure to wash them properly and also sterilise them long enough. This is a good way of ensuring that homemade jam without preservatives lasts longer.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Mango Hibiscus Jam Recipe
Equipment
- 5 Jam bottles or jars 250 gram bottles
Ingredients
- 1 kilogramme mangoes chopped
- 600 grams granulated sugar
- 200 millitres fresh orange juice
- dried hibiscus See note 1
Instructions
Preparing the jam jars
- Wash the jars with soap and water and then rinse.
- Heat a large pot of water and let the it come to a boil. The pot should be able to contain the jars comfortably.
- Carefully place the jars in the bowl and leave to boil for about 10 minutes.
- Take the jars out of the water and leave them to dry on a clean kitchen towel/napkin.
Making The Jam
- Using a hand mixer or immersion blender puree the mangoes making sure to leave a few chunks intact.
- Pour the mangoes into a large pot and add the sugar and orange juice.
- Tie the dried hibiscus in tea bag filters and place them in the pot.
- Bring the contents of the pot to a hard rolling boil and occasionally press the tea bags to release some of the hibiscus.
- Place a saucer or tablespoon in the freezer.
- About 20 minutes in, check to see whether the jam is set. Remove the saucer or spoon from the freezer and place a bit of the hot jam on either of them. Watch whether the jam runs quickly to down the saucer or spoon or whether it is a slow run.
- You may also run your hand through the jam(horizontally) to see whether the line closes up or stays. If the line stays the jam is set, if it closes up your jam needs a few more minutes.
- If the jam is not set yet, leave to boil further but make sure to check regularly (in 3-5 minute intervals).
- Once the jam is ready, pour the hot jam into the glasses, close them with their lids, and turn them upside down for a few seconds. See notes 2.
- Turn them the right way up and leave them to cool. Refrigerate them afterward.
- Spread on bread or fill your favourite doughnut with this jam.
Video
Notes
- The hibiscus petals/flowers vary in size and intensity depending on where you buy them from. Controlling the amount of hibiscus will ultimately be done while the jam is cooking and the hibiscus is released into the jam in bits.
- This creates a vacuum in the jars. When you later open the jam you will hear a pop.
Kokui says
Thanks for this wonderful Recipe
Ami says
Very easy to comprehend. Thanks
Edinam says
Thank you!