by athomewithrebecka 8 Comments
Kumquat jelly is a delicious preserve with bright, tangy flavor from fresh kumquats!
This week's kumquat bounty comes from my neighbor's backyard and has me canning kumquat jelly.The tree was so full of fruit, I was able to pick10 pounds of kumquats to make this rich, amber-colored jelly. I also made two more recipes: Kumquat Pepper Jelly, and Vietnamese candied kumquats, traditionally served at the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
What to expect when eating a kumquat:
The small fruit is super tart and veryjuicy, and sure to send your face into a pucker. Surprisingly, the skin is packed with sweetness, so eating the entire fruit is recommended. Simply, roll or squeeze the fruit gently before eating, to unify the flavors of the sweet thin rind with the tart flesh.
Kumquats are native to South-Eastern China, but grown in many parts of the world. These varieties aremost commonly grown for their fruit:Marumi kumquat, is known for its pleasant flavor and round. The Nagami kumquat (featured in this recipe) is more oval-shaped and the most common variety grown inside the United States. The Meiwa kumquat is round, and larger than the other varieties.
Health Benefits of Kumquats:
- Its peel is rich in many essential oils,antioxidants, and fiber. 100 g wholekumquats give 6.7 g or 17% of daily recommended levels of fiber that is composed of tannins, pectin,hemicellulose, and other non-starch polysaccharides (NSP).
- Fresh kumquats are packed with many health benefiting poly-phenolic flavonoid anti-oxidants such as carotenes, lutein, zea-xanthin, tannins...etc. Kumquat peel composes many important essential oils, including limonene, pinene, a-bergamotene, caryophyllene, a-humulene, and a-muurolene. Together, these compounds impart special citrus aroma to the fruit.
- Further, fresh fruits contain adequate levels of some of the anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, C and E. Altogether, these phytochemical compounds in kumquat fruit help scavenge harmful oxygen derived free radicals from the body and thereby protect us from cancers, diabetes, degenerative diseases and infections.
- As in oranges, kumquats also very rich in vitamin C. 100 g fruit provides 47.9 or 73% of RDA (Recommended daily allowances). Vitamin-C is one of the powerful naturalantioxidantwhich has many essential biological roles to play such as collagen synthesis and wound healing. This vitamin hasantiviraland anti-cancer activities, and helpspreventneurodegenerativediseases, arthritis, diabetes...etc by removing oxidant free-radicals from the body. Furthermore, vitamin Cfacilitatesiron absorption in the food.
- Kumquat has good levels of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine, folate, and pantothenic acid. These vitamins function as co-factors for metabolism of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.SOURCE:Nutrition and You
Enjoy
Kumquat Jelly Recipe - Canning Kumquats
Rebecka Evans
3 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Servings 6 4-ounce jars
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh kumquats cut in half
- ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
- 4 cups water
- 3 packages liquid pectin
- 4 cups sugar
Instructions
Wash kumquats with water, cut in half
In a large stock pot, combine kumquats, sugar, lemon juice and water
Over medium high heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, continue cooking for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally
Place a fine sieve over a large bowl and strain liquid from solids, pressing fruit to extract as much liquid as possible
Return liquid to stock pot and bring to a boil
Add pectin and process 2 minutes at a full boil, turn off heat and skim foam
Repeat this process twice more, processing 2 minutes then skimming foam both times
Do a gel test by placing a small amount of jelly on a cold plate, wait about 1 minutes then draw your finger through the jelly, if the jelly keeps its shape it it ready to go. If the gel does not set, process at a full boil for an additional 2 minutes, skim foam and test again.
Ladle hot liquid into sterilized jars leaving ¼ inch head space, wipe rims with a clean damp cloth, place lids and rims on jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes
Allow jars to cool
Notes
For detailed information about canning safty visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation
Keyword Canning, Kumquat Jelly, Kumquats
Tried this recipe?Mention @athomewithrebecka or tag #athomewithrebecka!
Enjoy this tart-sweet kumquat jelly smeared over atoasted English muffin. Or if you like a more savory application, heat ajar in the microwave for 1 minute, stir and pour over a flaky piece of fresh halibut.Stay tuned for my kumquat pepper jelly and Vietnamese Candied kumquat recipes.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Sandy Richardson
Hi--I am new to canning but have 2 kumquat bushes. I would like to make some jelly and friends are telling me that no pectin is needed as the pectin is in the seeds and some in the peel. After boiling the kumquats (cut in half) in water and sugar strain liquid and pour in jars...it will set of its own natural pectin.
Have you ever tried this or come across this theory?
Thanks for your expertise...it is greatly needed for this gal!
Jesus bless.Reply
athomewithrebecka
Sorry for the late response Sandy, I've been traveling the past few weeks.
Your friends are correct in that, many fruits with seeds contain higher levels of pectin. The best rule of thumb for making jam, marmalades with these fruits such as kumquats is to cook the fruits, seeds and peels down to remove the moisture for a very thick consistency before moving on to the canning phase. I generally don't live the seeds in the mix when making any jam, jelly, marmalade as I don't like the bitter aftertaste.
This recipe is for making kumquat jelly which is clear so requires the added pectin as directed. You could try to cook the strained kumquat mixture down and do gel test by adding small amounts of jelly to a plate after cooking in intervals of 10-15 minutes to see if it sets before canning. The process requires more patience and there is no guarantee it will set like jelly.
You're blessed to have fresh kumquats in your yard. They are so delicious. Please let my know if you have any further question. Happy Cooking, Rebecka
Reply
lola gurganus
i have a gal. of kumquat juice . how do i make jellie. i need a recipe please. thank you lola
Reply
athomewithrebecka
Hi Lola, Thanks for stopping by At Home with Rebecka.
I use a basic recipe for citrus jelly which includes, orange, lemon and kumquat liquids. You'll have to do the math to convert the recipe for 16 cups or 1 gallon kumquat liquid, or process in smaller batches. You can also freeze any excess kumquat liquid.
Basic Citus Jelly Recipe:
2 1/2 cups Kumquat or other citrus liquid
6 cups sugar
6 ounces liquid pectin (2 pkgs Certo Brand)In a large stock pot, combine kumquat liquid with sugar. Mix throughly. Heat mixture over medium high until a rapid boil. Add pectin all at once. Stir constantly to disslove pectin and bring to a full rolling boil.
Boil hard for 1/2 minute. Remove from heat. Skim any foam and discard. At This point it's a good idea to do a gel test. If the mixture is frim after the gel test, fill canning jars leving 1/4 inch headspace, add rims and lids then process in a water bath for 10 minutes. If the jelly is soft set, bring back to a rolling boil cook for 30 seconds then do another gel test.
Please let me know if you have an further question.
Best Regards, and HAPPY CANNING, Rebecka
Reply
Charles Purcell
Seem to have a problem with the setting. I added the pectin and it looks like a lot of my other attempts at Muscadine with a great syrup for the final product. Question is, can you just open and mix another pectin in the batch and then water bath and see what happens?
Reply
athomewithrebecka
Hi Chuck,
Yes, I add additional packet(s) of pectin if I encounter gelling issues. Just be sure to bring whatever your canning back to a full boil after the additon of each packet of gel, then boil the mixture per the directions, ususally 1-3 minutes. Skim any foam, then do another gel test to be sure you get the right consistancy. In most cases, one addiotnal package of liquid gel will do the trick. Please keep me posted on your progress. Have a wonderful day!
Reply
Michele
Do I add all 3 packs of Pectin at the same time or do I cook the Kumquats down for 2 hrs strain then add back to pot boil and add one Pack at a time? I’m new at this and really don’t want to mess it up because making this Jelly is just about an all day process
Reply
athomewithrebecka
Dear Oilfirldwife,
Welcome to At Home with Rebecka. I'm happy to hear you're starting the wonderful journey of canning jelly.
The first order of business when making this recipe is to cook the kumquats down then separate the liquids from solids. Discard the solids.
The second, is to return the strained liquid to the same pot and bring it to a boil. Add all three packets of liquid pectin at once. Stir and bring back to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises to the top and repeat this process two more time. Each time bringing the mixture back to a boil and skimming off the foam. Once these steps have been completed follow the remaining steps of taking a gel test to ensure a good set, add the hot liquid to sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath.
I hope that clarifies the process of making kumquat Jelly. Please feel free to contact me anytime with more questions. Happy Canning, Rebecka
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