3 Unexpected Ways To Use Jam

There isn’t really a set “jam season,” per se – you can make it any time of the year, and it’s just as good with some winter fruits as it is with summer ones – but realistically, summer’s a good time to get your jam on. Strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and peaches: They’re all ripe for the picking, quite literally, right now, and if you’re lucky enough to have some in your back garden (or you just have a load left over in your fridge), making jam is arguably the best way to extend their lifespan. And make something delicious, of course.

Videos by Sporked

But…and I never thought I’d say this…there is such a thing as too much jam. I know. Blasphemy! But sometimes you need precious kitchen space back, or the jar you’ve recently opened is starting to look a little moldy. For those moments, here’s what you do.

Put It In Salad Dressing

Adding jams or preserves to a salad dressing has exactly the same purpose as adding honey or sugar: It brings sweetness. Unlike those two, though, it also brings a lot of complexity. Jam’s a collision of sweet, tangy, and fruity flavors, and adding a dollop into your salad dressing is a quick way to create additional flavor and roundness. If your salad also has fruit in it, so much the better. 

Jam also has the pleasing side effect of making some salad dressings a bit thicker, which can be nice when you’re working with otherwise runny ingredients. It will help the dressing cling to your leaves more effectively. In short, it’s a useful thing to throw in there. 

Pair It With Steak (Or Pork, Or Lamb)

Meat flavors and sweetness go hand-in-hand, but jam often doesn’t get a look-in. Instead, we opt for ketchup, barbecue sauce, steak sauce, sweet chili, or hot honey – all of which have sweet notes, but which feel way less dessert-focused than jam, and therefore more acceptable on a plate next to savory meat. 

It needn’t be that way, folks. Most jams will go excellently with steak, pork, or lamb, where they’ll create contrast with the full, umami flavors (and help to cut through some of the fattiness of juicier cuts). In my opinion, try to opt for a jam based around darker fruits, which will give the flavor a little more richness and tanginess. Try putting it in a steak sandwich, too. It’s the bomb.

Add It To A Cocktail

Plenty of cocktails incorporate jam, and drinks like a Strawberry Gin Smash, Bramble, and a Jam Margarita can be whipped up in no time, wielding the power of this jarred condiment. However, jam can also be used in a pinch when you don’t have any simple syrup to hand (provided that the flavor profile works with your drink and complements it instead of distracting from it). Jam adds body and mouthfeel to cocktails while also sweetening them up and giving them more heft: Try making a Whiskey Sour with cherry jam or marmalade instead of syrup, and you’ll see what I mean.

Just make sure you’re going for a seedless version, though. You don’t want to be picking those out of your teeth.