Nutrition & Health
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Central Sierra: Classic Warm Winter Flavor a Must-Have for the Festive Table
Preserve It! A Jam for the Ages
Cozy up with what might be considered classic, comforting, winter flavors of onion, maple syrup, and apple juice. This jam sets up more like a spread and is quite delicious on a hamburger or as a glaze over a chicken or a pork roast. Try pouring it over cream cheese as a centerpiece on a meat and cheese board for a holiday gathering.
This recipe comes from The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving, published 2023.
Balsamic-Onion Jam
Makes about 5 half-pint jars
Ingredients
2 lbs. onions, diced
½ cup balsamic vinegar, at least 5% acidity
½ cup maple syrup
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups apple juice
3 Tbsp. Low or No-Sugar powdered pectin
½ cup sugar
Instructions
Prepare boiling-water canner or atmospheric steam canner. Heat cleaned jars in canner until ready to use, do not boil (simmering water at 180 degrees F). Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
Combine first six ingredients in a 6-quart stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
Stir in apple juice and pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf. Skim foam, if necessary.
Ladle hot jam into a hot jar, leaving one-quarter-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary. Clean jar rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Water must cover jars by at least one inch in boiling water canner or come to the base of the rack in a steam canner. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil in a boiling-water canner or until there’s a steady stream of steam coming from the steam canner for one minute. Start timing and process half-pint jars: 15 minutes at 0 – 1,000 feet elevation, 20 minutes at 1,001 – 3,000 feet, 25 minutes at 3,001 – 6,000 feet, 30 minutes 6,001 – 8,000 feet.
Turn off heat. For boiling water canner, remove lid and let jars stand five minutes. For atmospheric steam canner, let canner sit undisturbed for five minutes, then remove lid. Remove jars and cool on a toweled surface 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal (they should not flex when center is pressed). Label, date, and store in a cool dark place.
The UC Master Food Preservers of El Dorado County are a great resource for answers to your food safety and preserving questions. To Ask a Master Food Preserver, please click the button below and fill out our form!
This article, written by UC Master Food Preserver Laurie Lewis, originally appeared in the Mountain Democrat (2025).