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I know that some of you reading this post are basking in warm sunshine with balmy breezes whispering across your face and clear blue skies overhead. I got a message from a Facebook friend living on the Gold Coast of Australia, who shared that it was 32˚C (89˚F) there yesterday.
I have to, somewhat sadly, declare that is definitely not the case on this side of the beautiful globe we call Earth.
The forecast for tonight, here in North Carolina is for snow and icy rain. 100% chance! The schools have already been cancelled and when Scott went out a few hours ago to run to Home Depot, which is only a few blocks away from our home, he didn't even get to the end of our street before he started slipping and sliding. He turned right around and came back home.
Don't tell him that I shared this, but that means the roads were pretty darn horrible, as he loves (as in L O V E S) Home Depot and heads over there any time he has the tiniest excuse. He definitely wouldn't let a little snow stop him.
All that to say, I thought many of you might need a bit of sunshine today. Though the skies are gray with sleet, snow and rain falling all at once, it doesn't matter, this kind of sunshine comes in a jar.
I had a beautiful pineapple sitting on the counter last week, and decided to have some fun with it. We love sweet and spicy jams and jellies, and that's the direction I went with my pineapple this time.
With only five ingredients; pineapple, sugar, Sriracha chili sauce, fresh lemon juice and some Certo (liquid pectin or thickener), this jam comes together in less than 30 minutes. And guess what? It's a freezer jam, meaning that there's minimal cooking involved, it retains the fresh flavor of the fruit and there's no canning knowledge needed. Another bonus - if you won't be using the jam within the next month, it can be stored in the freezer. How cool (literally) is that?
With this Pineapple-Sriracha Freezer Jam, it's the pineapple flavor that shines with a wonderful punch of spiciness from the Sriracha.
What would you do with this jar of sunshine? I was hoping you'd ask.
There are lots of fun and delicious ways to use it. You can see in the pictures how I like to use it as a pretty appetizer: just roll a log of creamy goat cheese in some finely chopped parsley and serve on a platter with a small bowl of Pineapple-Sriracha Jam and some nice crackers.
It's also wonderful spooned over cream cheese or as a spread on a sandwich (try it on a grilled ham and cheese - oh my!). It's wonderful to serve at the dinner table with hot dinner rolls and butter, and is fantastic in the morning on fresh-from-the-oven biscuits.
Another idea is to use it to make a fun and unique salad dressing; add a generous spoonful to a small mason jar. Throw in a splash of rice vinegar, a minced clove of fresh garlic, a pinch of sea salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Cover and shake well, then drizzle in extra virgin olive oil (about twice as much as the rice vinegar). Taste and adjust. Voila! A super delicious dressing in minutes!
Have I sold you? Once your family and friends take the first taste they'll be sold, for sure! So, if your roads aren't icy or snow-covered, run out and pick up a pineapple, a bottle of Sriracha (found in the Asian section of most larger grocery stores) and a packet of liquid pectin (I use Certo). Before you know it, your counter will be lined up with jars of sunshine too!
P.S. Looking for some fun jars for your jam? I love these Weck jars.
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Fresh Pineapple-Sriracha Freezer Jam
Ingredients
- 3 cups* diced fresh pineapple, well-drained
- 6 cups* sugar, measured into separate bowl
- 2 packets Certo liquid pectin**
- 3 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce, more if you like things really spicy
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash and dry small canning jars or plastic containers with lids. The recipe will make 8 cups of jam, so the quantity of jars you'll need will depend on the size of your jars.
- Measure exactly 3 cups chopped, well-drained pineapple into a large bowl. Stir in exactly 6 cups of sugar (level sugar off with a knife) and Sriracha. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place bowl in microwave and cook on high power for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir well. Return to microwave and cook on high for another 2 minutes. This will help dissolve the sugar and prevent your jam from being "grainy".
- Mix pectin and lemon juice. Add to pineapple mixture; stir for 3 minutes. Take a taste. Sugar should be completely dissolved and there should be no graininess. If sugar is not dissolved, continue to stir for another minute or two.
- Fill all containers immediately to within ½ inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers and cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.
Notes
**Certo seems to be located in a different area at almost every grocery store. I just ask one of the clerks where they have "the jam and jelly making supplies" if I have any problem and they direct me to the right place.
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My husband would love this recipe. Unfortunately he is diabetic. Is there anyway to make this with an artificial sweetener? I know the pineapple already has natural sugar but if I could eliminate the added sugar I think a little of this once in a while would be a nice treat.
Hi Cindy, I'm sorry but I don't have a way to adapt this particular jam for an artificial sweetener. That being said, there are pectins out there for low-sugar and no-sugar jams. You may be able to use one of those types of pectin and a recipe that is specifically designed for them.
Could you cut all the ingredients in half (1 pectin 3 C sugar, etc.) to make a smaller quantity?
Hi Diane, I haven't tried that but I think it should work fine!
Wow! Can’t wait to try this gym. Going to the store right now to buy the ingredients. Please send the labels. Thank you so much.
Hi Rene, hope you enjoy the jam!
This one, however, does not have labels.
This is excellent! Could you use frozen pineapple instead of fresh?
Hi Diane, yes, you can use frozen pineapple but make sure it's drained REALLY well.
I like the combination of this jam. Would it be possible to can this recipe rather than freeze it?
Thanks, Sarah! I wouldn't recommend freezing this particular recipe as it was designed to be a freezer jam and it's not safe for canning since there is not cooking other than the microwave. It's better to go with a recipe specifically designed for canning.
Can this recipe be halves?
Hi Bonnie, it could but you'd be throwing out half of the pectin. It might be better to make the whole batch and freeze what you don't use for gifts.
I don't own a microwave. Can you please tell me how to convert the recipe to stove top? Thank you. Your site is my go-to for delicious recipes!
Thanks so much, Ruth! The microwave is used to "melt" and dissolve the sugar. You could just as easily accomplish this on the stovetop. Just warm the sugar/pineapple mixture, stirring occasionally until there are no longer sugar crystals.
It's been many years since I've had spicy jam and now I miss it. This jam would brighten the dreariest day!
As a snack , we like to have toasted five grain and pumpkin seed bread smeared with natural peanut butter topped with hot peach pepper jelly. I can't wait to try your pineapple jam.
Hi Chris, I love the combination of pineapple and hot sauce. I use Sure Gel for my freezer strawberry jam. How would this differ from the Certo you used. I did not know you could use fresh pineapple with geletin.?
Thanks for any help.
Wow, the jam looks SO yummy!
This jam looks good! I've never tried using Sriracha and don't know what that is.
Hi Valya, Sriracha is a spicy chili sauce that's pretty commonly found these days in the Asian section of most larger grocery stores. It adds wonderful spicy flavor to sauces, soups, and all sorts of other things. You can control the amount of spiciness by how much you add. We're not super spicy people but do enjoy a nice kick of spice as in this jam.
Wow, another amazing recipe - can't wait to try. it's -30 degrees Celsius here in Manitoba - that should make you feel better about your weather!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Pam.
Yes, I do believe we’re quite the puppies when it comes to weather here in NC. But just to redeem myself a little bit, I did grow up in Wisconsin. After 35 years in the south though, I’ve become a wimp! 🙂
Hope you enjoy the jam.
Kind Regards - all the way to Manitoba (brrrrrrr!)
I love sweet and spicy jams- this looks so good! I bet it would be fabulous on chicken or pork too. 🙂
Well Chris it may be warm down here but sunny it is not. We are expecting the tail end of a cyclone in the next couple of days so I don't think we will be seeing the sun for a while. Better get me a pineapple!
This looks amazing Chris! I love the flavor combo!
You make the best jams, I love the sweet and spicy flavors here!
I love Home Depot too. It's probably a guy thing. 😉 Anyway, love this jam! The sriracha is such an original -- and tasty! -- idea. Love it combined with sweet things. Really good -- thanks.
Yes John, you boys have Home Depot and we have Home Goods. I love wandering the aisles there as much as Scott enjoys Home Depot!
What a fantastic flavor combo!
Kisses from Greece, dear!
OH Chris I am completely sold on this recipe! Drooling over the thought of this spread on a ham and cheese panini - man-o-man! You are the jam queen and one day I will have to make this - you did good! You know Scott loves Home Depot because he is so handy - can't wait to see your herb gardens again once this weather is done - we are cold too with about 7 inches of snow on the ground. We were wishing for snow and whooop-there-it-is!
Thanks Tricia, this weather will certainly make us appreciate spring, won't it?
It may be 32C in Australia, here, in Quebec, it's around -24C during night and -15C during day! I would definitly be needing some of this jam!
I'm north of the Gold Coast on the Sunshine Coast and it was the same temperature here. BUT we've got a little cyclone headed for us. So everywhere has its problems. 🙂
No problem with this freezer jam. What a clever idea to put pineapple and sriracha in a jam.
Dear Chris, I would love this jam on everything!!! xo Catherine
Gorgeous photos as always, Scott! I so have to make this, Chris - sunshine or not. I can just taste the sweet pineapple, with the wonderful warmth of the Sriracha. My kind of jam to say the least! And goat cheese.... (don't tell anyone, but I have been known to say, goat cheese is better than sex... and that's saying a lot... OK -TMI - sorry.)
Hope you are staying warm and safe!
3 cups of pineapple and SIX! cups of sugar? And pineapple is already exceedingly sweet? This recipe will definitely not be for me!
Hi Zoe, your right that is a lot of sugar but that's just the nature of jams and jellies. The recipe makes a LOT of jam so each little teaspoon that you might have on a roll or biscuit is really not a whole lot. If you are restricting you sugar intake or are diabetic, I know there is a low sugar pectin but I haven't experimented with it.
Sweet and spicy...a great combination of flavours!
Chris - i absolutely LOVE this combination of flavors! This is a must make and pinning now
Beautiful jam, Chris! Sweet and spicy jams and jellies are where it is at with our taste buds these days. Perfect for appetizers and sandwiches and I like your dressing idea. All excellent suggestions. I have everything on hand but the Certo liquid pectin. Cannot wait to try your recipe! Stay warm down there. It's cold with flurries today in Indy. Thanks for sharing and I will definitely be pinning!
Yes, I too love jam and jelly that are sweet and hot...but never thought in making my own...pineapple and sriracha...sounds and looks delicious!
Thanks for the recipe Chris...have a wonderful week 🙂
Me too I want some right now:)
It is perfect!!IThank you Chris^^
What an utterly perfect combination of sweet and spicy, Chris! Love your suggestions, and the one with the creamy goat cheese sounds very tasty. Indeed it must have been very slippery to keep Scott from his favorite HomeDepot 🙂
P.S. The weekend we did have summer heat wave in Santa Barbara too, it felt just like Australia. Today is only 59˚F which is wonderful to make Sauerbraten.
Cheers,
J
Haha, I love it - Sauerbraten! Us foodies use just about anything as an excuse to cook something good! 🙂
This really does look like sunshine on a plate! A sunbeam on everything you put it on. We live close, so of course we have the same weather. Bright skies and sun today, but our side street is still icy and we cannot get out. Tomorrow, more snow! Also on the weekend. I read Phil about Scott's aborted trip, and we both got a laugh about Home Depot. After being cooped up for so long, I would welcome being in ANY store!!
love this gonna try can you use ball liguid pectin instead thank you great pictures also
Hi Vicky, not sure about the Ball pectin as I haven't tried it and would hate to steer you wrong.
OMG I am soooo in love with this flavor combo! I am sooooo pinning this for later! You are soooo good Chris!
The only problem I have with this post is that now I want to have a little jar of this right now! I love sweet/hot jams and jellies, and the pineapple is such an unexpected idea --- love the photos, too, pinning!