How to make healthy and tasty carrot and orange jam

Carrots, despite their beneficial properties, are not suitable for long-term storage. Therefore, housewives find different ways to prepare it for the winter. One unusual option is to make carrot jam by adding oranges to it. In this article, we will share some interesting recipes that you can easily try.

Selection and preparation of main ingredients

Preparation begins with choosing the right carrots and oranges. In the fall, it is best to take vegetables from your own garden; they contain the most vitamins and nutrients and have not been treated with pesticides. If you don’t have your own garden, carrots from the store will also work.

For jam you need to select medium-sized root vegetables, hard, without darkened spots, soft areas and cracks. Make sure the carrots have not been frozen. Wash it thoroughly in warm soapy water and remove the soil with a hard sponge. If you want to make jam of a uniform consistency or jam, the size of the root vegetables does not matter. If you plan to cook the pieces in syrup, then use small young carrots. It is the sweetest and most delicious.

Choose medium-sized oranges so that the skin is not too thick and there is more pulp. Some recipes use lemons, select them the same way. The fruit should be free of external damage and soft dark spots on the skin.

Important! Jam is prepared only from fresh and high-quality products.

How to make orange-carrot jam

Carrot jam is prepared according to the same principle as any other: the main ingredient and sugar are taken in approximately equal proportions. To taste, you can reduce the amount of sweetener, use different types, for example, unrefined or cane.

What is necessary

Take a pan with a thick bottom so that the jam does not burn. Carrots are chopped with a knife, on a grater or in a blender, it depends on personal preference. Small pieces in sweet syrup are as good as smooth, soft jam. The zest is removed from citrus fruits, for which you will need a special grater.

The finished jam is placed in jars, which are covered with metal or plastic lids. For short-term storage in the refrigerator, any container that can be tightly closed is suitable.

Ingredients:

• carrots – 0.5 kg;
• oranges – 2 pcs.;
• sugar – 400 g.

Step by step recipe

Preparation:

1. Wash the carrots, dry and peel. Grate or finely cut into cubes.
2. Place in a saucepan, add sugar and stir.
3. Wash the oranges, pour boiling water over them, and remove the zest. Peel and pit, chop finely and add to the pan.
4. Pour in the zest and mix thoroughly.
5. Cook after boiling for 10 minutes.
6. To achieve homogeneity, grind the boiled mass in a blender and cook for another 10 minutes.
7. Place the finished hot jam into jars, turn them over and cover until they cool completely.

You can store the jam prepared according to this recipe all winter in a cool, dark place or refrigerator.

Advice! To make the jam thicker, you need to boil it several times for 5 minutes, letting it cool completely in between.

Features of cooking through a meat grinder

To chop carrots, different methods are used: finely chopped, grated, crushed in a blender, passed through a juicer and squeezed. If you turn it through a meat grinder, you get a puree of uniform consistency.

In this case, you only need the zest and juice from the orange:

1. Pour boiling water over the orange and remove the zest using a fine grater.
2. If you don't have a juicer, squeeze out the juice by squeezing the orange with kitchen tongs.

In a slow cooker

A multicooker successfully replaces a stove, and some machines have a special program for jam. If it is not there, use the “Stew” or “Soup” program. You need to cook with the lid open.

Ingredients:

• carrots – 1 kg;
• orange – 2 pcs.;
• sugar – 0.5 kg.

Preparation:

1. Chop the carrots, add sugar, leave at room temperature for 2-3 hours until they produce juice.
2. Pour boiling water over the orange, remove the peel, remove the seeds, and cut the pulp into small pieces.
3. Place carrots with sugar, orange slices and zest in a multicooker bowl.
4. Add a little water and simmer, stirring constantly, for 40 minutes. If at the end of the program the carrots are still hard, increase the cooking time by another 30-40 minutes.

It is important to ensure that the liquid does not boil down and add boiled water as necessary.

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How to make jam for the winter

To preserve the jam for a long time, it is placed in jars and left in a cool place - a cellar or refrigerator. If you pre-sterilize the containers, the bacteria that cause premature fermentation will be removed, and the preparations will last the whole year.

How to sterilize jars:

1. In boiling water.Place a towel on the bottom of a large saucepan, place the jars, add water, and boil for a few minutes. The lids must be boiled in a separate container.
2. Pour boiling water over it. To do this, first place a metal spoon in the jar so that the glass does not burst. You can hold the jar over steam, but be careful not to get burned.
3. In the microwave. Place the dry jar together with a glass filled 2/3 with water. Turn on the program for 5 minutes at full power until the water evaporates.
4. In an air fryer. Leave the jars at 180°C for 10 minutes.

The finished hot jam is placed in dry, sterilized jars and covered with sterile lids. Afterwards they are turned over, wrapped and left for a day. When the jam has cooled completely, put it in a cool, dark place.

Without sterilization

In unsterilized containers, the jam will keep for several weeks if left in the refrigerator. Many people resort to this method because the preparation process is greatly simplified. The jam won’t have time to spoil in the refrigerator - rest assured, it will be eaten faster.

Recipe Variations

You can make carrot and orange jam in different ways. We offer a few more simple options.

Carrot jam with oranges and spices

Ingredients:

• carrots – 0.5 kg;
• orange – 2 pcs.;
• sugar – 570 g;
• ginger root – 85 g;
• ground cinnamon – 1 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Peel and chop the washed carrots in a convenient way.
2. Peel the zest from the orange, cut the pulp, remove the seeds.
3. Peel and grate the ginger root or grind it in a blender.
4. Place all products in a saucepan, add sugar and mix. Leave covered for a day at room temperature to allow the juice to release.
5. The next day, bring to a boil and cook over low heat until desired thickness.
6. 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking, add cinnamon and leave under the lid closed so that the taste of the spice permeates all the ingredients.
7. Place hot jam into jars.

With oranges and lemons

Ingredients:

• carrots – 1 kg;
• orange – 2 pcs.;
• lemon – 1 pc.;
• sugar – 1 kg.

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel the carrots, chop and add sugar.
2. Peel oranges and lemons without pulp, cut into thin strips or peel the zest with a grater.
3. Squeeze the juice from the lemon, chop the oranges finely.
4. Combine all ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes several times until the jam reaches the required thickness.

With candied orange peel

Ingredients:

• carrots – 0.5 kg;
• candied orange peels – 0.5 tbsp;
• water – 350 ml;
• lemon – 1 pc.;
• sugar – 750 g.

Preparation:

1. Mix water and sugar in a saucepan, cook over low heat for 5 minutes. The sugar will dissolve completely and the syrup will begin to thicken.
2. Chop the carrots, finely chop the candied fruits, squeeze the juice from the lemon.
3. Add all ingredients to the syrup, cook until thickened for about half an hour.

Orange and carrot jam

Ingredients:

• carrots – 0.5 kg;
• orange – 1 pc.;
• lemon – 1 pc.;
• cinnamon stick – 1 pc.;
• clove inflorescences – 1 tsp;
• nutmeg – 1 pinch;
• sugar – 400 g.

Preparation:

1. Finely grate the carrots or chop them in a blender, remove the zest from the orange and lemon and squeeze out the juice.
2. Place cinnamon and cloves in cheesecloth.
3. In a saucepan, combine carrots, sugar, fruit juice, zest and spices in cheesecloth. Stir and leave overnight at room temperature.
4. Before cooking, remove the cheesecloth with spices. Add nutmeg and simmer for 40 minutes.
5. The desired consistency of the jam will be obtained by boiling it several times, allowing it to cool completely.

Reviews

Housewives share their experience in making carrot jam.

Lyudmila, 40 years old, Omsk: “I made jam with small pieces (crushed on a coarse grater), I was simply delighted with the recipe and the result. Orange and lemon give a very pleasant sour taste, the jam can be eaten on its own without adding anything. It turned out thick, bright in color and spreads perfectly on bread.”

Elena, 61 years old, Odessa: “I tried the jam. I decided to experiment because I was looking for a way to preserve vegetables for a long time. I liked the lack of carrot taste, which is drowned out by citrus and spices. An excellent opportunity to get vitamins and carotene in winter.”

Anna, 57 years old, Stavropol: “I mastered the recipe, the consistency resembles jam. Convenient to spread on toast for breakfast. I wanted to cook something new and unusual. Oranges create aroma and taste, carrots retain their beneficial properties, but become unrecognizable, this is very interesting.”

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Conclusion

Carrot and orange jam is a simple dish that won’t take much effort or time to prepare. But you can please yourself and surprise your loved ones with a new healthy dessert. Try our recipes and see that everyone will like the results.