The garden is producing cucumbers at an alarming rate this year. It’s a good problem to have and while we’re eating many salads and snacking rather constantly on the slicing types, there are still so many. We’ve made pickles and shared cucumbers with the neighbors too. Still so many. I wanted to try something a little different and wondered about cucumber jam. I found a few recipes online but most weren’t exactly what I had in mind. I particularly love the combination of mint and cucumber and as I have both growing in abundance, Cucumber Mint Jam was made and enjoyed.
I did use pectin in this recipe instead of cooking until gel point is reached. I didn’t want to cook the cucumbers to death. I used pickling cucumbers but slicing cucumbers would work too, I think they would likely mash up better as they tend to be softer and juicer. Use whatever is on hand. Not a mint fan – skip or add some other herb that is more favored.
Cucumber Mint Jam
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Chopped Cucumber, peeled & seeded
- 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 Cups Sugar
- 1 Box (1.75 oz) of Powdered Pectin
- 3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Mint
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine cucumbers, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and pectin. Bring to boil, mashing slightly with a spoon. Keep at a rolling boil for 1 minute.
- Add the sugar, all at once and bring to a boil again. Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, skim off foam. Stir in mint.
- Pour into jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Process for 10 minutes (adjusting for elevation) in a boiling water bath.
How to Use Cucumber Mint Jam
This isn’t a jam, that a person is likely to slather on a peanut butter sandwich. It is a jam, however; that would:
- make an excellent sandwich with some goat cheese and / or turkey
- go wonderfully with some cheese and crackers
- be delightful mixed in with some plain yogurt for a sweet / savory and filling lunch or snack
- mix up well in this vinaigrette recipe (just swap out the strawberry jam for the cucumber mint)
Before all those summer cucumbers fade away consider whipping up some jam with this easy and quick recipe.
What’s your favorite way to use up over abundant cucumbers?
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Sounds interesting! How much does this recipe yield?
About 6 half pints. I can’t believe I forgot that in the recipe. Enjoy!
I am excited to try this. Can lime juice be substituted for lemon juice, or maybe a lemon/lime combo?
I didn’t try it but I don’t see why not.
Sounds like a keeper. Must try..
I just made this today using cucamelons in place of the cucumbers. I halved the recipe just because I wasn’t sure, but now I wish I had made the whole recipe. It was fantastic! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Oh I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
i dont like it
It is a different flavor, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like it.
Just wanted to let you know that I came across this recipe last year and made it — and now I’m going to make it every year. Everyone we gifted with this jam LOVED it. Thank you for putting it out there!
Thank you so much for letting me know. I’m so glad to hear that it was such a hit!
Any reason that you can’t mix pickling cucumbers with salad cucumbers when making jams?
I don’t see why you couldn’t mix the two. Salad cucumbers tend to have more water so it might affect how well it gels but for sure it would work flavor wise.
I made this today and have to say that it is AWESOME!!! Everyone loved it! Will be making this again for sure! Love the mint!
Thanks so much for letting me know!
Thank you Kathie for the idea! I am using this in an informal work cooking competition, the theme is “Sweet and Savory on a Cracker” the presentation will be:
RainCoast Fig Crisps
Cold Sliced Lamb
Goat Cheese
Warm Mint Cucumber Jam
Your recipe should be the perfect topper, I’ll let you know how it goes!
Yum! Good luck. I can’t wait to hear how it goes.
I made this yesterday, it tasted good but it didn’t thicken up. It is more like a syrup. What did I do wrong?
It’s hard for me to say exactly. There are many different reasons why jam doesn’t set… was the pectin old. Are you sure you kept it at a full rolling boil (a boil that can’t be stirred down) for a full minute after adding the pectin? Did you add the sugar all at once?
try letting the jars sit for a week or two or more. Lately I have experienced pear jam and plum jam that appeared too runny at first but when using them a month later – they were set up just fine. In fact I had designated a few jars of pear jam as “pear syrup” as they were too runny to qualify as jam. Upon opening them, I found they had turned into the perfect jam consistency.
I made this today! I grated the cucumber instead of chopping and used lime juice instead of lemon. Ots tangy and delicious on cream cheese and crackers!
Thanks so much!
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it and what a good idea to grate it!