Mango jam

Is mango good for making jam?

You can make jam with pretty much any fruit, but some fruits need more help than others to set. Sugar definitely plays its part in helping the jam set, but the other part is pectin. You can add it in the process, but personally I usually rely on naturally-occuring pectin.

Mango is relatively low in pectin so needs a little help. Thankfully, mango also pairs well with citrus which is a great way to increase the pectin level. You could use other citrus, but I think lime goes particularly well and so I have used some lime juice and zest in this.

mango, lime and sugar in pan ready to cook

Tips for making this jam

This is pretty quick and easy to make, but a few tips:

Choose mangoes that are ripe but not overly ripe, and ideally a variety that has less stringiness.
If the mangoes are stringy, try to remove the larger strings. Ideally, you don’t want any stringiness at all, so you may want to blend and strain the jam after making.
Cut the mango into a small dice as despite what you might think, the fruit doesn’t break down all that much as it cooks.

How long does it keep?

As with any jam, the answer is partly down to the ingredients and partly how you keep it. Sugar acts as a preservative, as well as adding to the flavor, so lower sugar or chia jams generally don’t keep as well as more traditional jams with higher sugar.

That said, I prefer lower sugar if possible, and this is on the lower side compared to some jams. So how long it keeps is more down to how you can it and keep it. I prefer to keep open jams in the fridge to last longer and they will keep a week or two at least like this.

If canned properly, an unopened jar of jam should keep a number of months, which helps you enjoy that lovely flavor longer.

spoon with jam on it held above bowl with toast and mango behind

This mango jam is a delicious change from your more typical jam flavors – sweet, bright and tropical. While it works wonderfully with bread, I can also see it being great as a glaze for meat. However you use it, you’ll be sure to enjoy this easy spread.

Try these other jams and spreads:

Print Recipe

This mango jam is easy to make and a deliciously bright taste of the tropics.

Ingredients

2 cups diced mango around 1 ½ – 2 mangoes, 400g
½ cup sugar 100g
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ lime zest ie from ½ lime

Instructions

Dice the mango relatively small and put in a small saucepan with the other ingredients. Stir, bring to a boil and allow to simmer around 20-30 minutes until it thickens (you can test a small amount on a cold plate and check if it sets).
Can and store – use proper canning practices, sterilizing the jar, if you plan to keep for any length of time. If using immediately, you can use a clean but non-sterile jar/closed container and store in the fridge for around a week.

Ratings

As noted above, try to avoid mango that has stringy flesh, or you may need to strain the mixture before storing. Use ripe but ideally not overripe fruit.

Nutrition

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Mango jam – Caroline’s Cooking