First a little story. I am very fond of the flowers of the Japanese quince (Chaenomeles), I had one in the last house, so when I moved here I planted one in the garden.
However a few years ago it became infested with a pest that covered it in fine cobwebs and which died down in the winter but came again the next year, so in the end, reluctantly, I chopped it down.
I was not able to did out the root however so that sprouted and I couldn’t quite bring myself to keep cutting the sprouts off, so this year it was flowering 
and when I came to look on the ground a few weeks ago there were a whole load of quinces on the ground. I picked them up because you can make jam with them, which I had done previously.
There was in fact about 1lb (454gms). Here are some of them.
I had plenty of granulated sugar so I decided one day to make them into jam.
First I chopped them up. 
Here you can see what they look like inside.
And here are some chopped in pieces. 
When they were all chopped I covered them with water. 
and simmered them for about an hour. 
I then sieved them to remove the skins and pith. 
Put them in a saucepan with about 20oz of granulated sugar and boiled them for about 10 minutes.
I had forgotten to weigh them after I had prepared them but 20oz seemed about right (which it was).
Here are my brief instruction notes from my recipe box. 
Luckily I had written instructions on how to prepare the jars on the back. I don’t make jam very often!
I went in the garage and got out some of my favourite hexagonal and multi-sided jars that I had saved. 
I prepared them before the jam was finished so I was able to quickly fill them and cover with wax discs. 
I found I only needed two.
Then later I added the lids. 
I used one of the other sterilised jars for some mint jelly I was making at the same time. 
The mint jelly had to wait till I next had lamb but I had to have a taste of the jam straightaway. Sharp (as I expected) but delicious!
(I have been eating rice cakes rather than bread lately.)
I would be happy to make more jam but I have a problem. I buy jam: apricot for Battenburg or maybe Christmas or Simnel cake, strawberry for scones with cream when people come to tea. Then as I don’t eat a lot, (I mean jam isn’t good for you is it? all that sugar!) the jars last for ages. I’d like to start eating the quince jam now but I have a quarter full jar of apricot and another quarter of strawberry! and if I leave them too long they will only go mouldy! even in the fridge. 😦
Maybe I should make a Victoria sandwich and some jam tarts! Mmmm… 🙂
Yum jam. I have some jam I made two years ago, you are right we just don’t eat as much jam as we used too.
Thank you so much for my lovely angel which arrived today. She is so pretty and will look lovely on our Christmas tree. I will do a post this afternoon.
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Glad the angel came okay. Posted on Thursday 1st class but that’s the post for you!
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Can you freeze jam. I share your dilemma
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Interesting question. All that sugar is supposed to do the preserving and unopened jars can last years but it might be possible to freeze opened jam just like I freeze pesto. Maybe I should try.
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It sounds delicious, sharp jam is lovely. Jam doesn’t last long in our house, Hubby has it on his toast every morning and Josh love jam tarts! x
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I used to use more jam when my children were growing up!
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I’ve always loved the quince. My Grandma used to have a huge one and it was one of the first things that bloomed in the spring!
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The early flowering was one of the things that attaracted me to it too.
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I have the same problem with jam. I love it, but don’t eat it often because of the calories and sugar. When I’m in the mood for some I buy a small jar and yet most of it goes to waste. 😦 Hey, I’ll come to tea just say when! 🙂
Were the quince ripe? I love the flowers, they’re so beautiful. I was fortunate and saw some last year and the blossoms were a lovely shade of pinkish coral.
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Ripe is an intersting question. They were green but had fallen off of their own accord. Once before I had made jam (& chutney) in that some were yellow and I called that ‘jam’ and I made the same stuff with the green ones and called that chutney but what I made with the all green ones tasted fine for jam, no worse than gooseberry or rhubarb.
I had a coral coloured one in the last house. They are all beautiful. I expect strictly speaking there is probably one with boring flowers where the fruit are more meant for use.
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