JAM, LEFT TO RIGHT: Strawberry-Vanilla Jam with Lime Zest, Peach–Orange Blossom Jam, and Bittersweet Grapefruit-Ginger Marmalade
Traditionally, many condiments, jams, and spreads are cooked gently on the stovetop, so it’s natural to adapt them to the slow cooker. You’ll notice that most of these recipes call for removing or setting the lid ajar at the end—that’s so the condiments thicken to a spreadable consistency, just as they do when they reduce on the stovetop. The exceptions are the jams and marmalade, which are set with pectin, a natural gelling agent that’s found in fruit.
Strawberry-Vanilla Jam with Lime Zest
Bittersweet Grapefruit-Ginger Marmalade*
Brown Sugar–Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
*All-day recipes: These recipes can cook or hold on warm unattended for 8 hours or more.
Strawberry-Vanilla Jam with Lime Zest
Strawberries and vanilla bean both have a floral sweetness, and they marry together beautifully. A bit of lime zest stirred in at the end adds a little zip. I generally prefer to freeze jam rather than can it, but you can go either way, of course.
MAKES SIX 8-OUNCE JARS (ABOUT 6 CUPS)
3 pounds ripe strawberries (about 4 pints), hulled and quartered
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Generous pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons (about .5 ounce) low-sugar pectin, such as Ball RealFruit Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin
1. Place the strawberries in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker and coarsely mash them with your hands or a potato masher. Using a sharp paring knife, halve the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add the bean halves and seeds to the slow cooker. Add the sugar, honey, lime juice, and salt and stir well to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour 30 minutes.
2. Whisk in the pectin and the lime zest, whisking very well for 30 seconds or so. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on HIGH.
3. Remove and discard the vanilla bean halves. To can the jam, follow the correct canning process to make shelf-stable preserves. To freeze or refrigerate it, ladle the jam into six 8-ounce jars, leaving about a half inch of headspace, and let cool before sealing. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Good to know: Freshpreserving.com has reliable canning directions.
Holds well on warm for up to 1 hour through step 1. Be sure to turn the heat back up to high to let it warm up before adding the pectin. • Prep time: 20 minutes • Slow-cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes • Finish time: 10 minutes • Equipment: 5- to 8-quart slow cooker
See photo.
If you happen to have a bunch of ripe (or even overripe) summer peaches, this is a wonderful way to preserve them. Or you could use frozen peaches—I’ve had good luck with Whole Foods’ 365 brand—which would mean you get to skip step 1.
MAKES EIGHT 8-OUNCE JARS (ABOUT 8 CUPS)
4 pounds fresh ripe peaches (about 11 medium) or frozen peach slices, thawed and drained
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
4 teaspoons finely grated orange zest Pinch of kosher salt
3 tablespoons (about .75 ounce) low-sugar pectin, such as Ball RealFruit Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
1. If using fresh peaches, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. On the bottom of each peach, using a paring knife, cut through the skin to make an X. Working with 3 or 4 peaches at a time, drop the peaches into the boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice water. Repeat with the remaining peaches. Starting from the flaps of skin where you scored the bottom of the peaches, pull the skins from the peaches. They should peel easily. Halve the peaches, discard the pits, and slice the peach halves into about 8 slices each.
2. Combine the peach slices, sugar, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of the orange zest, and the salt in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
3. Uncover and coarsely mash the peaches with a potato masher (or use an immersion blender to puree the peaches for a smoother jam). Whisk in the pectin, whisk well for about 30 seconds, cover, and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
4. Uncover, turn off the heat, and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons orange zest and the orange blossom water. To can the jam, follow the correct canning process to make shelf-stable preserves. To freeze or refrigerate it, ladle the jam into eight 8-ounce jars, leaving about a half inch of headspace, and let cool before sealing. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Good to know: Freshpreserving.com has reliable canning directions.
Holds well on warm through step 2 for up to 1 hour. Be sure to turn the heat back up to high to let it warm up before adding the pectin. • Prep time: 20 minutes with fresh peaches, 5 minutes with frozen • Slow-cook time: 2 hours • Finish time: 10 minutes • Equipment: 5- to 8-quart slow cooker
See photo.
Bittersweet Grapefruit-Ginger Marmalade
This spread showcases the punchy, assertive flavors of grapefruit zest and ginger. Try it spooned into yogurt or on ricotta toast.
MAKES NINE 8-OUNCE JARS (ABOUT 9 CUPS)
4 pounds grapefruit (about 4 large or 5 medium)
One 4-inch ginger knob, peeled and coarsely chopped (about ¼ cup)
4 cups sugar
1½ cups grapefruit juice
Pinch of kosher salt
½ cup (2.5 ounces) pectin, such as Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin
1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the grapefruit in strips. Put the zest into a food processor with the ginger and process until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Slice off the tops and bottoms from the grapefruit so that they sit flat on your cutting board. Following the curve of the fruit, cut off all the peel and bitter white pith from the grapefruit and discard. Your grapefruit are now naked. Working over the slow cooker to catch the juice, cut between the grapefruit membranes to release the segments into the slow cooker. Discard the membranes and any seeds. Using your hands, crush and squeeze the grapefruit segments until the flesh is broken into small pieces. Stir in the sugar, grapefruit juice, salt, and 2 cups water. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours.
2. Increase the heat to HIGH and cook for 15 minutes. Whisk in the pectin. Whisk well for about 30 seconds, then cover and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
3. Uncover and stir well. To can the marmalade, follow the correct canning process to make shelf-stable preserves. To freeze or refrigerate it, ladle the marmalade into nine 8-ounce jars, leaving about a half inch of headspace, and let cool before sealing. Store the marmalade in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Good to know: Freshpreserving.com has reliable canning directions.
ALL-DAY
Holds well on warm through step 1 for up to 2 hours • Prep time: 40 minutes • Slow-cook time: 9 hours • Finish time: 20 minutes • Equipment: 5- to 8-quart slow cooker
See photo.
This chutney would be right at home on the Thanksgiving table, but I also like having it around to sauce pork chops, duck breast, or steak. It makes a really nice topping for ricotta toast or yogurt, too. I stir in a second bit of ginger at the very end for a superfresh pop of ginger flavor that hasn’t been mellowed by cooking.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
24 ounces fresh cranberries or two 12-ounce bags frozen cranberries, thawed
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
¼ cup grated ginger (from about a peeled 4-inch ginger knob)
1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, vinegar, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. (If you want to use a 4-quart slow cooker, it will work, but the cooking times will be longer.) Stir in all but 2 teaspoons of the ginger. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour 30 minutes.
2. Uncover the slow cooker and stir well, especially around the edges. Set the lid ajar by about 2 inches to let steam escape and cook on HIGH for about 1 hour more, until many of the cranberries have popped and the sauce is slightly thickened, stirring about every 15 minutes to prevent burning around the edges.
3. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons ginger. Let the sauce cool slightly, then taste and add more salt if necessary. Ladle the chutney into an airtight container and let cool completely before sealing. Store the chutney in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Holds well on warm through step 1 for up to 2 hours • Prep time: 5 minutes • Slow-cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes • Finish time: Occasional stirring for the last hour • Equipment: 5- to 8-quart slow cooker
See photo.
Spiced Pumpkin Butter on toast and Gingery Cranberry Chutney with yogurt
I’m not a fan of the weirdly pumpkin-free pumpkin spice craze that descends every fall. But I am a fan of actual pumpkin with spices. Here, the pumpkin puree is cooked very slowly so that all its water evaporates, leaving behind a dense, sweet condiment that’s pretty wonderful spread on toast or waffles, stirred into yogurt, or even layered in a savory-sweet grilled cheese. (Fruit “butter” gets its name from its silky spreadable texture, not because it actually contains any butter.) It also makes your house smell like you’ve been baking pumpkin pie all day. A jar makes a welcome dinner party gift around the holidays. The ¾ cup maple syrup makes a lightly sweet spread, which I prefer, but you can increase it to 1 cup for a sweeter result.
MAKES SEVEN 4-OUNCE JARS (ABOUT 3¼ CUPS)
¾ cup to 1 cup pure maple syrup
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Two 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
Juice of ¼ small lemon
1. Combine the maple syrup, applesauce, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, salt, and pumpkin puree in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and cook on HIGH for 1 hour 30 minutes.
2. Remove the lid and cook on HIGH for about 3 hours, stirring at least once an hour to prevent scorching, especially around the edges. (The larger your slow cooker, the shorter the cook time. If you’re using a 4-quart slow cooker, you may need to cook for an additional 30 minutes or so.) The butter is done when it is slightly darkened in color and has thickened and reduced. It should be sweet, smooth, and dense because much of the water has evaporated.
3. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Spoon the butter into seven 4-ounce jars or other containers and let cool before sealing. Store the butter in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Good to know: Pumpkin butter is not suitable for home canning (because of pumpkins’ low acidity), so freezing is the only preserving option here.
Holds well on warm through step 1 for up to 2 hours • Prep time: 5 minutes • Slow-cook time: About 4 hours 30 minutes • Finish time: Occasional stirring for the last 3 hours • Equipment: 4- to 6-quart slow cooker
A firm, sweet-tart apple is best here. I like Honeycrisp or Braeburn; feel free to use a mix of varieties.
MAKES ABOUT 7 CUPS
5 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
⅓ cup honey, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
1. Combine all the ingredients in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on HIGH until the apples are very soft, about 5 hours, stirring once or twice if possible.
2. Remove the rosemary sprigs and mash the apples with a potato masher. Add more lemon juice or honey to taste. Ladle the applesauce into sealable containers and let cool completely before covering and refrigerating or freezing. Store the applesauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
ALL-DAY
Holds well on warm through step 1 for up to 3 hours • Prep time: 30 minutes • Slow-cook time: 5 hours • Finish time: 10 minutes • Equipment: 5- to 8-quart slow cooker
Heinz ketchup is perfect, and I wouldn’t even try to improve on it. (And yes, I know it’s full of sugar, and yes, that’s probably why it’s so good.) This recipe is a completely different beast: a superspicy and smoky condiment that’s fantastic on lamb burgers or used as a glaze for meat loaf. You can add the amount of chipotles that suits you. I think a little less than half the can makes for a very spicy but not insane result.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
One 28-ounce can tomato puree
½ cup honey
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if necessary
One 7-ounce can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1. Combine the tomato puree, honey, tomato paste, oil, allspice, and salt in a blender. Add a little less than half of the can of chipotles (both chiles and sauce) and blend until smooth. (Alternatively, add these ingredients directly to the slow cooker and blend with an immersion blender.) Taste and gradually add more chipotles if you’d like a spicier ketchup. Scrape the puree into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
2. Set the lid ajar by about 2 inches and cook on HIGH until the ketchup is thickened and slightly darkened in color, about 3 more hours, stirring at least once an hour to prevent scorching, especially around the edges. (The larger the slow cooker, the less time it will take.) Taste and add more salt if necessary. Let cool and then store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Holds well on warm through step 1 • Prep time: 10 minutes • Slow-cook time: About 4 hours • Finish time: Occasional stirring for the last 3 hours • Equipment: 5- to 6-quart slow cooker
See photo.
Brown Sugar–Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
Brown Sugar-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and Smoky Chipotle Ketchup
This hits all the flavors you want from a classic barbecue sauce: sweet, spicy, tangy, and smoky. (You might be surprised how potent smoked paprika can be.) The bourbon adds a little sharpness and complexity.
MAKES 3¼ CUPS
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium or large yellow or red onion, chopped
One 28-ounce can tomato puree
¼ cup plus 1½ teaspoons bourbon or whiskey
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if necessary
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1. Combine the garlic, onion, tomato puree, and ¼ cup of the bourbon in a blender and blend until smooth. Scrape the puree into a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker and add the sugar, molasses, honey, mustard, red pepper flakes, salt, paprika, and cloves. Stir well. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
2. Remove the lid and cook on HIGH, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours (the larger the slow cooker, the less time it will take), stirring at least once an hour to prevent scorching, especially around the edges. When it’s done, the sauce will have darkened and thickened to a classic barbecue sauce consistency. Add the remaining 1½ teaspoons bourbon and the vinegar. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Let cool and then store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Holds well on warm through step 1 • Prep time: 10 minutes • Slow-cook time: 4 to 5 hours • Finish time: Occasional stirring for the last 2 to 3 hours • Equipment: 5- to 8-quart slow cooker
