What's The Difference Between Jam, Jelly, And Preserves?

What can make a hot buttered biscuit even better? A dollop of your favorite strawberry jam, that's what. Or maybe you prefer grape jelly or peach preserves? The South enjoys an abundance of fresh, seasonal fruits and many home cooks love to "put up" jars of jams, jellies, and preserves to use and share with friends throughout the year. The primary difference between jam and jelly is that jam is made with fruit and jelly uses fruit juice. Preserves contain whole fruit or large pieces of fruit.

If you aren't into canning, however, and are wondering exactly what is in the jar of Aunt Betsy's famous mystery jam you have just been gifted, read on for a quick rundown with more details on the difference between jam, jelly, and preserves.

Jam

Jam is a chunkier, looser-textured version of jelly and contains seeds (think blackberry jam) or small pieces of fruit. Where jelly has to be spread, fruity jams can be spooned over a piece of toast. When making jam, the fruit is chopped or pureed and cooked down with sugar. The particular fruit and recipe you are working with will determine if you need additional pectin. Besides being a topping, jam is often used as a filling for pastries and baked goods and swirled into ice cream.

Jam is actually regulated by the FDA; products labeled as jam on the shelf must contain at least 45% of a single fruit and 55% sugar.

Jelly

Jelly is the firmest of the three fruit condiments. When making jelly, the fruit is cooked down until it is soft enough to be mashed, allowing any seeds or skins to slip away from the fruit. The hot mixture is then strained through a cheesecloth or sieve, allowing the fruit juice to drip into a pan, leaving the seeds, skins, and solid fruit pieces behind. The fruit juice—the only part of the fruit that is used to make jelly—is then cooked with sugar and additional pectin to the required consistency and temperature. Because only the juice is used, jelly is more transparent and smoother than other fruit spreads and it's the most spreadable.

Jelly can also be made with other ingredients like tea, wine, liqueur, flowers (such as hibiscus), or herbs (such as rosemary or mint).

Like jam, jelly is also regulated; the FDA requires that products labeled as jelly contain fruit juice and at least 65% sugar.

Preserves

Chunky preserves contain even more fruit than jam and use either whole pieces (blueberries) or large chunks (like peaches or strawberries), typically with the seeds. A marmalade is simply a preserve made with citrus—the whole fruit, rind and all. It can be sweet, sour, thick, or chewy. Use fruit preserves in meat marinades or serve with cheese and crackers.

Why Pectin Is Important

All three of these fruit condiments need fruit, sugar, and heat. The fruit contains pectin, a natural, water-soluble substance found in various ripe fruits and vegetables that works as a thickening agent when preparing jams, jellies, and preserves. Not all fruits and vegetables contain the same amount of pectin though. For instance, apples, citrus, and cranberries are high in pectin while strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and raspberries contain much lower amounts. Oftentimes, a commercial pectin, either liquid (usually made from apples) or powder form (from citrus fruits and apples), is added to the recipe in order to achieve the desired texture.

When heated in a pan, the fruit will lose liquid and reduce to a firmer consistency; the particular condiment you are making and the consistency you desire will inform how much additional pectin you need, if any. Some recipes mix high- and low-pectin fruits so the jam gels well without added pectin. Since jelly is the most solid of the fruit condiments, it usually requires added pectin, unlike the more spoon-able preserve, which doesn't need to "set up" as firm as a jelly.

Savory Versions

While most jams, jellies, and preserves are sweet, savory versions are also gaining popularity. Ingredients like garlic, onion, bacon, peppers, tomatoes, red wine, or bourbon are mixed with sugar and other ingredients to create a uniquely delicious condiment that takes toast, cream cheese, and ordinary sandwiches to another level. Top burgers with salty-sweet bacon and sweet onion jam. And you can punch up fruit jam or jelly with unexpected additions like jalapeno, rosemary, or mustard seeds.

Other Fruit Spreads

Jams and jellies aren’t the only thing to reach for to spread on your biscuits. Fruit butter like apple and pumpkin are popular in the fall. Like the other fruit spreads, they are made with fruit, sugar, and spices but cooked down and pureed. They typically use less sugar and can cook in a slow cooker, yielding a thick, smooth spread.

Chutney is made with fruits like mango, cranberry, and pineapple, as well as savory ingredients. It is the most savory and contains less sugar than other fruit spreads. It often features spices and vinegar or another acid that makes it tangy. Serve chutneys with roasted meats.

A compote is a spoonable, syrupy sauce made with whole fruit or chunks and it's not very sweet. Unlike jam, it cooks quickly, in about 30 minutes, and the fruit retains its shape. Compote often includes spices like ginger, cinnamon, or star anise. You’ll find versions with plums, roasted strawberries, and blueberries. It’s delicious over ice cream, in parfaits, and on waffles.

How to Make Your Own

Making your own fruit spreads doesn’t have to be daunting. Freezer and refrigerator jams have all the fruity taste without relying on the canning process, making them easier and faster for home cooks. As the name implies, just refrigerate or freeze the finished jam after it cools. Store in the refrigerator for about a month or in the freezer for one year. Enlist your slow cooker to make apple or pumpkin butter.