How to make loquat jam with vanilla

Learn how to make this simple and delicious loquat jam with vanilla and bourbon recipe. Whether you are an experienced jam maker, or just learning to make jam, this recipe will be one you come back to again and again. Flavored with vanilla and bourbon, this jam is out of this world amazing.

I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.

You may also be interested in my easy loquat jam recipe and my blueberry lavender jam recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my jam recipes in one place.

Perfect on anything from toast or biscuits to glazing a piece of chicken, this small batch loquat jam also makes a phenomenal pb & j.

Why you should make this recipe

• Unique jam flavor – This is not a flavor of jam you’ll ever see on store shelves.
• Easy – This jam recipe is not at all difficult, even for beginners.
• Versatile – This jam is of course delicious on your morning toast, but it also makes an excellent glaze for chicken or pork.

Loquat jam with vanilla and bourbon

Loquat season is short, so when they are ripe, I try to get as many as possible. This usually leaves me with more loquats than I can eat, so the best way to use them is making jam.

I’ve made a simple loquat jam, with nothing more than loquats, lemons and sugar. It’s so incredibly good. And, there’s also loquat cardamom jam that was the very first loquat recipe I made.

Because I’m a big fan of adding bourbon to things (hello, blueberry bourbon BBQ sauce), it seemed like a perfect match with the vanilla beans that were going to flavor the jam.

Vanilla beans are expensive, so don’t throw them away once you’ve split them open and scraped the seeds. Those empty vanilla pods still have tons of flavor left in them.

Ingredients

You’ll only need 5 ingredients to make this loquat jam with vanilla and bourbon.

• Loquats – This small fruit, also called “nispero” is the main flavor of the jam.
• Sugar – Needed to sweeten the jam.
• Vanilla beans – Your used vanilla beans are perfect for this.
• Bourbon – A few tablespoons give this jam amazing flavor.
• Lemon juice – Lemon juice helps the jam to set.

What to do with used vanilla beans

Tuck one into your sugar for the most lovely vanilla sugar or wrap them up tightly and save for another use, like flavoring jam.

You can see all the flecks of vanilla in this jam. All of that came out of vanilla bean pods that had been scraped as clean as I could get them. This is why I never throw them away. There is the evidence that there is much more left in the pod.

How to make loquat jam

The first order of business in making jam is a quick inventory of everything you need, because once the jam is ready, it should go into the warm jars and then to the water bath.

If you leave it on the stove, you run the risk of overcooking the jam. I tell you this as a cautionary tale. I’ve done it more than once, so I’m trying to save you the heartache.

Many people do not peel their loquats because the skin is thin and edible. That is up to you. I have made jam with and without peeling the loquats, just to do a comparison for myself.

I prefer the jam without the skin. Obviously, it does take longer to prepare the fruit, but for me, it’s well worth it. The texture of the jam is completely different and it is personal preference. This is a small batch jam, and peeling a couple of pounds of loquats doesn’t take that long.

1. Give the loquats a quick wash with water to make sure they are clean before preparing for jam. Slice in half and remove the large seeds.
2. Combine the fruit with the lemon juice, sugar, vanilla bean pods and bourbon.
3. Bring it to a boil and let it cook down until it is thick and jammy, breaking up the larger pieces of fruit with a potato masher.
4. Then, ladle into clean, warm jars before lowering into the water bath. Boil the jars, then set on a clean kitchen towel until they set.

The loquat vanilla bourbon jam will smell almost like caramel when it’s ready. I can’t emphasize enough how good this jam is. Loquat jam is without a doubt, one of my absolute favorites and this particular variation is at the top of the list.

Loquat vanilla jam FAQ’s

More jam recipes to love

Homemade jams make an excellent gift, so keep a few tucked away to give to friends and family for housewarming presents, birthdays, holidays or “just because” gifts.

• Strawberry loquat jam
• Strawberry key lime jam
• Peach pepper jam
• Fig jam
• Blackberry blueberry freezer jam

Serving suggestions

Obviously this loquat jam with vanilla is great on toast or biscuits. It is also really good stirred into yogurt, on top of ice cream, or even waffles.

Try it as a glaze on top of grilled chicken breasts or pork chops.

Helpful tools for making jam at home:

• Canning pot with rack
• Canning tongs
• Vanilla beans
• Canning funnel

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