Is There Any Difference Between Jam, Jelly, And Preserves

Whether you have an insatiable sweet tooth or simply enjoy a fresh pop of fruity flavor with your morning meal, jams, jellies, and preserves are here to provide what you need. Though today they're a modern staple of the breakfast table, prototypes of these tasty little jars of joy date all the way back to 8,000 years ago. Since honey never expires, early humans used it to help preserve fruits, such as dates, figs, and quinces.

This preservation method was so effective and delicious that it lasted many thousands of years. Evidence shows that the Mesopotamians and Romans both enjoyed their own version of fruit-infused honey. Eventually, the Persians replaced honey with sugar, and the rest is quite literally history. From these early efforts, our ancestors developed specific and separate recipes for making jams, jellies, and preserves. Each of these fruity recipes is distinct from the others, with its own texture, preparation method, and purpose.

Of the three tasty toast toppings in question, jam may be the oldest. The first known recipe for jam was published in a cookbook penned in the 4th century A.D. by Roman culinary expert Marcus Gavius Apicius. In this work, titled "De Re Coquinaria" (The Art of Cooking), Apicius included a recipe for quince jam sweetened with honey. The Romans thought quinces ideal for making jam, as they're naturally high in pectin, making it easy to process them into a spreadable treat. They may not have known what pectin was, but likely noticed quinces gelled more easily than other fruits.

In comparing jam and jelly, the biggest difference between them is whether pieces of fruit are included in the mix. When making jam, fruit is crushed or pureed before it's mixed with sugar and pectin, then cooked down until it's thick and dense. Being replete with fruit pieces also means that jam is opaque, and the cooking process usually makes it rather dark in color. For instance, lemony yellow peaches might make an amber-colored jam, while bright fuchsia raspberries become garnet-dark when cooked down with sugar.

Though most jams are fruit-based and quite sweet, savory jams are gaining popularity among the culinarily adventurous. Onion and bacon jam, for instance, combines the expected bacon and sweet Vidalia onions with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar for a spread that could seriously take your egg-and-cheese sandwich to the next level. Some also enjoy combining fruit with spicy peppers or herbs.

Jelly is the only one of these three fruity treats that doesn't contain any actual pieces of fruit. Instead, fruit juice is blended with sugar and pectin and heated until the mixture begins to thicken. It thickens more as it cools, developing a jiggly-yet-firm texture that becomes smooth and spreadable when applied to toast or tender mixed berry scones. Jelly is also sometimes set with gelatin, which is likely where it gets its name. The vegans among us should check labels carefully when purchasing jelly to ensure it meets their dietary needs.

Though you can certainly make jelly with fruit juice from the grocery store, it's most often made by first cooking down fruit to extract as much flavor, liquid, and natural pectin as possible. The juice is then strained to remove any solids before it's used to make jelly. You can then store your fresh jelly in an airtight container in the fridge or process it in mason jars and store it in your cupboard. Just be sure to write the date on the lid — home-canned foods generally last about a year.

One of the best things about jelly is its versatility. Fruit-flavored jellies are the most popular, but you can also make jelly from a wide variety of edible flowers and herbs. Mint jelly is a classic pairing for lamb, but you can also make lavender, honeysuckle, or chamomile jelly to fancy up your morning toast, and rose jelly would make a beautiful gift for loved ones.

Preserves most closely resemble some of the oldest versions of jams and other preserved fruits. This is because they contain more fruit than either jam or jelly, and little to no added pectin. Additionally, unlike jam, fruit used in preserves aren't crushed or blended. Instead, small varieties of fruit — such as blueberries or raspberries — are left whole, while larger fruits like apples are roughly chopped into big pieces. This means preserves aren't as smooth or velvety as jelly or jam.

Whole fruit or fruit pieces are then simmered with water or fruit juice until they're tender, then cooked down with sugar or honey until the mixture begins to gel and thicken. Preserves thicken further as they cool, creating a heavy, sweet and syrupy concoction. If you prefer to leave out the added sugar, you can achieve a similar texture by swapping out the sugar for more fruit juice. Preserves made this way are called spoon fruits, which are typically less sweet, but with a more intense fruit flavor.

Another type of preserves you may be familiar with are marmalades, which are made exclusively with citrus fruits. Marmalades use the whole fruit, including the pulp, pith, and rind. Since citrus fruits are high in pectin, this produces a dense, chewy spread that's both sweet and mouth-puckeringly tart. Orange marmalade is the most familiar, but you can also use lemons, limes, grapefruits, or kumquats instead.

When comparing these three fruit spreads, it's easy to see the similarities among them. All three can be made from almost any kind of fruit, or combination of fruits. They're an excellent way to preserve fruit harvested in the warmer months, ensuring you can enjoy a taste of spring or summer during even the snowiest winter. All of them also have ancient origins, being derived from food preservation methods and recipes used throughout the ancient world.

The methods for making jams, jellies, and preserves are also very similar. Each recipe starts with fruit that's cooked down, combined with a sweetener (and sometimes pectin) then reduced to create a thick, beautiful texture. However, this is where many of their similarities end, as jellies are strained to reserve the juice, while fruit is left in jams and preserves while they're reduced.

Jellies have the smoothest texture of the three, and preserves are the chunkiest, with jams acting as a texture bridge between the two. While all three are delicious on various breakfast pastries, their varying textures also make them ideal for different applications. For instance, jellies are great for sweetening tea or glazing hot loaf cakes, while jams can be used in sandwiches and as filler for layer cakes. Preserves are a favorite for cheese boards, as the big pieces of fruit beautifully complement strong cheeses and savory crackers.