Equipment
Ingredients
Fruit Base
- 400 g ripe bananas, peeled
- 45 ml fresh lemon juice
- 3 g lemon zest
- 10 g fresh ginger, grated or minced
Sweetener & Seasoning
- 180 g white sugar
- 1 g sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 54 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 20 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 76 mg
- Calcium
- 1 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Phosphorus
- 5 mg
- Zinc
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 17 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Mash the peeled bananas in a bowl or directly in the saucepan using a potato masher or fork until chunky-smooth.
Combine the mashed bananas, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated ginger, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a bubbling boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides, until the mixture thickens, darkens slightly, and tracks are left when the spatula is pulled through.
Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer into a clean glass jar. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating.
Chef's Notes
- Use bananas that are heavily spotted with brown; green or yellow bananas lack the necessary sugar content and aroma for a good jam.
- This is a refrigerator jam, not a shelf-stable canned preserve. Because bananas are low-acid fruit, traditional water-bath canning is risky without precise pH testing.
- Try serving warm over vanilla ice cream or swirled into oatmeal for a comforting breakfast.
- The ginger flavor will mellow slightly over time; add a pinch more at the end if you prefer a spicy kick.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Keep in an airtight, clean jar. Consume within 2 weeks.
Freezer: 3 months — Leave 1-2cm headspace in the container for expansion.
Troubleshooting
Jam is scorching/burning on the bottom
Cause: Heat was too high or stirring was insufficient
Fix: Immediately stop stirring the bottom layer. Pour the unburnt top layer into a clean pot and continue cooking on lower heat. Discard the burnt residue.
Prevention: Use a heavy-bottomed pot and stir constantly once the mixture thickens
Jam is too runny after cooling
Cause: Undercooked; insufficient water evaporation
Fix: Return to the pot and simmer for another 5-10 minutes
Prevention: Cook until the mixture holds its shape on a chilled spoon
Cultural Context
Banana jam is a popular confection in tropical regions like the Philippines (minatamis na saging) and the Caribbean, often used as a way to preserve bountiful harvests of rapidly ripening fruit. This version incorporates Western preserving techniques with the zest of lemon and ginger for a brighter profile.
