Ingredients
Jam
- 1 kglingonberries, fresh or frozen
- 400to 600 g sugar
- 100 mlwater, optional
For the raw version
- 1 kglingonberries
- 500 gsugar
To serve
- meatballs
- pancakes
- blood pudding
- liver casserole
Directions
- Stir them for several minutes until the sugar has dissolved into the juice the berries release. The berries keep their fresh sharpness and their bright colour, and this is the version most Swedish households actually make.
- Pack it into sterilised jars and keep it in the fridge, where it lasts for months.
- Cook for 5 minutes until they burst and collapse.
- Add the sugar and simmer 10 minutes more, skimming the foam.
- Use less sugar than for other jams, around 400 to 500 g per kilo. It should taste distinctly tart and slightly bitter, not like a dessert jam.
- Serve it cold, a spoonful at the side of the plate, at almost any Swedish meal involving meat.
Technique
- Wild-picked lingonberries are far better than cultivated and Sweden’s allemansrätten allows anyone to pick them.
- Frozen berries work perfectly and are what most people use out of season.
- It is a condiment rather than a preserve for bread, and Swedes are quite firm about that.
Substitutions
- Cranberries with a little extra water, which are the closest relative.
- Frozen lingonberries, thawed, for the raw version.
Variations
- Rårörda lingon, the uncooked version.
- With a piece of vanilla pod.
- Mixed with pear, which is a traditional northern variation.
History
Lingonberries contain benzoic acid, so they keep raw when simply stirred with sugar, a preserve made without cooking in Swedish households.
Frequently asked questions
What is Lingonberry jam?
Lingonberry jam is a sauce & condiment from Sweden: tart red berry preserve served with meatballs, pancakes and blood pudding. Lingonberries contain benzoic acid, so they keep raw when simply stirred with sugar, a preserve made without cooking in Swedish households.
How long does Lingonberry jam take to make?
Lingonberry jam takes 15 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 1 kg. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Lingonberry jam?
Yes, within limits. Cranberries with a little extra water, which are the closest relative. Frozen lingonberries, thawed, for the raw version.
What is the most important thing to get right in Lingonberry jam?
It is a condiment rather than a preserve for bread, and Swedes are quite firm about that.
