Mother Earth News

Merry Mulled Merlot Jam Recipe

5 to 6 half pint jars SERVINGS

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Merlot (750 mL bottle, which contains about 3-1/4 cups)
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped navel oranges
  • 3 packets Mulling Spice (see alternative option for mulling below)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp calcium water (included in the Pomona’s box)
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 tsp Pomona’s pectin powder

Alternative Mulling Spice Recipe

  • 3 strips of orange zest, 2 inches wide
  • 4 whole peppercorns
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 of a whole vanilla bean

Directions

  • Wash and rinse six 8-oz jars; let stand in hot water. Bring lids to simmer; turn down heat; let stand in hot water.
  • In your jam-making pan, simmer 1 cup cranberries in 1 cup of Merlot until they soften and pop (about 10 min.). Once they have popped, squish them all up with your wooden spoon.
  • Measure sugar into a bowl and thoroughly stir 3 teaspoons of pectin into the sugar. (Carey’s recipe calls for 2 cups sugar; at Pomona’s we used 11/4 cups sugar and it was just right for us.)
  • When cranberries are squished, add the remaining 2 cups Merlot (drink any Merlot left in the bottle or add it to the jam – your choice!), 2 cups orange pieces, ¼ cup lemon juice, and 3 packets of Mulling Spices. Bring to simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove Mulling Spice bags and add 2 teaspoons calcium water. Bring to boil. Stir in pectin-sugar, bring back to full boil, and remove from heat.
  • Taste and add more sugar here if desired. If adding more sugar, stir for 1 minute more at full boil.
  • Jar, water bath and enjoy! Fill clean, hot jars to 1/4-inch of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level). Remove from water. Let jars cool. Check seals – lids should be sucked down. Lasts about 3 weeks once opened.

This article is posted with permission from Pomona’s Universal Pectin.
Serving suggestions:

  • Spread on cinnamon raisin toast.
  • Smear on a bagel with cream cheese.
  • Updated on Dec 19, 2025
  • Originally Published on Dec 19, 2012
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