I remember the first time I saw a ground cherry. They’re not something I’d seen, or even heard of, growing up on the west coast.
I was selling baked goods at a small rural farmers market and a young girl came up to my table and asked if I wanted to trade. She didn’t say what, but all she wanted was a cupcake. Sure, why not?
She ran home and came back with a pint of freshly picked ground cherries that completely blew my mind. How on earth did she grow something that tastes like a cross between a strawberry and a pineapple in her backyard in Vermont?
Since then, I’ve made a point of growing husk cherries every year. They’re productive, and take almost no tending to produce huge crops of ridiculously tasty fruit.
You can find ground cherries at farmer’s markets, especially on the east coast. Because of their novelty, they tend to be a bit expensive.
A single plant can produce as much as a gallon of fruit, so growing your own ground cherries is a much better bet. Ground cherry seed is available here.
Ground cherries are often called husk cherries because they grow inside a papery husk, like tomatillos. Once picked, they’ll keep on the counter in the husk for months if you pick carefully and don’t bruise them. They’re magic that way.
Even though they keep well in the husk, I still like to make homemade ground cherry preserves. Not for the preservation, but for the flavor. Recipes vary in sugar, but as a rule, I try to add as little sugar as possible. I want to taste the fruit.
Some recipes have you add as much as 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of fruit. I prefer a much lower ratio, using somewhere between 1/2 and 1 cup of sugar to 3 cups of fruit. It’s still very sweet, don’t worry.
Honestly, a full cup of sugar makes it too sweet for my tastes, so I stick to 1/2 cup. If you like tart jam as I do, go with a half a cup, otherwise, add a full cup to 3 cups of fruit. With a full cup, the tartness of the fruit just barely comes through.
With ground cherries, in particular, I like to use turbinado or demerara sugar because the molasses in the sugar adds a caramel richness to the finished jam. With a short cook time, ground cherries will thicken into a nice jam without the need for any additional pectin.
Since there’s so much water in husk cherries, it takes a surprisingly long time to cook them into jam. Add the sugar and lemon juice to the fruit and start it simmering. It’ll take between 35 and 45 minutes to reach jam consistency or gel stage.
Husk cherries after about 20 minutes of simmering. They’re husk cherry compote at this point, but it’ll be another 15 to 25 minutes until they reach jam consistency.
If you’re an experienced jam-maker, you know what gel stage looks like. The consistency will change rather suddenly, and it’ll thicken to where it takes a moment for it to fill back in if you part the jam in the pan with a spoon. Generally, this happens at 220 degrees at sea level.
Since I’m at 1000 feet of elevation, gel stage is at roughly 218 degrees. Adjust down about 1 degree F for every 500 feet of elevation gain.
For husk cherry jam though, I like the finished product to be a bit looser, and I finish it at about 216 degrees. It’s all up to you, finish your jam however you like, thick or thin.
This year I’m hoping to branch out beyond ground cherry jam, and I’ve put together a collection of other ground cherry recipes as well, check them out if you have extra fruit.
Ground Cherry Jam Recipe
Ground cherry jam is a delicious spread with a surprising tropical flavor. Also called Husk Cherries or Cape Gooseberries, these little garden fruits make an excellent jam.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Ground Cherries, husked, (about 5 pints in husks, or 2 pounds)
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Husk the ground cherries and add them to a saucepan.
- Add the lemon juice and cook over low heat until the ground cherries have popped and released their juices. Give it a stir to break them up a bit.
- Add the sugar and cook over medium heat until the jam thickens, about 15 minutes.
- Pour into clean quarter pint mason jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace and store in the refrigerator or process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes.
Notes
Canning Instructions: 1/4 inch headspace and 5 minute water bath process time
More Fall Canning Recipes
Looking for more fun harvest time canning recipes? Read on my friends…
Kim Lund
After re-reading the recipe for months I finally finished the husk cherries that I started in the freezer. I have pressure canned many times but wasfirst water bath. Now am worried bc I had already started, 7 pounds slightly cooked. I added a cup and a half of lemon juice, but not sure how much sugar.
I don’t know if shelf stable or not. All sealed but bc couldn’t follow exactly am worried.
I wanted to see if you have any advice.
Thank you so much for your help
Ashley Adamant
Based on what you’ve said above, they should be just fine. The amount of sugar won’t affect whether they’re shelf stable or not. With this recipe, using just under 1 cup of lemon juice for 7 pounds of husk cherries should have been just right. Since you used 1 cup and a half you’re doing great, and if anything that’s extra insurance. If they all sealed I’d put them in the pantry.
As always though, anytime you’re canning use your best judgment and don’t eat anything that you think might be spoiled.
Kim Lund
Thank you so much.
I put in fridge bc panicked.
I am not meant to water bath, scares me. Pressure canning plus acid I feel safer.
Would it destroy them if I pressure canned?
The taste is amazing. I made a second batch with your recipe, except extra lemon juice again and was going to keep in fridge but if pressure canning won’t kill natural pectin would rather feel safe.
Yours is only recipe that doesn’t warn not to reduce sugar, I don’t know if bc engrained from low pectin fruits but I don’t use sugar. This is the only exception.
Thank you for an amazing recipe that doesn’t push glycemic index into space.
Kim
David
My first batch did not jell so i added pectin and they jelled as well as my crab apple rhubarb jelly I had to cook over and add pectin because of the rhubarb d
Ashley Adamant
I can’t speak to getting it to gel with rhubarb, but it gels just fine with no pectin if it’s an all ground cherry batch.
Kim Lund
Mine jelled and was my first time making any type of preserves. I did read that there should be some less ripe mixed in to increase pectin, maybe your fruit was more ripe than mine.
Trudy
I kept my cherries in a cool place in the husk over winter. Just doing the jam now. They seem more on the dry side. Should I add water. And do you mash the cherries at all?
Ashley Adamant
Ours are in a little on the dry side now too, so I know what you mean. I would add a bit of water because they’ll probably run dry otherwise. I didn’t find mashing necessary, since they pop open and fall apart a good bit on their own while simmering. Since yours are stored though they’re likely firmer and you may need to.
Robert Sababady
Amazing recipe. Thank you.
In the process of canning 5 kilos of fruit – but will be using classical European gooseberries ( Ribes uva-crispa).
What I found most inspiring is that you use so little sugar. Always been adverse to using a 1:1 ratio for making jam – so thank you very much for the advice.
Quite surprised that you have to use so much lemon juice as the gooseberries do cook for a long time and the natural pectin they contain will definitely make the jam jelly like. Is there any specific reason for using so much lemon juice? I usually add 1/2 teaspoon to my 1 litre containers of strawberries and that suffices to maintain the red color and drop the acidity level down for good preservation.
Ashley Adamant
Ground cherries taste quite a bit different from gooseberries (which we also grow). They’re very sweet, with tropical notes and none of the tart that European gooseberries have. Though they’re called “cape gooseberries” by some, they’re not actually related in any way to gooseberries. Thus, they need a lot of lemon juice to balance out the sweet flavor.
Anne B
Lemon juice helps insure the finished product is properly acidified to be shelf stable when preserved in a water bath.
Barry Scanlan
Great recipe. By the way, we have been seeing ground cherries in our farmers markets for about 20 years here in Minnesota. I’ve been growing my own for 15 years.
Ashley Adamant
Nice!
Robyn
Thanks for this – in Australia we call them Cape Gooseberries! Love then and haave a half dozen plants to put in the ground this Spring!
Sue
I made a cobbler with a blueberry cobbler recipe the first year we grew these and it was amazing. This year I plan to make preserves. Thanks for the recipe!
Kayla
Would removing skins and seeds affect the amount of pectin and gelling?
Ashley Adamant
Good question, and honestly, I don’t have the answer. That’d make a really nice jam though, if you put it through a food strainer or chinois sieve to remove the skins/seeds first. Since I haven’t tried it, I don’t know if it’d gel without pectin, but now that you’ve mentioned the idea I may well try it this year because it sounds fabulous!
Diana
Just so you know you have 35-45 minutes written in the blog but the recipe says 15 min for it to jell. Otherwise this was delicious. Thank you!!
Administrator
I can see why that might seem a bit confusing. I think that the 35-45 minutes in the blog is the total cook time. In the actual recipe it says to cook the cherries on low until they have popped and released their juices. After that has happened you will add the sugar and then continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes or until you have reached the proper temperature or desired consistency.
Tim
Hi, I like the idea of ground cherries since they appear to be so versatile. I would like to dry them, make jam, and add them to tomato preserves. With tomato preserves, I cook down the tomatoes so it is mostly juice, add a package of black cherry jello to flavor it, add extra sugar and pectin. Pectin is really expensive. Could I replace the pectin with ground cherries as a source of pectin? Someone told me that persimmons are also high in pectin.
Admin
Yes, you could do that. Another option I like is .
Coki
Can’t wait to try this recipe! How do you know for sure this recipe is safe? I always want to try new stuff but I don’t know how to tell what is safe.
Admin
It’s safe. I’ve been making it for my family every year with our ground cherries.
Joanna
I came here wondering the same thing. Would love to can this. In order to know it is safe it must be pH tested. Are ground cherries an acidic fruit?
Administrator
Fruits are considered to be an acid food and safe for water bath canning. Jams are considered acidic as well.
Coki
Hi! I’m an looking forward to making this as its my first year growing ground cherries! I’m new to canning so I’m trying to figure out how to know which recipes I find are ok to can. How did you know this one was ok? Is there a guideline you followed? I always see recipes with instructions but I can’t figure out how people know how much sugar/vinegar/whatever to add, how much headspace and time to water bath or pressure can in order for it to be safe and shelf stable. Thanks! 🙂
Ashley Adamant
There are standard formulas for all these things, believe it or not. If you really get into canning, you’ll pick it all up over time. There are specific articles on how to calculate headspace, how to determine how much acidity to add, etc. It can get complicated quick unfortunately.
For jam and jelly, the headspace is pretty much always 1/4 inch.
For acids (lemon, etc) it depends on both the original acidity of the fruit, and whether or not you’re adding the acid for added pectin. In this case, the acid helps cut the sweetness of the sugar added since you need a good bit of sugar to get the jam to gel (and they’re already pretty sweet). Anything under a pH of 4.6 can be canned without added acidity, and the fruits themselves are acidic (I did a bit of research, and found a study that said “The pH of the juice was found to be acidic (3.79-3.86).” Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338449232_An_updated_review_on_Physalis_peruviana_fruit_Cultivational_nutraceutical_and_pharmaceutical_aspects). Other fruits in the physalis genus are also acidic, namely tomatillos which can be canned whole in water without added acidity. There’s always a chance for variation depending on different cultivars though, so adding a bit of lemon juice out of an abundance of caution is always a good idea.
The sugar amount is not about canning safety, it’s more about what will cause the jam to gel. Sugar activates pectin and helps the jam thicken. To some extent, it helps preserve the jam after they’re opened, as higher sugar jams will keep in the fridge once opened longer than low sugar jams. But either way, it doesn’t affect canning safety before you’ve opened a sealed jar.
Hope this helps!
Debbie
This is the first year I’ve grown these. In Cali they’re called Pineapple Tomatillos. I was wondering if I could add a jalapeno to the jam recipe – just to spice it up a bit? I make a plum/jalapeno jam every year and it’s wonderful. Your thoughts?
Ashley Adamant
That sounds amazing. I make a salsa with these every year, just fresh chopped with onion, cilantro, and jalepeno…it’s to die for. I think this jam would be lovely with jalapeno. That said, I can’t vouch for canning safety that way (since the jalapenos are low acid veggies). It’s possible it’s fine, also possible it’s not, and I wouldn’t risk it for canning. If you do that, make a refrigerator jam.
Virginia Jackson
This is my first year growing the ground cherries…When I make the jam and boil it do I have to water bath it or can I just put the hot jam into jars and seal?
Admin
Yes, you can do that. Your jam will have a shorter life span, so make sure you keep it refrigerated.
Miranda
Can you use honey in place of sugar in jam recipes?
Administrator
I have never tried it personally. I prefer to not use honey because it is so valuable and the heat from the canning process destroys a lot of the beneficial qualities. I have seen recipes out there that do use honey though. You can search for jam recipes that use honey. Just make sure that they are tested recipes. Here is a recipe for Ashley’s peach jam in which you can use honey or sugar.
https://practicalselfreliance.com/low-sugar-peach-jam/
APRIL Graf
Made this today and it was very much worth the effort! Took 45 minutes of simmering to get to jelly stage.
Admin
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it!
Nathalie GAGNON
I’ve been making Ground cherry jam for over 20 years. I like your recipe not using water in the beginning but just take lemon juice to extract the pectine and the juice of the fruit. Merci from Montreal.
Admin
You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked it!
Stephanie Palmisano
can you freeze the ground cherries and then make the jam when ready?
Admin
Yes, that should totally work!
Martha
Can I sub citric acid for the lemon juice? It’s what I have on hand. Thanks in advance!
Ashley Adamant
Yes you can. Citric acid is more concentrated, so you need less. Details on the conversion here: https://pomonapectin.com/faq/can-i-substitute-citric-acid-or-ascorbic-acid-for-the-lemon-or-lime-juice-or-vinegar-called-for-in-a-pomonas-recipe/
Jolene
Why am I having a hard time getting my ground cherries to pop. What can I do?
Ashley Adamant
They’ll pop if you cook them nice and hot in a boiling pot. It takes a minute, so you might have to add a bit of water so the pot doesn’t run dry before they do. I’ve never had that problem myself, maybe you have a more resilient variety with thicker skins? You may have to cut them in half if that’s the case.
Laura
It seems that I am one of the few lucky (or unlucky) ones who has way more ground cherries to use than this recipe is helpful for. As a new jam maker, I had no concept of how much jam would be produced from following this recipe, so I just followed it as is, and I ended up with just three quarter-pint jars. To me, that is not enough for the time and effort required. It would be helpful for the recipe to provide an approximation of how much is produced.
A couple questions for if I do try this again:
In the story before the recipe, it says to add the lemon juice and sugar together, but in the recipe it says to do that at different times. If separate times, should all of the ground cherries have popped before adding, or just a few? The amount of ground cherries in the recipe states 3 cups (2 lbs).
I didn’t have nearly 2 lbs in a generous 3 cups. So, I went with the cups measurement so as not to overdo the ground cherry to lemon juice ratio. Which is more accurate?
Thanks!
Administrator
The yield on the recipe actually appears right above the title of the recipe portion of the blog post. It’s very difficult accurately measure something like this in a cup measurement. I think going with the cups measurement was fine. The lemon juice is really based more on the amount needed per jar of product in order to provide the right amount of acid to safely can. You can always add in a little more than is needed without harming the recipe, provided it still has a good taste. You definitely don’t want to use less though. Hope this helps.
Hope
This was amazing. I added ginger, and it’s out of this world.
Administrator
Thanks Hope. So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I bet the ginger added a really nice touch.
Karen Nielsen
This recipe is easy and great. Had a rogue ground cherry plant come up this year-,not enough so I added some cherry tomatoes. Turned out great. I am using your base for some sweet tomato jelly with a little heat. It’s nice to see comments for other ideas… ground cherries are so versatile. For people who are hinky on water baths and pressure cooking, I use the old fashioned oven method. Hasn’t killed any of us yet …lol. Simply put your hot canned and sealed jars in a cold oven, turn on at 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Open oven door and let cool on its own,
Administrator
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. Please keep in mind that oven processing is not considered a safe method of canning. Here is a quote from the National Center for Home Food Preservation: “This can be dangerous because the temperature will vary according to the accuracy of oven regulators and circulation of heat. Dry heat is very slow in penetrating into jars of food. Also, jars explode easily in the oven.” It’s a good thing that you haven’t had a bad experience with this yet but it’s really not worth the risk. Water bath canning is a very simple process and this particular recipe only calls for a 5 minute processing time so it’s actually much faster as well.
Carol McCollum
Just bought a pineapple ground cherry plant yesterday! Thanks for the recipe…. I’m eager to be picking these in a few months! I would rather use honey or maple syrup. Would they work? Love the suggestions of adding ginger & maybe jalapeno!!
Ashley Adamant
Yes, you can definitely use honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!
Leslie W
I’m excited to give this a try. If I skip the canning, do you think freezing the jam would work?
Administrator
Yes, you should be able to freeze it just fine.
Tracey
I burned this on medium heat within 15 minutes 😔
Administrator
I am so sorry that happened. The recipes calls for cooking them on low first until the cherries have popped and released their juices and then you can turn the heat up to medium.
Wendy
I’m a little confused. In the article, it says “With a short cook time, ground cherries will thicken into a nice jam without the need for any additional pectin.” Then in the next sentence, it says, “Since there’s so much water in husk cherries, it takes a surprisingly long time to cook them into jam.” The recipe says it only takes 15 minutes cook time, yet the article says 35-45 minutes to reach the right consistency for jam. This all seems contradictory…
Administrator
I can see why that might seem a bit confusing. I think that the 35-45 minutes in the blog is the total cook time. In the actual recipe it says to cook the cherries on low until they have popped and released their juices. After that has happened you will add the sugar and then continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes or until you have reached the proper temperature or desired consistency.
Jamie Lynn
Thank you so much for sharing this! This was my first year growing ground cherries and I had no idea what to do with all of them. Also my first time making jam and I let it simmer too long, but I can adjust for the next batch. Great, easy to follow directions.
Administrator
You’re welcome. So glad you enjoyed the post.
Jennifer McDermott
After seeing all the millions of tiny seeds I now know why I have about a billion plants sprouting their little heads everywhere in the garden. No need to buy new plant next year!
Administrator
That’s fantastic.
Georgia Cawley
I was searching for poha berry (our name In Hawaii) recipes, wanting to make a poha jelly for a friend who cannot handle the tiny seeds. (Diverticulitis). I’ve never made jelly.
I always made refrigerator jams before with this little golden gem. We go through it rather quickly into sauces and as well as on biscuits and toast! I’m going to try following the suggestion in the comments about cooking poha down with lemon juice first and then putting through a sieve. Correct? And then, proceeding with recipe? Mahalo.
Administrator
Yes, that’s correct. Let us know how it turns out for you.
debbi
This is amazing! I bought ONE of these plants, labeled ‘pineapple tomato’ and other than just snacking or in salad, I had no idea what to do with them. I have TONS! Will be making this this afternoon after I finish with the pickles. Knew I could find something on your site to help! Thank you!
Administrator
Great! So glad the post was helpful.
Edna
This jam is delicious, easy and fast to make. I tripled the recipe and yielded 8 (1/2 pint) jars. I cut the sugar to 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup (for a single recipe). I also added 1 pkg of lemon jello and 1/4 tsp of salt. The flavour is excellent.!
Administrator
So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Mel
Since the ph you researched is lower than tomatoes, would it be safe to use ground cherries in place of tomatoes in a canning recipe for salsa, chutney, etc? I have only found fresh ground cherry salsa recipes, but it makes sense to me that I should be able to sub them for tomatoes in a recipe that has already been tested.
Administrator
Yes, if it is a more acidic food, then it should be safe to do that swap.
Najan
Would you use the same ratio/amount if you swapped out the sugar for honeu
Administrator
It is generally recommended that you use about half the amount of honey as sugar. I would also recommend using a commercial pectin.