Why it works: Pineapple and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 19% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,841 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Pineapple Jam
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the fruit
Cut the pineapple into small slices and then into square pieces, removing all the skin and eyes.
Cook the jam
Combine the pineapple and sugar in a pot.
Boil slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Pineapple + sugartop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,841 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Pineapple
- Provides the fruit flavour and most of the jam's body as it breaks down during cooking.
- Loaf sugar
- Adds sweetness and, as it concentrates, helps the jam thicken and keeps it from spoiling quickly.
The step that matters
Boil slowly and stir occasionally. As water evaporates, the sugar and fruit concentrate and thicken. Stirring keeps the bottom from sticking and scorching, which would give a burnt taste. Too fast a boil can also darken the jam too much.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
More pineapple jam recipes
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.

Pineapple Sherbet116 recipes
Pineapple Pudding72 recipes
Pineapple Cream58 recipes
Pineapple Jelly39 recipes