Preserves in Action: Open-Face Turkey Sandwich with Apricot Preserves

September 23, 2011(updated on October 18, 2023)
preserves in action - apricot jam

I have taken to spreading a thin layer of apricot preserves on turkey sandwiches. It makes me feel like I’m eating lunch at a gourmet cafe instead of at my dining room table, surrounding by piles of cookbooks and dirty plates. Though apricot is my favorite flavor at the moment, in earlier times I dallied with apple-cranberry and rosemary rhubarb.

This particular sandwich started with a slice of whole wheat toast, a dab of dijon and a smear of the apricot. From there I built upwards with oven roasted turkey from one of the Amish stands at Reading Terminal Market and heaps of cucumber and lettuce (it’s a sandwich and salad in one!).

Do you guys put preserves on your sandwiches? How do you feel about sweet and savory in a single bit?

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23 thoughts on "Preserves in Action: Open-Face Turkey Sandwich with Apricot Preserves"

  • Oh yes – I love my jams, which are intentionally not super sweet, on sandwiches. I like savory and sweet together.

    I experimented with some Tart Peach jam this year. It’s very refreshing on an English muffin with butter, but I also plan on trying it out as a glaze on chicken and pork. I think it will caramelize nicely on the grill.

    -the redhead-

  • My husband puts my jams on his weekend turkey sandwiches. Apricot, peach, blueberry-lime. He loves it. I’m a mayo person myself. But I also make savory jellies, especially in the winter, like red onion or hot pepper, and those are amazing on sandwiches. We used my red onion jelly as a dip for fried green tomatoes last weekend and that was a dynamite combo.

  • Agree wholeheartedly. It’s unfortunate many people think preserves only belong on the breakfast table; they have endless life beyond that. Turkey sandwiches, as you suggest, meat glazes, a sweet addition to braises, and then of course all the sweet baking applications (hello, butter cookies?). I am loving a dollop of chutney (Blueberry, Spiced Plum Apple) on savory sandwiches at the moment. Or just smothered over a soft cow’s milk cheese and with crackers, or just a fork !

  • This series is so helpful! I joined a CSA program this summer and have been putting up lots of preserves, but I’m not much into eating them on toast. Keep these ideas coming!

  • Great sandwhich!!! I think i would ditch the cucumber for thinly sliced green apples and some crispy bacon!!!! Oh! I so know what I’m making for dinner now!!!!

  • Love this. The Dijon-apricot combo is enough to woo me. Funny that you mention your rosemary rhubarb jam above. In a freak occurrence for this time of year, I found rhubarb at Headhouse this past weekend, so I made a tiny batch of that very jam this week. Awesome!

  • I see those apricots!
    before I was vegan, i used to eat an amazing sammy–fried egg, cheddar,blackberry jam & sri racha on whole grain bread. oh, the shame!

  • Hi Marissa,

    Just made some cherry plum preserves a week ago and had one not-quite-full jar so it came with us camping. It stood in wonderfully for cranberries when paired with a turkey thigh on a sandwich. Apricot jam also tastes great with soft blue cheeses like cambozola and gorgonzola dolce or a good, sharp, white cheddar.

  • On my dad’s side of the family we eat grilled cheese sandwiches with apricot jam spread on top! Mmm. . .I haven’t had that in awhile, tomorrow would be good 😉

  • I love sweet & savory! I often add mango chutney to my grilled cheese and now that I’ve got some apricot jam that I made a little while ago, I’ll give this a try! Sounds delicious.

  • I just started putting a Carrot Cake Jam with my Chicken salad Wrap. So yummy! Jam offers great depth and I agree that it inhances the sandwich to a more prominent field. I also used the Carrot Cake Jam on my peanut butter and Sweet Potato Pancake Sandwich…. Love this site and your ideas. Thank you…

  • I’ve been digging on some sweet pepper jelly I made with some a-maz-ing Italian sweet peppers from Portland Farmers Market. I have to make sure I don’t eat too much and burn out on them. But a sandwich of sharp Tillamook Cheddar (made with microbial rennet, yay), Nayonaise, a little yellow mustard and pepper jelly is fabulous!

    I made Red Pepper Balsamic Vinegar Jelly from the one of the Ball books but I haven’t tried it yet. I need to save _something_ for March, April, May with it looks like summer will never come.

  • This sandwich was great for dinner when it was 90 degrees out. The sweet jam was perfect with the spicy Dijon and I didn’t even miss the mayo.

  • Sweet and savory is my favorite, starting with apple cheddar crepes years ago. My current favorite is fig preserves toasted with Brie and salami. Thanks for your post, I’m always looking for new combinations using my jams! Any ideas of what to put with tomato basil jam?