Since a few readers have asked for my peach jam recipe, here it is.
Let me put a disclaimer that this is the first time I've ever made peach jam(I've made other kinds though through the years).
There was a grocery deal on local peaches last week here before we left for our trip to move the Eldest son to his new digs so I had Hubs pick me up about 6 lbs.
Totally forgot to process them and make the jam before we left on Thursday so I threw the bag into the fridge and left them.
When we got back I needed to get on the jam making so Sunday morning before company arrived later that day for dinner I made the jam and canned it.
I sort of used the recipe on the back of the Sure-Jell package. Sure-Jell is a pectin used for making jellies/jams/conserves/marmalades. It is what makes your jams/jellies set up, "jell" as it were.
You can also take your peels and boil them down to get the natural pectin in the fruit and use that, put it's an added step and using a packaged product is easier. ;-)
So I pit, peel and slices my peaches up until I have 8 cups. Put the slices, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice(any kind) and a package of pectin in a pot and turn on the heat to get it boiling. As there is little liquid at this point you'll need to stir often.
When it starts boiling, add 6 cups of sugar.
Now if you want to do a low or no sugar version jam you'll have to use a special pectin for that or a different proportion of pectin to fruit.
This is a regular old jam with sugar in it. 8-)
So add the sugar and stir until it all liquefies.
Then continue to cook at a low boil for 20 minutes.
Turn off the pot and put your jam into containers of your choice.......plastic for the freezer or glass canning jars if you are preserving it that way(shelf stable).
If canning wash and sterilize your jars, rings and lids. Put jam into jars, place lids and rings on and tighten the rings. Process jars in a water bath canner for 15 minutes. Make sure the water covers the jars completely 2 inches above the tallest jar.
Remove jars from canner and place on a towel to cool.
A few hours later check all your lids to make sure they sealed(when pressing on the lids there is no give or spring). If any haven't sealed either reprocess them in the water bath canner or keep in the fridge.
This is the odd assortment of jars I had that were smaller than quarts. Ideally I'd use the 8 or 12 oz. jars instead but these tiny 4 oz. jars are good for giving as gifts or if you don't consume a lot of jams(which we don't)and you don't want it to go bad after you open one.
I don't know what I'll do with that pint jar of jam! lolz
1 jar is missing as it left with our company last night. 8-)
Next time, if there is a next time, I'm going to try a lower sugar version. Since it was my first time making peach I wanted to do it the regular way once.
If you are reticent or unsure in your jam making skills there is an excellent fruit to sugar to pectin calculator on the Ball site HERE.
You can select full sugar, low sugar or no sugar versions and it gives you the proportions to use for each.
Sluggy
