Peach Jam
This peach jam recipe turns a big bowl of ripe summer peaches into a golden, spreadable jam that tastes like sunshine in a jar. It only takes four main ingredients and about forty minutes on the stove. I make a batch every August when the farmers market peaches are so fragrant you can smell them from across the room. That aroma is exactly what you want to bottle up for winter mornings.
Equipment
- Large heavy bottomed jam pot or Dutch oven
- Canning jars with lids and bands
- Jar lifter
- Canning funnel
- Water bath canner with rack
- Potato masher
- Cutting board and paring knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Candy thermometer optional, for extra assurance
- Magnetic lid lifter optional
Ingredients
- 4 cups peaches about 3 pounds whole, peeled, pitted, and mashed
- 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh
- 1 box powdered fruit pectin 1.75 ounces
- 5 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter optional, helps reduce foam
Instructions
- Wash canning jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water. Place jars in simmering water to keep warm. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath.
- Score an X on the bottom of each peach, then blanch in boiling water for 30-45 seconds. Transfer immediately to the ice bath, then peel, pit, and chop the peaches.
- Mash the chopped peaches with a potato masher to your preferred texture. Stir in the fresh lemon juice.
- In a heavy bottomed pot, combine the mashed peaches, lemon juice, pectin, and optional butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add all the sugar at once, stir until dissolved, and return to a full rolling boil.
- Boil hard for exactly 1 minute, then remove from heat immediately. Skim off any foam from the surface.
- Working quickly, ladle hot jam into warm sterilized jars using a funnel, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, center lids, and screw bands fingertip tight.
- Process filled jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove with a jar lifter and let cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours before checking seals.
Notes
- Use ripe, fragrant peaches for the best flavor; underripe fruit tastes flat once cooked.
- Measure the sugar exactly; cutting back can prevent a proper set with standard pectin.
- Do not double the batch, as a larger volume cooks unevenly and often fails to set.
- Keep the boil at a true rolling boil, not just a simmer, during both cooking stages.
- A candy thermometer can help confirm the jam has reached 220 degrees Fahrenheit for extra assurance.
- If you skip canning, store the jam in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or freeze it for up to a year.
- Properly sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark pantry for up to 1 year.
- Add a scraped vanilla bean, crystallized ginger, or cinnamon for easy flavor variations.
- Once opened, refrigerate the jar and use it within about 3 weeks.
- Peach jam can take up to two weeks to fully firm up in the jar, so don't judge it immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 0.3gPotassium: 15mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!