Name: Peach Jam
Prep time: 250 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 270 min
Yield: 8 pints
Ingredients: 5½ pounds fresh peaches; 3 cups sugar; ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 4 large lemons); Roasted peach pits, optional

Condiments

Peach Jam

Author: Mary DiSomma

Here in the Midwest, fresh peach season is relatively short (usually from July to mid-September), which is why I love making a few batches of peach jam while they are available; I want to be able enjoy the taste of fresh peaches any time of the year. Making peach jam is surprisingly easy: all you need are a few canning jars, some lemon juice and sugar and, of course, some beautifully ripe peaches. You don’t even need pectin (pectin is a fruit extract often used in making preserves).

Peach Jam

Capture the delicious flavor of ripe peaches with this easy-to-make seasonal jam that only requires three ingredients! The natural pectin from the peaches will thicken the jam as it cools. Roasting the peach pits adds an extra kick of almond extract to this jam; see below for instructions.

Yield: 8 pints
Prep Time: 4 hours 10 minutes 4 hrs 10 min
Cook Time: 20 minutes 20 min
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes 4 hrs 30 min

Ingredients

5½ pounds fresh peaches
3 cups sugar
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 4 large lemons)
Roasted peach pits, optional

Instructions

Prepare the peaches by using a soft towel to gently rub off the peach fuzz from the fruit. Halve the peaches and remove and reserve the pits. Cut the peaches into ½-inch slices. You will need approximately 12½ cups of peaches. Cover the bowl with plastic food wrap and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to prepare the jam, roast the peach pits (if using) then sterilize your jars and lids. Always keep the jars warm until you are ready to fill them to ensure that they don’t break when a hot mixture is added. I like to use the oven sterilization method to prepare my jars (see below).
In a large, nonreactive pot, place the peach mixture along with the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook, uncovered, until the liquid has evaporated, and the mixture becomes a jam-like consistency, about 15 to 20 minutes.
If using, drop a roasted peach pit (for instructions of roasting peach pits, see below) in the bottom of each sterilized jar. Ladle the jam into the warm sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles by lightly tapping the jar on the counter. Make sure the rims are clean then seal tightly with lid.
Process the jars for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath. When the jars have cooled completely, test the seal by gently pressing on the top of each lid. It should be tight and slightly indented. If the lid makes a clicking noise when you press it, the seal is not good. If you wind up with a jar that isn’t sealed properly just pop it in the refrigerator and make sure to enjoy it within one week.

View Mary's Tips

Ingredient Tips

When selecting peaches, look for an even background of color and no blemishes. Next, look for a well-defined crease in the fruit. Avoid fruit that is green around the stem (that means they aren’t fully ripe.) And finally, give that peach a good sniff! If it smells nice and sweet it most likely will taste just as sweet.