How to Make Peach Jam With Beginning Canning Tutorial
The jam tastes just like summer's sweetest ripe peaches. I love opening up a jar in the winter and spreading one of my favorite summer fruits on biscuits and toast. It is like opening a jar of summer when it is cold and snowy out! I always make some extra jars to give as gifts at Christmas because everybody loves it so much. This recipe includes basic beginning canning information. If you want to learn more about canning or have questions check out my Water Bath Canning for Beginners tutorial.This recipe makes 11 half pints or 5 1/2 pints of jam. One pint of jam is 32 Tablespoons which is considered 32 servings.
Total Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Course: condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: peach jam, canning jam, beginning canning, learn to can, how to make peach jam
Servings: 176
Calories: 15kcal
Ingredients
7cupspeaches, choppedabout 4lbs
5Tablespoonslemon juice
1Tablespoonbutter
7 1/2Tablespoonspowdered pectincalled RealFruit classic pectin in Ball brand
5cupsgranulated sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Jars and Peaches
Wash the jars you are going to use.
Fill your water bath canner about half way with water and set aside. Put a metal kitchen spoon in the freezer to check consistency of jam later.
Blanch peaches in boiling water for 30-45 seconds per batch. Plunge them into an ice water bath as each batch finishes. Slip skins from the fruit.
Peel peaches and chop into medium-small chunks. As you chop stir in 1 cup of the sugar to keep peaches from browning. Tip: I used the Vidalia Chop Wizard tool for uniform, small dice. I put halve a peeled peach through at a time.
Make the Peach Jam
Measure pectin into one small bowl and the remaining 4 cups of sugar into another. Place peaches, lemon juice and butter in a large pot on medium-high heat.
Use an immersion blender or potato masher to puree jam until it reaches the consistency you desire. When using the chop wizard I don't blend the jam any more so that I get some nice chunks of peach in the jam. It can be done either way.
Turn water bath canner on high and to bring to a boil.
Slowly add pectin to fruit stirring constantly.
Bring fruit mixture to a full boil, then add the sugar. Stir until it returns to a boil, then boil 1 minute continuing to stir constantly. The jam will look thin even though it is ready.
To check the consistency of the jam, dip the frozen spoon into the pot. Run your finger down the back of the spoon - the consistency on the cold spoon is the consistency of the jam as it sets.
Can the Jam
Fill pint or half pint jars with a wide canning funnel. Leave 1/4" - 1/2" headspace. Wipe the rim of each jar down with a clean, damp towel to make sure it is perfectly clean
Place a lid and ring on the jar.
Place your jars in the water bath canner. Make sure there is enough hot water to cover the jars by 2". Bring the water back up to a full boil and process for the recommended processing time.
Pints and half-pints should be processed a minimum of 10 minutes in a water bath canner. If you live above 1,000 feet add more time to adjust for altitude: 1,001 - 3,000 feet add 5 minutes. 3,001 - 6,000 feet add 10 minutes. 6,001 - 8,000 feet add 15 minutes. 8,001 - 10,000 feet add 20 minutes.
Remove jars to towels after processing and allow the lids to pop down - no poking!
When the lids have sealed the jam is ready to store. Any jars that don't seal should be refrigerated or processed again.
Once the jam is canned it can be stored out of direct sunlight up to two years.