Peach Jam
This small-batch peach jam recipe uses powdered pectin and a proper sugar ratio to turn ripe summer peaches into jars of golden, reliably set preserves with real fruit flavor.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven - Wide enough that the jam sits shallow and can evaporate
- Potato masher - For crushing the fruit to your preferred texture
- Half-pint canning jars with lids and bands - 5 to 6 jars
- Wide-mouth canning funnel - To fill jars cleanly
- Jar lifter - (optional) If you're processing jars in a water bath
- Candy or instant-read thermometer - (optional) To confirm the mixture hits the gel point
- Two small plates - Chilled in the freezer for the wrinkle test
- Canning rack - (optional) For water bath processing
- Paring knife - For peeling peaches
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ripe yellow peaches - about 1.4 kg; peeled, pitted, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (roughly 6 to 8 large peaches, yielding about 6 cups prepped)
- 4 cups granulated sugar - 800 g; measured into a separate bowl and set aside
- 1 box powdered fruit pectin - 1.75 oz / 49 g, such as original Sure-Jell
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice - 60 ml; for consistent acidity and a reliable set
- 1/2 tsp unsalted butter - (optional) to reduce foaming during the boil
Instructions
- Place two small plates in the freezer to chill. If storing on the shelf, set a canning rack in a large pot, add jars, cover with water by 1 inch, and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and cover to keep jars hot.
- Peel the peaches with a paring knife or blanch briefly in boiling water. Halve, pit, and chop into 1/2-inch pieces, tossing with lemon juice as you go. You should have about 6 cups of prepped peaches.
- Transfer peaches and lemon juice to a heavy-bottomed pot. Crush with a potato masher to desired texture. Stir in the full box of powdered pectin until dissolved, then add the butter.
- Set the pot over high heat and bring to a full rolling boil that keeps bubbling even when stirred. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Have the measured sugar ready beside the stove.
- Pour in all 4 cups of sugar at once, stirring constantly. Return to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring the whole time. If using a thermometer, cook until 217 to 220°F (103 to 104°C).
- Remove from heat. Spoon a teaspoon of jam onto a chilled plate and freeze for 1 to 2 minutes. Drag your finger through; it's ready when it leaves a distinct trail that doesn't flood back. If runny, boil 1 to 3 more minutes and test again.
- Skim any foam off the surface. Using a funnel and ladle, fill hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, set lids on, and screw bands on fingertip-tight.
- For shelf storage, process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude above 1,000 feet). Remove with a jar lifter and let sit undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. For refrigerator jam, skip processing and refrigerate once cool.
Notes
- Use ripe, fragrant yellow peaches that smell sweet from a few feet away. Underripe fruit lacks flavor and truly overripe fruit has lost pectin.
- Never double the batch. A deep pot can't evaporate evenly, so two single batches back-to-back set far better than one big one.
- Measure the sugar exactly. Cutting the sugar in a standard pectin recipe is the fastest route to jam that won't gel. For low-sugar jam, buy pectin formulated for it.
- Add pectin first, sugar second. Powdered pectin goes in with the cold fruit before boiling; sugar goes in after the first rolling boil. Reversing this order can wreck the set.
- Use a wide pot for more surface area, faster evaporation, and a better gel.
- Don't skip the lemon juice. It provides the acid the pectin needs to form a gel and keeps the fruit bright instead of muddy.
- Trust the cold-plate test. The wrinkle on a frozen plate is the most reliable read on set for a home cook without a thermometer.
- Jam continues to thicken considerably as it cools, so don't judge the set by how it looks hot in the pot.
- Sealed and processed jars store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 1 year. Refrigerator jam keeps for 3 weeks; opened jars for 3 to 4 weeks.
- To freeze, ladle cooled jam into freezer-safe containers leaving 1/2 inch headspace and freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw in the fridge.
- Any jar that didn't seal properly should go straight into the fridge and be treated as refrigerator jam.
- Variations: add vanilla bean or extract, bourbon, cinnamon and nutmeg, fresh ginger, minced jalapeño, honey (replace up to 1 cup sugar), or brown sugar (swap 1 cup).
Nutrition
Serving: 1TbspCalories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 0.1gSodium: 1mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 11gVitamin C: 1mg
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