Perfect Peach Jam
We got way too many peaches this year. When we were in the orchard picking peaches it seemed like we hardly picked anything; then when we brought those peaches home they seemed like they were spilling out of every room in the house. Thankfully canning is a thing and we were able to turn most of our bushel into a delicious jam that we can enjoy and gift to friends and neighbors in the months to come.
Recipe: Makes about 12 8-ounce jars
Ingredients:
7-8 cups peeled, pitted and finely chopped peaches
4 tbsp lemon juice (bottled)
2 packages low sugar powdered fruit pectin
7 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions:
Before doing any cooking, prepare your canner, jars and lids. In a (very) large pot combine chopped peaches, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook the peaches on a medium heat until they begin to break down, about 25 to 30 minutes. Add pectin and combine thoroughly, then bring mixture to a boil stirring frequently. Add sugar and continue to boil jam for another minute or two. Remove from heat and carefully ladle jam into the hot jars leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace. Tap jars lightly to remove air bubbles and add more jam if necessary. Make sure the jars are clean and gently place prepared lids, then bands on them, tightening just past where resistance is met. Bring canner to a boil and add jars making sure they are fully submerged. Boil for 10 minutes, turn off heat and remove jars after 5 minutes. All jars to cool and then store them, ideally in a cool, dry environment.
