We have all had the experience of watching our farmers’ market or CSA fruits and vegetables start to get a bit long in the tooth as the week wears on. Maybe you bought two quarts of peaches thinking you would make a cobbler and then time got away from you. Maybe the member of your household who you can usually count on to eat all those cherries went on strike.
The other day, I purchased some fresh local produce at a nearby Amish market and got a bit carried away. During a week when the only people in the house were me and my husband, it turns out that we didn’t need two quarts of peaches and two quarts of apricots and two quarts of cherries. To say nothing of the cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
These are the times when knowing how to preserve fruits and vegetables saves me from wasting food and money. After a few days had passed and one quart of peaches had yet to be consumed, I simply turned those peaches into a few jars of jam.
Now I know that many of you are not ready to embrace the home food preservation trend just yet. You don’t want to buy a big canning pot or figure out what it is that pectin does. And that is just fine.
So, this recipe is for a beginner’s peach jam, no special equipment and no special expertise needed. You start with one quart of peaches, about 2 lbs. worth, and end up with two jars of jam. You can process the jars for shelf-stability using a water-bath canner if you like. But, with the final result being only two jars, if you aren’t interested in doing that, you don’t have to. Just keep the jars in your refrigerator. Or keep one for yourself and give one to a friend or neighbor.
In short, this is a recipe for peach jam for those who have never made jam before in their lives. But knowing the technique for making a small batch of jam will save you from ever having to throw away moldy or rotten fruit again. Doesn’t that sound like something worth knowing?
I say that no special equipment is needed and I stand by that statement. But, one gadget that makes working with peaches so much easier is a soft-skin peeler. This little gadget looks like a vegetable peeler with a serrated edge and it peels the skin right off peaches, no blanching necessary. I find it to be worth the $10 investment and place in my gadget drawer.
- 1 qt peaches (about 2 lbs.)
- 2 TB lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 TB amaretto or other almond-flavored liqueur (optional)
- If you are planning to process the jars for shelf-stability, fill a canning or stockpot outfitted with a rack with water and bring to a boil and heat two 8-oz jars.
- Place a saucer in the freezer to chill.
- Peel the peaches, either by plunging them in boiling water for one minutes and then slipping the skins off or by using a soft-skin peeler.
- Halve and slice the peaches. Toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Add the peaches and lemon juice, sugar and grated ginger to a wide, deep saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Mash the peaches with a potato masher or puree with an immersion blender.
- Boil the jam gently, stirring constantly to present scorching, until thickened, about ten minutes.
- To test for doneness, place a dollop of jam on the chilled saucer and return it to the freezer for one minute. Push the jam on the saucer with your finger. If it wrinkles, it is ready.
- Add the amaretto if using.
- Fill the warm jars with the jam leaving ¼ inch headspace at the top.
- Run a thin plastic utensil along the inside of the jars to release any air bubbles.Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth to remove any residue. Place on lids and rings and tighten.
- Refrigerate jam OR if processing for shelf-stability, place jars in boiling water and process for ten minutes.
- Allow jars to cool in water for five minutes before removing to a counter.
[…] Simple, small batch peach jam. […]