Jenna's Peach Jam

The easiest way to process fruit is by making jam. The first few steps are the same as if you were to bottle the fruit. But the rest is easier in my book. And you don't have to put the jars through the hot water boiling bath (in the canner) at the end. You can flip the jars over and they'll seal!

Equipment and supplies - large stock pot, 6-8 c large Tupperware for cold bath, blender, cutting board, sharp knife (I like steak knives for this job), dishcloth, ladle, 1 c measuring cup, 4 c pyrex, 1-2 c pyrex, small bowl or Tupperware, wooden spoon, small pan with lid.

opt: specialized canning supplies: magnet jar lifter, home canning funnel.  If you don't have these, you can make due with two spoons and your 4 c pyrex.

9 - 8 oz jars (or 4 qt jars), 9 rings and 9 new unused seals.

Jenna's Peach Jam 

makes 8 cups jam (abt. 9 - 8 oz jars

4 c ground peaches

5 c white granulated sugar

1 orange - juice and peel

Opt: 1/2 c cut up maraschino cherries or dried cranberries

1 - 3 oz pkg cherry (or orange) jello

Note: 4-5 peaches (depending on the size of the peach) will make the 4 c ground peaches needed. 

Prep - Wash jars and rings in warm soapy water; rinse with warm water. Or if they're new jars, run in a rinse cycle of the dishwasher and keep there until needed. Put a small pan on the opposite back burner and fill with 1/3 water. Do nothing else for now with that pot of water. 

Prepare a cold water bath (6-8 c. container 1/3rd water, plus ice so it's filled no more than 1/2).

Instructions for Jam:

• Get a large pot on a front burner of the stove filled half full with water.  Turn stove on to high and get it to boiling.
  
  
  
• Slice orange up and blend the whole thing in the blender (making sure there are no seeds in the blender) or carefully squeeze the juice out and dice the peel in very small pieces.  Keep in a small pyrex (the spout is helpful for pouring later).
  
  
  
• Opt: Chop (into fine dice) sweetened cranberries or maraschino cherries.  Keep in small bowl for later.
• Wash the peaches in cold water.
• Place washed fruit into boiling water for 45 seconds (8-10 at a time).  You should be able to easily pull skins off once they've cooled in next step.
• Place par boiled fruit in cold water bath.
• Peel and quarter fruit, taking pits out.  
  
  
  

At this point, there is no difference in the instructions for bottled fruit and jam.  This is where things get different...

• Place fruit into blender and blend well. 
  
  
  
• Empty and rinse the pan you used to par boil the peaches. 
• Pour the 4 c. of ground peaches into that pan.
• If you are using the whole orange, pour a little of the ground peaches into the blender to grind up all of the pulp better.
• Add the 5 c. sugar and stir well in the pan.
• Add the orange peel and juice.
• Place on stove and turn on to 6-7.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir every 1.5-2 min making sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
  
  
  
• Once it's boiling, drop heat down to 4 and boil for 15 minutes. Keep stirring.
• Optional - add maraschino cherries or sweetened cranberries.
• Boil an additional 5 minutes, whether or not you add the cherries or cranberries.
• Turn on the dishwasher with your jars and rings - on quick rinse.  You're getting them up to the boiling temperature of the jam so they don't crack.
  
  
  
• Add the jello - mixing with a whisk to blend.  
• Time to get the water in that small pan up to boiling. This is to soften the sealing lids. Turn on the back burner to high. Bring to a boil.  You'll need to boil the lids face down for 7 min.
  
  
  
• Bring the jam back up to a boil.
• Get the jars ready on a dishcloth.  Rings should be nearby and upside down - ready for  softened tops.
  
  
  
• Ladle jam immediately into the prepared jars, filling to within 1/8-inch from the tops. 
• Wipe jar rims and threads with a wet paper towel.  Use a clean section for each jar.  Any sticky residue will keep the jars from sealing. 
• Place each softened lids on individual rings.
  
  
  
• Cover with lids and rings; screw bands tightly.
• Turn upside down and don't touch for 2-3 hours.
• Then and only then check the cooled jars.  If they've sealed, they can sit on your shelf.  If not, refrigerate.