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As summer fades away, there are few fresh, local flavors I will miss more than a good peach. The little girls love going to a nearby farm to pick them - and are happy to gobble them up!
While you're enjoying fresh peaches, grab an extra sack or two and preserve some. Peaches freeze well and, of course, make good jam and pie filling.
This jam recipe is deliciously simple.
Kids can help! Put 'em to work! My girls ate lots of peach peels (which I guess wasn't really helping, but solved the, "what's for snack" dilemma), measured, poured and worked the buttons on the food processor. And, of course they like to eat the jam.
Yield: 10 half-pints or 5 pints
You'll need:
About 7 cups of peeled, pitted, finely chopped peaches (depending on peach size figure 1-2 peaches in a cup) Select local, freshly picked, organic fruit - if possible. Also be sure to use a freestone peach variety - or you'll drive yourself crazy trying to get the pits out.
5 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice, don't use fresh squeezed
Sugar: for traditional jam 8 1/3 cups or for a lower sugar version use 5 cups
7 1/2 tablespoons of classic fruit pectin
A food processor
A waterbath canner
Saucepans for jam, jars and lids
10 half-pint mason jars with lids and bands or 5 pint jars - or whatever combination of the two you want (I make this recipe several times, using half-pints for gift giving and the pints for us at home.)
Get to work:
Put your clean jars and lids on a low simmer, do not boil. Get your waterbath canner going so it will be boiling when you are ready.
Wash your peaches, don't soak them.
Let them sit in a colander to drain while you start peeling.
Put a pot of water on to boil. While you're waiting, take a sharp paring knife and slice an "X" on the bottom of each peach.
Drop the fruit, in batches that will fit in your pot, into boiling water for about one minute.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop them from the boiling water to a bowl of ice water. Let them cool for a couple minutes, until you can handle them comfortably.
Grabbing from one of the cuts you made, gently peel the skins back.
As soon as skins are removed, sprinkle each peach with an ascorbic acid fruit preserver to keep from browning.
Sometimes the boil & peel method doesn't work for some of the peaches - hit those with your potato peeler.
All peeled.
Halve the peaches.
Drop them, in small batches, into your food processor.
Chop, don't purée them.
Peach mountain.
Mix together peaches and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Stir in pectin. Over high heat, and while stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Add sugar, stir to dissolve. Return to a full boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Skim off any foam.
Fill hot jars with hot jam, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rims. Adjust lids and bands. Boil in a waterbath canner for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars sit in the hot water for an additional five minutes.
Remove jars from canner. Let jars cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Check to be sure lids are sealed. Store up to a year. Give some away & Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Ball. I make no guarantees about its safety. Please see this link to learn about canning food safely: http://extension.missouri.edu/p/GH1451
Follow all manufacturers instructions for canning jars, lids and bands. Adjust boiling times as needed for high altitude.
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