Peach jam is probably one of my all time favorites, at least it gives blackberry jam a run for it’s money. Growing up we had a peach orchard with over 500 trees.  Just recently some of those peach trees were replanted, and we’re just now beginning to harvest peaches after years with no orchard.  This is one of those recipes that I literally take from the farm to the jar.

This recipe yields 8 jelly jars (8 oz)

• 3.5 lbs of peeled, cut up peaches – mashed
• 2.5 cups of sugar
• Juice from one lemon, lemons are naturally high in pectin
• 1 T Real Butter
• 8 sterile jars, rings and lids

Place the jars in the oven, heat to 200°. Mash the peaches with a chopper.

Squeeze a lemon into a cup and pour it thru a strainer to catch all the pulp and seeds.

Add peaches and lemon juice to a pot and bring to a boil.  Once it’s at a rolling boil, boil for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring.

Add sugar and butter.   Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 30 minutes, stir occasionally.  Be sure to stir it enough that it doesn’t stick.  Skim off any excess foam.

Boil lids, fill hot jars with the hot jam and wipe the tops with a clean sterile cloth.  Place the lids, put the rings on and tighten.  Water bath for 10 minutes.

Water Bathing Instructions:  While cooking the peaches, I start my canner of water on high.  Jelly jars require 1-2 inches of water over the jars.  If placed carefully you can get 12 jars in the canner.  Once the jars are ready and placed in there, I put a lid on the canner and bring it to a boil.  Once boiling, I boil for 10 minutes.  Remove jars, cover with a towel and cool over night.  Don’t be surprised if your jars start sealing as soon as you take them out of the canner.

I don’t use Sure-Jell in my jam recipes for a reason.  Have you ever noticed that the recipes that call for Sure-Jell call for more sugar than fruit?  Let that sink in a minute….