Life hack here people: YOU DON'T NEED TO PEEL PEACHES BEFORE MAKING JAM WiTH THEM. Whaaaaat? I know! It sounds crazy. Peach skin is controversial at the best of times, but in jam? That sounds like madness. That's why I made a fairly small batch. I did not believe. I am now a believer. No more peach peeling for me, pardner. Try it.
You’ll need:
~12ish fresh peaches, pitted and chopped (leave the peel on, seriously!)
3 ½ cups white sugar
2 T lemon juice OR 1 pinch per jar of citric acid
Light Certo pectin
7 half-pint (250 mL) Mason jars
7 snap lids and screw rings
Directions for cooking and canning:
Do you see any peel? This was about three-quarters of the way cooked if I recall correctly. I mashed it a bit more after this shot. I like some chunky peach texture, but no big hunks. Next time, I would chop it a little smaller to begin with.
Use a potato masher to crush about one cup chopped peaches in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the remaining chopped peaches, and heat pan on medium-low setting.
Combine your packet of pectin with 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl and mix it together well.
Bring the peaches to a low boil, and cook for about 20 minutes. As the peaches cook, mash them occasionally (or just stir them) so you get the texture you prefer.
Pour the cooked peaches into another bowl, and then measure 6 cups back into the pan. Stir in the lemon juice, if using. (Look! The peel seems to have disappeared. It’s freakin’ magic I tell ya. So easy.)
Gradually add the sugar and pectin mixture to the peaches, and bring to a boil over medium–high heat.
Stir in the remaining sugar, and return to the boil, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat.
Put the snap lids in hot water to soften. It doesn't have to be boiling.
Stir the jam frequently for 5 minutes, skimming foam.
If you are using citric acid instead of lemon juice, put a pinch (like a pinch, I don’t know – an eighth of a teaspoon?) of citric acid in each Mason jar.
Quickly ladle hot jam into jars, using a wide mouth funnel. Leave 0.5 cm headspace.
"Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on finger tip tight.
Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling. That's a rule.
So simple. So good. Enjoy!
