Heavenly Peach Jam – Revised

If I am honest with myself, I will admit that after all these years, I had gotten a bit sloppy making my Peach Jam.  Besides the peaches not being ripe, I think there were a few other things that made the first batches a few days ago, so horrid.

So this week, I did a few things differently. I paid attention to each detail and I actually changed a couple of things. Because I did this, I have written an entirely new recipe, complete with pictures.

Heavenly Peach Jam

• 5 lb. very ripe peaches skinned and mashed
• 7 ½ cups sugar
• 2 Oranges
• 1 large jar maraschino cherries, cherries quartered
• 1 box Sure-Jell

I use Sure-Jell and I swear by it. I have not been compensated in any way for this review of the product. I just feel it helps make the best Jam around. And if Sure-Jell is looking for a new Spokesmodel I am available!

1. Peel peaches; remove pits.
2. Mash peaches; place in large saucepan.
3. Add sugar; mix thoroughly.
4. Cut oranges in half.
5. Squeeze juice from both oranges; remove seeds.
6. Take the rind from one orange and slice thinly and chop.
7. Add orange rind and orange juice to the peach mixture.
8. Add cherries.

Let rest overnight.

• Bring to a boil. Cook for 1 hour.

• Add Sure-Jell;
• boil for 20 minutes, stirring constantly until the jam begins to jell.
• Ladle into sterilized jars, cover with sterilized lids and return to a water bath.
• Boil closed jars for 8 minutes.
• Set on dishtowels to cool.

Yields about 9 – 11 half-pint jelly jars.

Notes:

If peaches are not full on ripe, put them in a brown paper bag and close the top. Leave 1-2 days, and then start the process.

To peel peaches, place about 6 in boiling water for 1 minute. Quickly remove them and place them in an ice bath. Continue until all 5 pounds worth of peaches are blanched.

Peaches should be so ripe you can squish them in your hands to break them up after removing the skin. But watch those peach pits! They can really hurt your fingers!

At the end use chilled dessert plates to check your jelling. You want the jam not to run off the plate after a minute on the frozen plate, but to form a heavy drip.

Like this. This was cooled Jam on my finger!

This shows you what you want your jam to do right before you can it. That drop stayed on my finger and hung there. That is perfect!