Jams-Jellies Archives - The Slow Roasted Italian

Best Ever Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe + Video

Donna Elick — Wed, 21 May 2025 22:00:00 +0000

This Strawberry Jam Recipe really is the best ever — no pectin needed! Fresh fruit, sugar, and a little orange juice are all it takes for the most incredible homemade strawberry jam. Make a batch after you go strawberry picking or use up extra berries from your local farm stand!

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Summertime means that grocery stores, farmers markets, and pick-your-own berry farms are all bursting with fresh strawberries.

And what better way to celebrate the harvest than by making all my favorite strawberry recipes??

I love making pies, cookies, and big bowls of salad, plus frozen cocktails and treats for the pup.

But I will always start with my best strawberry jam recipe so there’s a batch ready to go in the fridge. YUM!!

Recipe Video

Learn how to make homemade strawberry jam from start to finish by watching the video in this post!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Fresh Strawberries – The riper, the better! Look for firm berries with a deep red color and no bruising or pits for the best strawberry jam recipe.
Sugar – Use regular white granulated sugar to let the natural berry flavor shine and help the mixture thicken.

You can reduce the amount of sugar for a low-sugar version, but you’ll need to cook the jam for longer so it thickens properly.
Orange Juice – Since you only need 2 tablespoons, grab an orange and squeeze it fresh for this strawberry jam recipe.

Bottled juice will work in a pinch, but be sure to use 100% juice to avoid added ingredients. Fresh lemon juice or lemon zest is a great alternative for this easy homemade strawberry jam recipe.
Apples – I like Granny Smith, but use what you have on hand — Fuji and Gala are my favorite substitutes.

And when I’m feeling a little spicy, I’ll swap the apples with habaneros instead!

This swap doesn’t add as much sugar, and gives the strawberry mixture a nice, sweet heat. (kind of like a hot jam option!)

How to Make Homemade Strawberry Jam Without Pectin

All classic jam recipes need some sort of pectin — usually powdered or liquid — in order for the jam to set.

But what I like to do instead is add fruit that naturally contains pectin such as apples, pears, plums, or oranges.

For this strawberry jam recipe, I’m using Granny Smith apples. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste them! They’ll soften and dissolve right into the berry mixture.

While this might be a traditional strawberry jam recipe in terms of looks, the apples add a fun twist and flavor!

Top Tips When Making This Recipe for Strawberry Jam

Prep the fruit before getting started.

Hull the strawberries, then slice them into quarters — this makes it easier for them to break down in the pot while still giving you a nice texture.

Then, peel and core the apple before chopping it into tiny pieces. You can also grate the apple to help it dissolve more easily.

And this should go without saying, but clean your fruit before making this recipe for strawberry jam!

Soak whole berries and apples in a 3:1 mixture of cold water and vinegar, then rinse with clean water and pat dry.

Be patient!

It takes time for the fruit to break down and the jam to thicken — about 20 to 25 minutes.

You’ll need to stir it often to prevent any berries from scalding at the bottom, so don’t step away from the stove.

And be sure to skim off the foam that forms on top. It’s delicious when mixed with cream cheese for a bagel spread!

Prefer a smoother jam?

Use a stick blender to process the fruit as it cooks right in the pot. This way, you can scrape every last bit into your jars instead of losing some to your food processor or blender.

You may also want to strain the jam to remove any seeds. Use a fine mesh sieve for best results.

Prep Ahead

Quarter the strawberries
Peel, core, and chop the apple

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

Dutch Oven or 4 Quart Stock Pot (any large pot will work)
Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula for stirring
Ladle – Use this to skim off the foam
A Candy Thermometer is the easiest way to tell if your homemade strawberry jam is done!
Glass jars (for storage)

Serving Suggestions

Homemade jam is one of the best things to put on toast or biscuits — especially when you make those from scratch too!

Pair this strawberry jam recipe with my homemade white bread recipe or this no-yeast bread. Both are wonderful when toasted.

You can also smear it on fluffy buttermilk pancakes or crispy waffles instead of syrup. Or, add it to this cornflake-crusted French toast for breakfast.

Swirl some into yogurt for a sweet snack, or make a classic PB&J sandwich for lunch. The possibilities are endless!

Best Strawberry Jam Recipe FAQ

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Fresh berries will provide the best flavor in this recipe for strawberry jam. But, you can also use frozen berries if you don’t have fresh ones on hand.

Just be sure that you thaw and drain frozen berries completely before using. You don’t want extra water in the jam or it may not set properly.

How do you know when homemade strawberry jam is done?

The easiest way to tell when this jam is done cooking is by waiting for it to thicken. It should cling to a wooden spoon or spatula when lifted from the pot.

Another way to test it is by using a candy thermometer. Jam is at the perfect consistency at 220°F.

What else can I add to strawberry jam?

Replace some of the strawberries with raspberries or blackberries or add spices like cinnamon or cardamom.

Fresh herbs would be tasty too — try basil, lavender, or rosemary for your very own artisan blend.

Giving holiday gifts? Add a splash of champagne or bourbon to make it a little extra special and exciting.

How should I serve this simple strawberry jam?

Once you make your own jam, you’ll be finding ways to use it all the time! I love adding the fresh strawberry flavor to baked rolls, toast, or paired with the classic PB&J sandwich. It’s also the perfect strawberry jam to add to the top of crackers, too!

I’ve also drizzled this as a strawberry sauce over a bowl of ice cream, and that’s always a hit!

Storing and Freezing Homemade Strawberry Jam

Once you’ve made this jam, it will need to be stored in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container and use within 2 weeks.

For longer storage, pack and seal it in canning jars according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Check with the instructions that come with your canning jars for the correct processing time.

Or, transfer the jam to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use it.

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Other Easy Strawberry Recipes

2 Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe + Video

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad with Pretzels

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars Recipe (Real Strawberry Filling)

Strawberry Twinkie Cake Recipe (W/Real Strawberry Frosting)

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Best Ever Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe + Video

This Strawberry Jam Recipe really is the best ever — and you don't need any pectin! Make a fresh batch after you go strawberry picking!

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings makes 2 jars

Calories 38cal

Author Donna Elick

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh strawberries quartered
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
3/4 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and chopped small

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat combine strawberries, sugar, orange juice and apples. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
You will start to notice foam rising to the top of your jam.
As the foam rises to the top skim it with a ladle and place it in a cup. You may choose to discard the foam, but we like to eat it. All that strawberry goodness!
Stir until the jam thickens. If you use a wooden spoon to lift a bit from the pot, you will see it clinging to the spoon in drops. When that happens, your jam is ready. Or using a candy thermometer when your jam reaches 220°F it is done. This will take approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat.
Your apples should dissolve into your jam and you will not taste them, however on occasion mine do not completely dissolve, so I transfer my jam to a food processor and blend it smooth. As it so happens this batch is for a gift and they like smooth jam, but my family prefers the chunky.

Video

Notes

If you are not food processing it, place jam in bowl or jelly jars and allow to come to room temperature. Then store in the refrigerator.

I have not canned these as we love it so much it goes too fast. I put it in a glass bowl or 2 jelly jars and store it in the fridge.

Jam will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks (much longer from my experience). But, it will keep longer, if you pack and seal in canning jars according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Nutrition

Originally published June 2011, updated and republished May 2025

Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.

The post Best Ever Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe + Video appeared first on The Slow Roasted Italian.

Mixed Berry Jam Recipe With Pectin (In the Crockpot)

Donna Elick — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:05:00 +0000

This crockpot mixed berry jam is a delicious combination of strawberries and raspberries that’s ready in a few hours. Enjoy it with toast, pastries, and more! The easy mixed berry jam recipe proves that making your own jam is a breeze. The recipe card has all steps needed to make this delicious homemade jam!

Easy recipes are our favorites — did you know you can freeze milk?

I’m over going to the grocery store and buying things off the shelf that I can make in my own kitchen.

This is what I love about this homemade jam recipe. It’s one of my go-to recipes when I want to use fresh seasonal fruit and enjoy it in a variety of ways.

Sometimes, I’ll find myself with a bounty of fresh fruit, wondering what I should do with it all.

This easy jam recipe is a great way to use fresh berries with simple ingredients, giving me flavor and happiness on top of toast, biscuits, and more.

Mixed Berry Jam Recipe

Crockpot jam is especially convenient during the summer months when standing over a hot stove isn’t ideal.

While it does come out a bit thinner than stovetop versions, slow cooker jam still gels and has a thicker consistency than standard freezer varieties.

I have a plain strawberry version that you can try. It is cooked on the stovetop, but all you need to make it is regular sugar instead of pectin.

Or, add some heat with fresh habanero peppers and spread it on dishes both savory and sweet!

How To Make Homemade Berry Jam

Rinse all of the berries in cool water and remove all of the leaves.

This recipe works best when the fruit pieces are as small as possible, so chop up the strawberries and mash them before adding them to your slow cooker.

Add in the raspberries, sugar, and pectin. Cook on High for 2 to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so to ensure that the sugars are fully and evenly dissolved.

Once it’s done, transfer to sterilized jars and process based on storage preference.

Slow Cooker Jam Tips and Tricks

Measure correctly. Regular pectin requires just the right amount of sugar to gel properly, so it’s important not to eyeball the fruit. When you’re making a small batch jam recipe, accuracy is key!

If you need a low sugar recipe, use pectin that is labeled “reduced sugar.”
Leave space in your jars. It’s important to leave about ¼-inch of headspace when filling each jar to allow for the mixed berry jam to expand, either during processing or when frozen.
Check your lids! They have to be properly sealed and secured before storing or all of your jam will spoil. Any jars that aren’t fully sealed need to be kept in the refrigerator, not on the shelf.
Storage: Crockpot jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks and on the shelf for up to 1 year. I keep them in a dark place out of the sun and heat.

If the jars are not processed in a water bath, store them in the freezer for up to 3 months instead.

Mixed Berry Jam FAQs

Why isn’t crockpot jam very thick?

The ideal temperature for sugars and pectin to bind together is 220°F. While slow cookers may vary, my batches never reached this temperature even after testing one for 6-8 hours.

After so much time, the sugars start to caramelize and the slow cooker jam starts to turn brown. Not only is it unpleasant to look at, but it doesn’t taste very good either!

For best results, cook for 2-3 hours while stirring regularly — this helps distribute the sugar and ensures that it dissolves completely.

How do I make this mixed berry jam shelf stable?

You will need to follow the proper water bath canning instructions given for your jars. You can find helpful information here if you are new to the process.

Can I add less sugar to the jars of jam?

It’s not recommended to reduce the amount of sugar because that is needed for the pectin to set in. If you don’t want to add too much sugar, you can look at options for artificial sweetener instead and see if that might work.

Can I add other fruits to this jar of homemade jam?

Why not? You can add blueberries and turn this into a triple berry jam! As the jam cooks, just add in the blueberries as you would the rest of the fresh fruit. You should still get that jam-like consistency easily enough. Plus, the combination of berries sounds yummy!

You can use any type of fruit that you want to make a batch of jam. This is also a fun way to change the color of the jam as well. You can also add lemon zest to this delicious jam! Once you combine berries, some lemon zest or fresh lemon juice is a great idea!

What does raspberry jam pair well with?

A little bit of jam goes a long way on so many foods. You can add this to toast, on top of vanilla ice cream, with overnight oats, and more. The first time that I made a large batch of this, I served it at a holiday dinner with family and friends.

You choose the best time and place to serve it and then make it happen. Keep in mind that this does make a lovely gift idea as well. Choose the best berries or whole fruit, grab your jam jars, and get started with this easy hot jam recipe today.

If you’re making a small batch of jam, you can keep one for yourself, and share one with someone else. They’ll be so happy to have their own fruit mixture instead of store-bought jam! Canning jams just have so much flavor – which is why I love sharing this great recipe.

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Other Sweet Crockpot Recipes

Best Ever Crockpot Cheesecake

Crockpot Candied Almonds

Crockpot Caramel Sauce

Crock Pot Peach Cobbler

Mixed Berry Jam Recipe With Pectin (In the Crockpot)

This crockpot mixed berry jam is a delicious combination of strawberries and raspberries. Enjoy it with toast, pastries, and more!

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Method Slow Cooker

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 1 18

Servings ounces

Calories 175cal

Author Donna Elick

Ingredients

2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
2 cups raspberries whole is fine
5 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons classic pectin

Instructions

Prepare mason jars and lids by washing and sterilizing in boiling water or running through the sterilization cycle on the dishwasher.
Prepare the strawberries and raspberries. Rinse with cool water. Slice strawberries into halves or quarters and then crush them with a potato masher. Crockpot jam cooks best the smaller the pieces are broken down beforehand.
Add sugar, pectin, strawberries and raspberries to the crockpot.
Set the crockpot on high and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
When the sugar is completely dissolved throughout the entire mixture, the jam is done. ● Ladle jam into prepared jars, secure lids, and leave the jars to set for 24 hours before storing in the freezer.
If, instead of storing in the freezer, you’d like to process the jars in a boiling water bath, they can be stored on the shelf for up to 1 year.

Nutrition

Originally published August 2021, updated and republished April 2025

The post Mixed Berry Jam Recipe With Pectin (In the Crockpot) appeared first on The Slow Roasted Italian.

Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread

Donna Elick — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 13:53:00 +0000

Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread is our latest obsession. A sweet strawberry habanero jam with a fantastic citrusy flavor and a little bite at the end. Perfect, just perfect! This simple recipe comes together with just 4 ingredients and you will be making it all year long!

I have to say, of all the delicious things to come out of my kitchen in the last 3 months this was has received the most ‘spectacular’ reviews.

We first tried the strawberry habanero combination about 4 months ago and we have been hooked ever since. If you want something sweeter with no spice try this crockpot berry jam.

Habanero Jelly Recipe

I have been sharing it with friends and family and I have to say that I have yet to receive a negative review. Munchkin did say (in her cute 5-year-old voice) “it’s a little bit sicy (that means spicy), but I like it!”

Of course, she thinks anything more seasoned than ketchup is a little spicy. One of our friends actually told us that we should bottle it and sell it. Another friend that we shared it with put it on everything.

This fabulous creation comes together with just 4 ingredients.

The strawberry flavor shines through and the habanero lends its fruity, citrusy flavor, and its floral aroma to this divine everything spread.

The sugar mellows the heat from the habanero to give you all the flavor with a tiny bite. Truly an all around everything spread. What food are you spreading it on?

If you love bold strawberry flavors, you’ll want to bookmark our Strawberry Recipes collection — it’s full of unique and delicious ways to cook, bake, and snack with strawberries year-round.

Our favorite ways to enjoy this Strawberry Habanero Jam

Toasted bagel with cream cheese and everything spread.
Hot ham and cheese sandwich with everything spread.
Warm everything spread to dip tortilla chips.
Chicken tacos with Monterey jack cheese and everything spread.
Breakfast burritos with egg, cheese, sausage and everything spread.
Monte Cristo Sandwich with ham, bacon, Swiss (or gruyere) and everything spread.
Drizzled on your favorite dessert (ice cream, angel food cake, etc).
Of course, eating it with a spoon is amazing!

What is your favorite way to eat it?

Helpful Tips to make Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread:

You can adapt the recipe to suit your heat level. We have made the following:

1 alarm – mild heat – 1 habanero, seeds and veins removed

2 alarm – medium heat – 2 habaneros, seeds and veins removed

3 alarm – hot heat – 3 habaneros diced (seeds and veins included)

4 alarm – fire – We have not make this level yet, but we would love to hear what you all come up with.
I have not canned these as we love it so much it goes too fast. I put it in a glass bowl or 2 jelly jars and store it in the fridge.
Jam will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks (much longer from my experience). But, it will keep longer, if you pack and seal in canning jars according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

What you will need to make Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread:

Heavy bottomed pot- heavy bottom pots are thicker at the bottom for a more even cooking distribution.
Jelly Jars – if you don’t have a stockpile of these I highly recommend you invest in some. Interestly Amazon and Ace Hardware are my 2 favorite places to find them. I use them for everything making whipped cream, storing salad dressings, jams, jelly, drinking glasses.
Disposable Vinyl Gloves – The first time Chad suggested I wear gloves to cut up habaneros I laughed at him. Until… I wiped the back of my hand across the nose and upper lip. It hadn’t directly touched the peppers, I had already washed my hands… But oh my goodness my face was on fire for hours. Now I have 2 boxes in my pantry at all times.
Hands-Free Over the Sink Strainer – Perfect for working in and out of the strainer without worrying about it tipping over or having to hold it.

Enjoy!

With love from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Check out more of our favorite jams and jelly recipes:

Crock Pot Spiced Apple Butter

Spiced Peach Jam

Best Ever Strawberry Jam

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Buy the Ebook Now

Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread

Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread is our latest obsession. A sweet strawberry spread with a fantastic citrusy flavor and a little bite at the end. Perfect, just perfect! This simple recipe comes together with just 4 ingredients and you will be making it all year long!

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings makes 2 cups

Calories 164cal

Author Donna Elick

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh strawberries hulled and quartered
3 cups sugar
2 habaneros seeds and veins removed (diced) (this makes medium heat)
2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

Rinse strawberries in cold running water and hull them. Quarter strawberries and place in a heavy-bottomed pot, add sugar, habaneros and orange juice. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
Stir occasionally until the spread reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This will take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Use a potato masher to smash strawberries if you desire a less chunky consistency or you can transfer to a food processor and blend it smooth.
Remove pot from heat. If you are not food processing it, place jam in bowl or jelly jars and allow to come to room temperature. Then store in the refrigerator.

Notes

You can adapt the recipe to suit your heat level. We have made the following:
1 alarm – mild heat – 1 habanero, seeds and veins removed
2 alarm – medium heat – 2 habaneros, seeds and veins removed
3 alarm – hot heat – 3 habaneros diced (seeds and veins included)
4 alarm – fire – We have not make this level yet, but we would love to hear what you all come up with.

I have not canned these as we love it so much it goes too fast. I put it in a glass bowl or 2 jelly jars and store it in the fridge.

Jam will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks (much longer from my experience). But, it will keep longer, if you pack and seal in canning jars according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Nutrition

Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.

The post Strawberry Habanero Everything Spread appeared first on The Slow Roasted Italian.

Crock Pot Spiced Apple Butter

Donna Elick — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Crockpot apple butter is easy to make with just 4 ingredients! Make this delicious fruit spread for yourself or to give as holiday gifts.

Nothing says fall better than the scent of spiced apples filling your kitchen.

While it’s easy to light a candle or make a stovetop simmer, making homemade apple butter creates the same aroma with a delicious end result!

The best part about this apple butter crockpot recipe is that you can set it and forget it. Just toss everything in the crockpot and go about your day.

You will need to check it after the first hour, otherwise there’s nothing to be done until the very end.

What is apple butter?

Despite the name, it is not apple-flavored butter! It’s nearly identical to applesauce, except it’s cooked longer for a deeper, more concentrated flavor.

This creamy apple spread can be spread on toast, muffins, and pancakes. Or, mix some into your morning oatmeal.

Use it in place of other jam or fruit fillings for baking, or make a simple peanut butter and apple butter sandwich.

It’s delicious with savory dishes too! Just combine it with walnuts and cayenne pepper to make my Spicy Walnut Apple Butter Pork Loin. How about a dessert salad filled with apples.

Best apples for homemade apple butter

Any of your favorites will work for this creamy apple spread. Generally, softer varieties will cook down faster, so use a mix of apples if you want to include a firmer kind like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.

I chose Fuji this time because they are one of the most popular and affordable varieties of apple, and they’re available all year round.

Some other great options are:

Golden Delicious
Pink Lady
Gala
McIntosh
Jonagold

Ingredient substitutions

Make this crockpot apple butter recipe your own by experimenting with different spices and flavors.

If you find that it’s too sweet for your liking, add a dash of salt with the rest of the ingredients.

Apples – Use a blend of two or three varieties, or even replace some of the apples with pears.
Sugar – Substitute half of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar for more caramelized flavor.
Spices – Replace the cinnamon and allspice with apple pie spice blend. Or, add in any combination of nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom.
Flavoring – Add up to 1 teaspoon of vanilla to make this slow cooker apple butter a bit sweeter.

Crockpot apple butter tips and tricks

Plan ahead

Because this takes about 10 hours to cook, make sure to start it first thing in the morning. You can always chop the apples the night before and keep them in the refrigerator to save prep time in the morning.

Don’t worry about browning; it doesn’t affect the end result anyway.

Vent the blender

When pureeing the slow cooker apple butter, don’t seal the lid completely. The heat from the apples will create a buildup of steam, and the lid can pop off and make a giant mess.
Either place the lid on the blender at an angle or leave off the center cap if your lid has one.

Canning

Leave about ¼-inch headspace when filling the jars, per the Ball – Complete Book of Home Canning. This is important to create a vacuum seal, since the spread may expand during processing.

Make a smaller batch

Easily halve this recipe if you have some apples that need to be used up quickly. Just keep an eye on them, as it may not take quite as long to cook.

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Crock Pot Spiced Apple Butter

Crockpot apple butter is easy to make with just 4 ingredients! Make this delicious fruit spread for yourself or to give as holiday gifts.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Method Slow Cooker

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 9

Total Time 9 30

Servings – 8 (4 Ounce) Jars

Calories 560cal

Author Donna Elick

Equipment

slow cooker

Ingredients

6 pounds Fuji apples
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Instructions

Peel and core apples. Chop apples into small pieces.
Place apples, sugar, cinnamon and allspice in crock pot (I used 5 quart). Stir to coat apples with sugar and spices.
Cook on high for 1 hour, with cover on. You will notice the beautiful juice the apples, sugar and spices have started to create. Also the aroma coming from your crockpot is heavenly!
After one hour, stir apples and turn to low. Cook covered for 8 hours on low. Transfer apples and juices to a blender and puree. Return to crock pot and cook on high for 1 hour, uncovered. Prepare to can apple butter.
Can by water bath according to manufacturers instructions. I chose to use the ‘inversion method’ of canning jams and jellies. It is fast and painless!
Enjoy!

Nutrition

The post Crock Pot Spiced Apple Butter appeared first on The Slow Roasted Italian.

Spiced Peach Jam

Donna Elick — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:37:00 +0000

Peach Jam is unbelievably delicious and the flavor is so much better when it’s homemade! This peach jam recipe is simple to make, too and a great way to use the summer stone fruit!

I have to tell you I really was never a big jam or jelly fan until I made it homemade for my family. My husband and daughter love it so much that I decided to try it.

Perfect Peach Jam

As I was researching peach jam, I read hundreds of blogs, recipes and book excerpts. While I was reading I ran across a few things that did not make sense to me. As I explained when I shared my Strawberry Jam recipe, I much prefer to make jam without pectin. Just knowing that I make the jam from scratch gives me such a feeling of satisfaction! You can also try this crockpot berry jam that is the easiest to make!

Jam without Pectin

So, why do we include things like lemon in jam? When we are NOT using packaged pectin why do you use so much less sugar?

Lemon is incorporated because not only does it keep the fruit from becoming oxidized (this is the process that makes some fruit turn brown when it is exposed to the air), but the acid also works with the natural pectin in your fruit and the added apple to help your jam set properly. The jell-ing process requires an acid – pectin balance to be successful.

When you are NOT using packaged pectin you can use much less sugar, as you are cooking for a longer period and concentrating the flavor. It creates an almost caramelized flavor.

In this peach jam recipe I am not using pectin. Instead, I am relying on the natural sugars for much of the sweetness. The best way to ensure you get the most flavor and sweetness out of your peaches is to macerate them in sugar for an hour before you begin cooking them. This will help extract the natural sweetness and juices and make for a much more flavorful jam.

Peach Jam Recipe Notes and Tips

Be sure to use very flavorful peaches. If you use under ripe, flavorless peaches, you will have colored sugar jam. No one wants that. I appreciate the advice I received from my dear friend and accomplished jam maker. She also shared with me the flavor possibilities when you add spices to peach jam. I decided to go with cinnamon and all spice, but clove could be another good choice.

When I made the peach jam recipe, I chose to use nectarines. They actually are peaches, just with no fuzz. This homemade jam is so unbelievably delicious. I could curl up with a warm bowl of it. It is well worth the extra time that the few extra steps take.

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Perfect Peach Jam

Peach jam is unbelievably delicious and the flavor is so much better when it's homemade! This peach jam recipe is simple to make, too!

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Method Stovetop

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1

Servings tablespoons (4 quarts)

Calories 19cal

Author Donna Elick

Equipment

Ingredients

5 pounds peaches or nectarines, approximately 8 cups diced
1/4 cup lemon juice 1 large lemon
5 cups granulated sugar
2 tart apples I prefer Granny Smith
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

Squeeze lemon into a large bowl.
Rinse peaches well under cold water. Remove skins by blanching. You can do this by dipping peaches in boiling water for 30 second to 1 minute.
Immediately transfer the peaches to a sink or bowl of very cold water (preferrably an ice bath) to stop the cooking.
Slice the peaches in half and discard the pits.
You will notice a 'seam' down one side of your peach. If you slice the peach around the diameter following this line you will be able to easily remove the pit. The skin will slide right off. If you have a few spots that are more difficult you can use a paring knife to remove those spots.
Finely chop your peaches and place them in bowl with lemon juice. Toss to coat.
Pour peaches and sugar into large (8-12 quart) heavy bottomed pot, and stir well to combine.
Cover pot with plastic wrap and allow peach mixture to sit for an hour before cooking. To ensure you get the most flavor and sweetness out of your peaches, we are macerating them in sugar for an hour before you begin cooking them.
After peaches are macerated your mixture will be darker, as the juices have been extracted. Once an hour has passed, remove plastic wrap and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Meanwhile, prepare apples by coring, peeling and dicing into small pieces.
After an hour, add prepared apples, cinnamon sticks and allspice to the pot with peaches.
Bring peaches to a boil on medium heat and cook for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 1 hour, reduce heat to low and keep a slow boil.
After 15 minutes, put a spoon of jam onto a saucer and place into the freezer until cool. If you can easily pass your finger through the jam it is not done. Check every few minutes and once the jam gives some resistance (starts to create ripples) you are done!
When finished, jam will resist and rumple a bit; it will be more jellied than sauce. That’s what you want to see. Your apples will dissolve into the jam and you will be left with a thick delicious peach jam spiced with cinnamon and allspice.
Remove from heat and remove and discard cinnamon sticks.
Either can in sterilized jars according to standard safe canning practices, or put in the fridge or freezer for consumption within 5 days.

Notes

The best way to ensure you get the most flavor and sweetness out of your peaches is to macerate them in sugar for an hour before you begin cooking them. This will help extract the natural sweetness and juices and make for a much more flavorful jam.

Nutrition

Originally published June 2011.

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