Peach Jam Recipe for Canning
A classic small batch peach jam recipe with Sure-Jell pectin, perfect for water bath canning. Yields 5 to 6 half-pint jars of golden, gel-set peach jam.
Servings: 48 servings, Makes 5 to 6 half pint (8 oz) jars
Cost: $10
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups peaches chopped (From 3 lbs whole peaches)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 box Powdered pectin 1.75 oz Powdered Pectin (Sure Jell)
- 5 cups sugar
Instructions
- Peel the peaches and chop into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the chopped peaches with the lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed jam pot.
- Stir in the powdered pectin and bring the mixture to a hard rolling boil over high heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, mashing the peaches as they soften (mash hard for smooth jam, lightly for chunky).
- Add all the sugar at once and stir until fully dissolved.
- Return to a hard rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Cook exactly 1 minute, then remove from heat. The jam will look thin; that's normal. Pectin sets as the jam cools.
- Ladle the hot jam into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and apply two-piece canning lids fingertip tight.
- For shelf-stable storage: Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet elevation). When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes before lifting them out, which helps prevent siphoning.
- Cool the jars on a towel for 12 to 24 hours, check seals, and refrigerate any unsealed jars. Sealed jars keep on the pantry shelf for up to 18 months.
- For refrigerator or freezer storage instead: Let the filled jars cool, then refrigerate (use within a few weeks) or freeze (up to 6 months).
Notes
Yield ~ This recipe makes 5 to 6 half-pint jars (about 5 cups of finished jam).
Altitude Adjustment ~ Process for 10 minutes at elevations below 6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Doubling ~ Don't double this recipe. Larger batches don't heat evenly and often fail to set. Make two single batches back-to-back instead if you want a larger yield.
Low Sugar Peach Jam ~ Standard pectin needs at least 50% sugar by volume to gel. You can reduce the sugar to 4 cups (with a softer set), but no lower. For lower sugar (or to use honey or maple), switch to Pomona's Universal Pectin or see my low-sugar peach jam recipe with Pomona's pectin.
Peach Jam with Liquid Pectin ~ Liquid pectin requires a full 7 cups of sugar to gel properly. I don't recommend it; the jam ends up uncomfortably sweet. Stick with powdered pectin.
A note on lemon juice ~ The lemon in this recipe is optional and helps to add a bit of tartness to balance the sugar. Omit it if you'd like, but I'd strongly suggest it for improved flavor. Feel free to use fresh lemon juice or bottled, since it's not added for canning safety.
White Peaches ~ White peaches are less acidic than yellow peaches and aren't recommended for water bath canning. If you make peach jam with white peaches, preserve it as a refrigerator or freezer recipe (but don't can it).
