Description
This easy peach jalapeno jam combines ripe peaches and fresh jalapeños for the perfect sweet and spicy spread for toast, crackers and charcuterie boards. It’s great for summer canning, and naturally gluten-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 6 large fresh peaches
- 2 fresh jalapeños, finely diced
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons powdered pectin
Instructions
- Score Peaches & Soak in Hot Water: Score a shallow cross around the entire circumference of each peach using a sharp knife. Place scored peaches in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes until the skin begins to loosen.
- Peel Skin from Peaches: Drain and rinse the peaches under cold running water. Peel away the skin. It should slip off easily.
- Dice Peaches: Halve each peach, remove the stone and dice the peach flesh into small cubes.
- Combine Peaches, Jalapeños, Juice & Pectin: Place the diced peaches, finely diced jalapeño, lemon juice and powdered pectin into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to combine. If the mixture seems very dry, add a few tablespoons of water to help it come together.
- Bring to Gentle Boil: Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently and gently mashing the peaches with the back of a spoon as they soften. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Add Sugar: Add the sugar all at once and stir continuously until it dissolves completely. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the jam thickens and reaches 221F (104C) on a candy thermometer. Alternatively, drop a small amount onto a cold plate (the cold plate test) and let set for a few seconds. If it wrinkles and holds its shape when pushed with your finger, the jam is ready.
- Skim Off the Foam: As the jam cooks, a layer of foam will form on the surface. Skim it off regularly with a spoon. This removes impurities and air bubbles that would make the jam cloudy rather than clear and glossy.
- Transfer to Jars: While the jam is still hot, ladle it carefully into sterilized jars, leaving about ¼-inch (5mm) of space at the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth, then seal tightly with sterilized lids. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months unopened. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 4 weeks.
Notes
Peaches: Make sure to use fresh peaches for the best flavor.
Jalapenos: If you don’t want too much heat, make sure to remove the seeds when slicing the jalapeños. I recommending using plastic gloves when cutting the jalepeño peppers to prevent touching the seeds with your bare hands (as the seeds a very hot and if you accidentally rub your eyes after cutting the peppers it might sting your eyes).
Sugar: Sugar is needed to thicken the jam, balancing out the spiciness of the jalapeños, as well as to preserve the jam. The reason why we add the sugar after the pectin has dissolved is to allow the powdered pectin to hydrate properly at first and distribute evenly throughout the peach-jalapeno mixture before the sugar changes the viscosity of the mixture.
Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a tartness to the jam, as well as helps to activate the natural pectin in the peach skin.
Pectin: To ensure that the jam sets well, we’re adding powdered pectin to give the jam a spreadable consistency without requiring a very long cooking time. Alternatively, if you don’t want to use pectin, you can cook the jam for longer until it reaches the desired consistency.
Skim the Foam: This is an important step, so don’t skip it. Skimming the foam off while the ingredients cook is for removing the air bubbles and any natural fruit impurities that rise to the surface while cooking. Leaving the foam in the mixture will result in a cloudy, dull-looking jam as opposed to a clear and glossy one.
Sterilizing Jars: To sterilze your jamming jars, wash them thoroughly with hot water and place them mouth-side up on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 300F (150C) for 10 minutes. Ladle the jam while still hot into the still hot jars.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Jams
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Western
