When life hands you clingstones, make jam!

A while back, I was at a local farmer’s market, and I purchased a few baskets of peaches, thinking I’d make a pie. When I got them home, I realized they were clingstone, not freestone peaches. And, frankly, my slicing skills with fruits that cling to their pits are nothing short of a hot mess. So, I decided I’d get a start on my Christmas gifting and go for something savoury, a red, green, and gold spread that will go from pre-feast Charcuterie board to dressing up your day-after-the-big-feast sandwich like nobody’s business. We’ve been buying a commercial Peach Jalapeno Jam like this for years (as have our friends), so I know it will be a hit come gifting season. As tested, one recipe’s worth, alone, does not last long in our family. So I’ve made several more batches for giving in December. Scroll past the recipe for process photos of SSJ’s Peach Jalapeño Jam!

Print Recipe

Peach Jalapeño Jam

A spicy golden peach jam with red and green glimmer, perfect for charcuterie boards, sandwiches, and as a side to roasted proteins or veggies. Make this in summer and serve year-round. Great for holiday gifting.

Servings: 12 quarter-pints

Equipment

Equipment
copper or stainless jam pan or 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot.
candy thermometer
mason jars, lids, and rings
large metal canning pod with lid
slotted spoon, large mixing spoons, ladles, funnel, knife and cutting board

Ingredients

4 cups [1.36 kg] fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced [approximately 1 3L cardboard basket]
1 cup red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced
¾ cups [3 medium] jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
zest of 1 lime, microplaned
1 box [~57 grams] powdered pectin
5 cups [1kg] sugar
½ tbsp butter [optional, the butter keeps the jam from foaming as much before ladling into jars]

Instructions

Prep the Peaches

Wash the peaches and slice an x on the bottom of each piece of fruit.
Boil a pot of water and prepare a large bowl with an ice bath.
Immerse the peaches in boiling water for one minute, use a slotted spoon to transfer the peaches to the ice bath, and allow to site for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the peaches from the ice bath and remove the skins with clean hands and a small peeling knife where necessary.

Prep the Peppers

I like to chop my hot peppers on a small, clean cutting board near a sink with cold running water and soap, and close to my countertop compost bin, so that I can keep my hands and knife clean at all times. Wear gloves and goggles if desired.
On a small, clean cutting board, remove the top and bottom of the peppers with a knife and discard into your compost bin immediately.
Slice open the peppers and remove the seeds and white ribs with a knife, discarding them into your compost bin immediately.
Finely dice the peppers and set aside in a clean, non-porous container until ready to use.

Prep the Jars

Clean and sterilize 12 quarter-pint mason jars [or the equivalent] and keep them warm.
Fill a large water bath canner with clean water and begin to bring the water to a boil.
If necessary, place 12 mason jar lids [or the equivalent] in a small saucepan, covering them with hot water, and set on low/simmer to keep warm. Please Note: Some newer Bernardin lids do not require heating. Please check with manufacturer for details.

Make the Jam

Affix a candy thermometer to a copper or stainless jam pan or 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot.
Place all of the ingredients EXCEPT the sugar [and optional butter] into the pot.
Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to incorporate the ingredients as you do so.
Once the mixture boils, add the sugar [and optional butter] and bring, once again to a rolling boil. [This will take at least 10-15 minutes].
Once the jam has reached a vigorous rolling boil and begins rising in the pan, (the candy thermometer should read approximatly 220℉), set a one minute timer and stir the jam vigorously for those sixty seconds. The jam should thicken a bit, but don't be concerned if it's still quite liquidy, as your commercial pectin should do the work for you.
Remove the jam from the stove top and skim away any foam with a spoon or ladle.

Can the Jam

Ladle the jam into your warm, sterilized jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace.
Wipe jar rims clean, add a lid to each jar, and close with a ring, making sure each ring is not too tight by unscrewing a half-to-full turn after securing.
Process the quarter-pint jars in a boiling water bath for 5-6 minutes. [Half-pint jars will take 10 minutes.] With the lid on the canning pot, the water should return to a rolling boil before the timer starts.
Remove the jars from the canner and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
Check to make sure the lids have properly sealed.
It may take 24 to 48 hours for the jars to cool and the jam to set.*
You may wish to rinse the jars to remove any residual stickiness before gifting, decorating, or storing.