Peach Jam Preserves

Oh peaches, how you've alluded me... As long as I can remember, my Father's Mother always had peach trees in her back yard. If I was lucky Grandma would make peach cobbler which fortunately she did make some for me this past week. :)Yum! Sadly, something has caused her tree's peaches to rot this year and she only had enough to make one cobbler with five peaches. I'm suspecting the culprit is some type of beetle that has infested the tree. 

Well, next best option in Huntsville area to get fresh Peaches is Scott's Orchard in Athens. They have the best peaches, seriously Georgia has nothing on these peaches. I snagged a small basket of six and used three large ones to make this batch of jam. As peaches cook, they will look pinkish orange to a medium dark orange once they are canned. For this recipe, I added a little warmth to the preserves by using fresh cardamon pods. I took one pod and smashed with the flat side of my knife. Removed the seeds and mashed with pestle and mortar to make fresh cardamon powder. It's such an aromatic spice, I love it almost as much as cinnamon.

Small Batch Peach Jam Preserves

Peaches dusted with cardamon and nutmeg

In 4-quart pot, heat on low-medium

·        3 C fresh peaches, chopped

·        2 T fresh lemon juice

·        3 T filtered water

·        1 pinch of nutmeg (1/8 t)

·        1 pinch of fresh cardamon (1/8 t)

·        6 T sugar (organic preferably)

When most of the peaches have cooked down, add

·        3.5 T pectin

Continue to stir to ensure pectin is evenly distributed and turn off stove. Prepare Jars for Canning.

Peach Jam

I choose to place jam into five 4-oz mason jars for canning. 

Submerge jars with lids in a water bath that will come to a boil for 12 minutes. Remove and wait to hear a pop sound for each jar. That means its sealed.

Enjoy! :-)