Peach Jam Two Ways – Peach Vanilla and Fuzzy Navel

The Michigan Peaches have finally arrived, so I’ve been processing them canned in light syrup, dried and in jams. (I forgot to freeze some – whoops!  Hopefully I’ll be able to get some more.)

This year I tried a couple of variations on peach jam, one with added vanilla and one with added orange.  Both were pretty darn tasty, but I think the orange is my favorite.  I think the boys like the vanilla better because it’s sweeter. 

I adapted the peach vanilla jam recipe from Grow It, Cook It, Can It.  It’s on the right in the photo above.  If you look closely, you can see the flecks of vanilla bean.

Low Sugar Peach Vanilla Jam with Vanilla Bean made with Pomona’s Pectin

Ingredients: 

4 c. of peeled, diced peaches (about 9 large peaches) (I threw mine in the Vitamix for a second or two, so they were pretty well chopped.)
1/3 vanilla bean
juice from 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
4 teaspoons calcium water (including with Pomona’s Pectin)
3 1/2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder

Directions:

Sterilize seven 8-ounce jars, keep hot.  Heat lids and rings in hot water, keep warm but not boiling.  Fill water bath canner and bring to boil.

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and pectin powder.  Don’t skip this step, or your pectin will clump.  Set aside.

In a large, non-reactive pot, combine peaches, lemon juice, vanilla bean and the calcium water. Bring to a full boil.

Add sugar-pectin mixture, stir vigorously 1-2 minutes while cooking to dissolve pectin.  Return to boil and remove from heat.

Ladle jam into sterilized jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Wipe rims clean and screw on the lids. Process for 10 minutes in water bath canner (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level).  Jam will last about three weeks once opened.  Makes around 6-7 cups.

I found a fuzzy navel jam recipe, but it used peach schnapps, which I didn’t have in the house, and more sugar than I wanted, so I used the guidelines on the package insert of Pomona’s Pectin and made a recipe up. The fuzzy navel jam is on the left in the photo above.

Low Sugar Fuzzy Navel Peach Jam made with Pomona’s Pectin

Ingredients: 

4 c. of peeled, diced peaches (about 9 large peaches)
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 teaspoons calcium water (including with Pomona’s Pectin)
2 cups sugar
5 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder

Directions:

Sterilize seven 8-ounce jars, keep hot.  Heat lids and rings in hot water, keep warm but not boiling.  Fill water bath canner and bring to boil.

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and pectin powder.  Don’t skip this step, or your pectin will clump.  Set aside.

In a large, non-reactive pot, combine peaches, orange juice, lemon juice and the calcium water. Bring to a full boil.

Add sugar-pectin mixture, stir vigorously 1-2 minutes while cooking to dissolve pectin.  Return to boil and remove from heat.

Ladle jam into sterilized jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Wipe rims clean and screw on the lids. Process for 10 minutes in water bath canner (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level).  Jam will last about three weeks once opened.  Makes around 6-7 cups.

Ta-da!  Twelve jars of peachy goodness, plus two half jars in the fridge to sample right away.

The peach vanilla is considerably sweeter than the fuzzy navel, but both are quite good. I’m not going to crow about it and say these are the BEST JAM EVER – but they are really good.  Of course, I make a lot of really good jams and jellies, and I like them all.    It’s like asking someone to pick their favorite kid.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy some peaches this year, and maybe put some away to enjoy this winter, too.  If you’ve enjoyed this post, please pass it along.