Peach Amaretto Jam
A sweet and peachy summertime jam to enjoy all year long!
Last week I was a busy food preservation bee. Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks, Becky of Vintage Mixer and I got together for a day of canning. We started by turning 50 pounds of tomatoes into marinara sauce. That’s right, 50 pounds. It was not a small project, but working with friends made it fun. I think we were a little naive about how long it would take to make that much marinara sauce and by early evening we abandoned the peach jam we had also planned on canning.
Becky and I got together a few days later to tackle the big box of peaches. Once again, it was a long afternoon, but not nearly as labor intensive. If you have not yet discovered this yourself, jam is easy.
Start with ripe peaches, not only do they have the best flavor, but they’re easier to peel. To peel the peaches, give them a short dunk in boiling water and then rub the skins away with your fingers. Dump the peaches, along with the sugar and lemon juice into a large saucepan. Bring it all to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. I use a vegetable masher to smash the peaches into the liquid, breaking up the slices. You can give them a rough chop in a food processor before adding them to the saucepan instead if you like.
Your stove top will do most of the work for you. All you need to do from this point is stir the mixture every few minutes and skim any foam away from the top. The consistency of jam is a matter of personal preference, and I confess I like mine slightly on the runny side. I want to slather in on pancakes and have it almost drip from my toast. Test the thickness of the jam by spooning a small amount onto a very cold plate and wiping your finger through it. Once it holds up and no longer runs to fill the path of your finger, you’re there.
I added a hint of almond flavor with some amaretto liquor in this particular recipe, but you can simply leave it out if you wish. It’ll be delicious both ways!
I know canning can be a very intimidating thing, but I promise it’s not as scary as you think. And jam is a great way to ease into it. A few long days in the kitchen have ensured I can enjoy some of summer’s bounty throughout the winter.
Peach Amaretto Jam
Ingredients
- 3 pounds peaches (1.4 kg)
- 3 cups granulated sugar (600 grams)
- 3 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
Instructions
- Prepare a large pot of boiling water. With a paring knife, cut a small "x" in the bottom of each peach. Working with a few peaches at a time, place them in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes, until the skins begin to peel back from the "x". Remove from the pot.
- Use your fingers to peel away the skins, starting with the "x" at the bottom. Slice the peaches and discard the pits.
- In a large saucepan, combine the peaches, sugar, and lemon juice and place over medium high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and use a mashing utensil to break of the slices into smaller pieces. Bring the jam to a boil, then let simmer until thickened, stirring frequently and skimming away any foam from the surface.
- The jam will thicken in about 45-60 minutes. Test jam by pouring a teaspoon onto a very cold plate (placed in the freezer for 15 minutes). Wipe your finger through the jam. Jam has reached the proper consistency when it holds its shape and does not run to fill the gap created by your finger.
- During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the amaretto. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and place your canning jars and lids inside. Let boil for several minutes.
- Remove the jars and lids from the water. Spoon the jam into the jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Use a clean damp towel to whip the rims of the jars. Place the lids and screw on the rings, and use a jar lifter to lower into the boiling water. Let the water return to a boil, then continue to boil for 10 minutes (see note below).
- Remove the processed jars from the water and let cool to room temperature. Remove the rings from the jars and store in a cool place out of direct sunlight and for best results, use within a year.
Yummy and irresistible jam.
I love peach jam and peach butter especially slathered on a hot and fluffy buttermilk biscuits! I can almost taste it now.
Looks beautiful! Can’t wait to dig into some!! Canning is a funny thing. It has this romantic quality to it and while it is very rewarding and can be a lot of fun, in reality it is a lot of work. So glad to have spent the day with you ladies!!
This is am absolutely beautiful jam! And so perfect for enjoying peaches long after the season is gone 🙂
Just bought a bushel of peaches today! We’re going to try bottling some peaches and putting brandy in with the syrup. I cannot wait!
Also, I’m now making this jam.
Oh, how beautiful! I made a batch of peach jam last month, but I only used about 2/3 cup of sugar. There is just nothing like homemade jam, is there? You can make it exactly the way you like it and fiddle with flavorings and spices as much as you want. I’ll definitely have to remember the amaretto next year.
Did you can that peach jam you made? It’s my understanding that you need 1 cup of sugar for 1 pound of peaches for preservation purposes. It’s a lot of sugar, I know, but I don’t want to risk it going bad (or making us sick) so I haven’t messed with it. But maybe you know something I don’t know?
I did indeed. One jar didn’t seal and so went in the fridge, but the rest is canned and saved in my pantry. I think all the super sugary jam recipes (like our moms used) were from way back before the latest research came out and people just aren’t aware of the update. According to the Cornell Extension Office:
http://ccetompkins.org/nutrition/food-preservation
the sugar is good for keeping the jam from going moldy too quickly after the jar is opened, but it’s really just a sweet tooth thing and doesn’t have any effect on long term preservation. You’ve got to get the acidity high enough and process the jars long enough and then you’re safe. I double checked with the Utah State University Extension and they confirmed, so I’ve cut the sugar WAY back in my jam these past couple of years and have loved the results. The jam is a bit looser, of course, but it really tastes like fruit instead of sugar. I don’t think there’s a wrong way (except with the acid and the processing time), it’s just a matter of personal taste. The bottom line is that anything we make ourselves is ten times better than what we can buy at the store. Hooray for home canning! I love that you’re posting about it on your blog for everyone to see. I’ll just bet you’ve inspired people to give it a try who never would have considered it before.
Wow, thanks so much for the info! Very good to know. I’m definitely going to try dialing back the sugar next time.
I’m so excited to can peaches this year! It’s tough to find enough uninterrupted time to can with a baby running (well, really, crawling) around, but I *will* make enough time to can some peaches, possibly some peach jam (and the addition of amaretto is inspired, yum), and definitely some applesauce. Love this time of year.
It really is hard to can with a baby! I totally understand. That’s why jam is so great, because it’s so hands-off once you get it going. Good luck with your canning!
You serioulsy take beautiful photos. This looks fantastic!
I love almond with peaches. I’ve never made peach jam, but this look heavenly! I usually use all my peaches for cobbler before I can get around to canning them. ( I put almond extract in the cobbler. So yummy! )
Wow, I love the thought of adding some amaretto into the peach jam! It sounds as though you guys had a marathon canning session.
Could you explain the importance of the acid? Is it (lemon juice) required for more than color retention? A friend and I recently canned quite a bit of peach jam and realized we were out of lemon juice. Running to the store wasn’t an option. Since we had peeled & sliced the peaches several months ago and sprinkled liberally with Fruit Fresh (asorbic acid) before freezing then thawed and canned when the weather was cooler, we hoped enough acid was already incorporated and continued on. Did we make the wrong call?
I believe the lemon juice is there to help with preservation. Since you added acid to the peaches you probably are okay, though I am not an expert. Just keep an eye out for signs of spoilage – discoloration, mold, developing bubbles, etc.
In step 7, why does it say to remove the rings from the jars?
I usually remove rings from jars before storing.
normally, in any proper canning recipe, there is information on how many jars of what size the recipe will yield. This allows you to have and prepare the right amount of jars.
The yield is right there in the recipe card: 6 half-pint jars. 🙂
Just made a couple of batches of amaretto peach jam but I am allergic to Lemon. I used a box of Sure-Jell to get the tartness.
My jars did not “pop” like they usually do but the lids are down and sealed. Do you have any advice on the lids not popping down with the sound? Also do you have any advice on what to use instead of lemon (or any other citrus). Making jelly for over a year and the only jelly that gives me trouble is the amaretto peach.
Hi Michelle! As long as the lids are down and sealed, then there’s no problem. Sometimes mine don’t make a “pop” sound either. As far as a lemon substitute, I don’t have a solution. Lemon juice is needed to balance the pH levels for canning and shelf storage. Maybe google can provide some answers and an alternative?
You can sub 1/4 tsp of citric acid per Tbls of lemon juice. You could also sub lime juice if you like the flavor of lime. The following link is where I got my citric acid conversion. Hope this helps.