What do you do when life gives you peaches?
Make peach jam, of course!
The neighbor’s peach tree was so heavily loaded with peaches that one of the limbs broke off. Sad for the tree, but good for me because I got bags and bags full of free peaches. I normally stick to easy berry jam recipes like my favorite raspberry jam. I put together a couple batches of this homemade peach jam and found out that you can use a lot less sugar when you don’t use pectin. I cook and can my jam in jars instead of making freezer jam. If you have never canned jam before, it’s super easy, this is a good way to try it.
Peach jam is definitely a labor of love. It takes a lot of time and effort to peel off the skin, remove the pits and slice them up. Next time I do this, I will definitely invite friends over for a peach party to help me out. I did learn a new method of how to peel a peach. It’s easy and really works!
How To Peel a Peach
- Fill a large pot with water and heat to boiling.
- Drop peaches into pot and boil for 30-60 seconds.
- Remove peaches from water and the peach skin should slide right off.
Note: I found that the peaches must be ripe for this method to work really well. Otherwise, you’ll have to peel them the old-fashioned way with a paring knife.
Once your peaches are peeled, pitted and sliced, you are ready to begin to make your jam.
How to Make Homemade Peach Jam (No Pectin Recipe)
Step One: Put peach slices into food processor and lightly blend.
Step Two: Measure 5 cups of processed peaches into a large pot. Bring to boil on medium to medium high heat.
Step Three: Stir in 2 cups (or to your own personal level of sweetness) of white sugar. Lower heat to simmer and continue to boil the peach/sugar mixture, stirring often.
Step Four: Watch and stir your peach/sugar mixture carefully so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of your pot. After about 15-30 minutes of simmering, it should begin to thicken up. Test it by putting some on a spoon and allowing to cool. If the jelly coats the spoon, it is done and ready to be poured into your canning jars.
Step Five: Once your have poured the hot jam into your jar, put the lid and ring on. Then turn the jar upside down for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, you can flip it back over and allow to finish cooling for a couple of hours. Test the jar’s seal by pushing on the middle of the lid. It should not pop up and down when it is properly sealed.
Note: My first batch of peach jam cooked for nearly an hour before it reached the consistency I wanted. Peaches have a lot of water in them that will have to cook off before the jam will really gel without pectin. My second batch took about half an hour. You’ll just have to stir, watch, and test until your jam is perfectly peachy!
Florence says
I just made this! I am first time cooker for fruit jam. It was so easy and I had a good time doing it. It took 40 min to cook, but I used about 10 cups of peaches and 4 cups of sugar! But when it hit the consistency I wanted it was amazing! I can hardly wait to get my next batch of peaches ready to cook and jam up! ❤️😀
Nicole says
Hi Florence, thank you so much for letting me know how your homemade peach jam turned out. It sounds amazing, and I am sure it tastes delicious. Fresh peach jam is so good! Enjoy, Nicole at Mom Always Finds Out blog
nicole says
So 5 cups of peaches is roughly how many peaches?
Nicole says
It depends on how big your peaches are. If you have a large peach, that could be about a cup. Just yesterday I had lots of small peaches, and it took about 4 of them to equal a cup. Hope that helps!
Chickie says
I plan to add lemon juice to balance the taste.
Kelly Sanchez says
I made this just now. All I know is that it took way longer then 20 minutes. I had it on low for likely an hour or more. The jam turned darker but still tasty.
I also tried the inversion method and it wasn’t working so I had to change to a water bath.
Nicole says
Hi Kelly! Thank you for your feedback. I am glad that you let it cook longer than suggested and got good results. I made some raspberry jam a few weeks ago following a different recipe, and also had to let it cook about twice as long as the recipe suggested to get it to set up right.
Thanks again for your comments and helpful suggestions! –Nicole
Rita Balzer says
so.. No canning needed? How long does the jam keep in the jars this way? Weeks, months? Should I freeze it? Or will it keep on the shelf? So easy, but I want to make sure before I go ahead and make even more jam!
Nicole says
Hi Rita – It all depends on your preference. I have canned the jam this way and I keep it on the shelf for a few months. Of course, if I open a jar and break the jar’s seal, I have to store the jam in the refrigerator and use it within a few weeks. If you have a water bath canner, that would be the best way to ensure the jam stays fresh. I don’t have a water bath canner, but that would be the preferred way to do it if I had one.
The canning method listed here is not as food safe as the water bath canning method. I had a friend who taught me to do it this way, and she never had any issues, but I do believe that water bath canning is the best way to do it for long term storage.
If you have room in your freezer, you could make and can the jam according to the instructions listed here, and put it in the freezer to keep for a few months, similar to how you would make freezer jam. Hope that helps.
Jackie says
Instead the inversion method, can I go ahead and use the pressure canner?
Nicole says
I don’t have a pressure canner, but I assume it should be just fine to go ahead and can it with a pressure canner (following your canner’s instructions). I wish I could say for certain – but I haven’t ever used a pressure canner method.
Ellen B. says
Unless you are using organic peaches, don’t include the skins. Peaches are some of the highest pesticide laden fruits, up there with strawberries.
Nicole says
Great tip! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us, Ellen. – Nicole
georgie says
Going to try this today…do I have to use canning jars or can I use some pretty ones that had fruit in them ?
Nicole says
Hi Georgie, I used canning jars so I could get the jars of jam to seal, so they would last longer. If you aren’t using canning jars, the recipe should still work. BUT the difference is that the jam would need to be kept in the refrigerator and eaten within 2-3 weeks to avoid spoilage.
I’ve never frozen this jam, but it may be possible to treat this like a freezer jam and store your extra jars in the freezer so they last longer. It may be worth a try if you have a big batch of jam that you don’t want to go to waste.
Let me know how yours turns out! Good luck. Now you have me wishing I had peaches so I could make some for myself. 🙂 -Nicole
georgie says
HNicole… stupoquestion….do I have do that hot water bath?
Nicole says
That’s not a stupid question at all – and made me realize I should go back into the blog post and add some info about using the “inversion method” to seal the jars. You do not need to use a hot water bath. I do invert the jars — all it means is that once you fill your jars with hot liquid jam, you’ll put the lids on and then turn the jars upside down for 5 minutes. Then flip them back over and let them finish cooling (for a couple hours). You can then test the seal by pushing down on the middle of the lid to make sure it doesn’t pop up and down. I’m going to add that bit of info right now. Thank you for your questions, that helps me explain things better to everyone. -Nicole 🙂
Hailey says
This looks great. I don’t think we’ll eat ALL of it right away…could I freeze it in tupperware since I don’t have canning supplies?
Nicole says
Hailey,
I’m not sure since I have never tried freezing it myself. However, I would think it should be fine to freeze it. I’d give it a try if I were you. 🙂 Let me know how it goes. -Nicole
Fran says
ey – To freeze fruit jam, especially, I suggest, as the Ball Canning Book, to use Ball Fruit Protector (usually near canning supplies). Once peaches ready to can place mixture in quart freezer bag or plastic freezer jar.
I have not used this recipe, yet will do so. Last year, 2015, followed a recipe, using lemon juice and lemon peel. I took my eyes off stirring and watching the thickening for just a moment and it burned.
As a suggestion, from the Ball Book, They suggest a quart of peaches ( a pound equals 2-3 peaches, I found 5 to be closer to a pound.)
For sugar mixture: combine 2/3 Cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of fruit protector, I plan now to follow this recipe’s instructions, using sugar mixture, as a guide for amount of sugar with fruit protector taking place of the lemon.
I ought to have a batch prepared by Sunday 07/10/16. Check back then, and I’ll post whether I was successful or not following the jam guide lines set out by Nicole and using fruit protector and the sugar mixture to determine amount of peaches to use. I just froze 2 quarts of strawberries to be used as a fruit dessert and packed in Tupperware, too early to use to determine the success—waiting for winter use. My daughter just walked by and advised, “Dad, has Tupperware for freezing. I was unaware of this
In answer to your question, should you decide to freeze the jam—use Freezer bags or plastic freezer jars. I’ll try it first and advise of the potential success. I’ll try freezing and also packed in jars, removing air bubbles, adjust two-piece caps. I just happened to drop down and noticed Nicole uses the “inversion method” rather than the time consuming boiling -water canner.
Fran says
Nicole- reply is too long, please delete, or leave comments you believe to be useful to others….Fran
Nicole says
Hi Fran – It’s okay, I thought your reply was very helpful and approved the entire thing. (sorry I didn’t even realize it was possible to make a reply too long – thanks for being the first person to ever do that here!) 🙂
How did your jam turn out? Hope you had success!
Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Have a wonderful day, Nicole
Marcia Lee says
I copied your recipe & also pinned it to my pinterest recipe board. I too have made a lot of jams over the years but always with pectin. I can’t wait to try this & give the recipe to my son. He just had my husband and I over for dinner & sent his dad home with a jar of jam that he, his wife & some friends made. I think he too would like to try your recipe. Thank you for sharing.
TONY says
DID IT YOUR WAY WORKED LIKE A CHARM. ITS GREAT TO HAVE PEACH JAM THAT MY MOM USED TO MAKE FROM THE SAME TREE!
TONY
Nicole says
So glad it worked (and thanks for coming back here and telling everyone, that is so helpful!). Very cool about your peach tree!
Suzy says
Wow, this recipe looks great. I have made lots of jam through the years, but never peach. A week ago we had so many still green peaches and didn’t think they would ripen. Well, all of a sudden they did. I’m making this jam tonight after work! Thanks for all the good comments too! Love the food processor idea and adding the sugar at that time.
Debbie Welchert says
What a great easy recipe. I’m definitely going to give it a try. I know I’m going to have trouble from just eating it from the jar.
Kevin Middleton says
I have made pectin free peach jam for about 10 years now. This is first year we used processor. Also, I do not peel the peaches, they cook down while you are simmering. Peach peels contain about .4% pectin. Once it is done you could never tell the peels were cooked into the jam.
Susy says
This recipe was great. I have been making peach jam for years with pectin and never really liked it so when I found this one, I was thrilled!!!!! The jam set up in 20 minutes and one thing I did different was when I processed the peaches I added the sugar then. Simple and easy recipe and super yummy jam. Thank you for posting.
Nicole says
Hi Susy, Thanks so much for stopping back by and leaving your comments. I know it always helps me decide whether or not to try a new recipe from a blog when I see if others have had success. So it’s nice to hear positive things and suggestions. I’m so glad your jam turned out so well! – Nicole
Anne says
I learned to make and can jam just a couple of years ago, and I’m excited to try this peach jam. I love the fact that the proportion of fruit to sugar is heavily in favor of the fruit. I’ll be watching the sale fliers for a good buy on peaches, for sure. Thanks!
Robin Wilson says
I sure am glad to have seen this post now. It won’t be long before peaches are in abundance here. We have had a good bit of rain this season (at last) so it should be a bumper crop. I didn’t realize that I could make jam without a canner! I love, love, LOVE peaches and it would be so nice to have that fresh flavor in the winter time! Thanks!