Hot peach jam combines the sweetness of peaches with heat from your favorite peppers. A little soft cheese and some crisp crackers,…
Here in upstate NY, we’ve just come into stone fruit season. Last weekend I spent a lovely Saturday morning at one of my favorite local farms picking apricots and lingering in the orchard, just breathing in the smell of the ripened fruit and taking in the sweetness of summer.
This weekend, it’s been all about the very first peaches of the season – and since peach jam is one of my most requested preserves, my canner has been bubbling away with all sorts of peachy delights. And of course, since that means the oven is free, a pie or peach cobbler is on the to-do list as well!
Sweet peach jam made with the first ripe, juicy peaches I can get my hands on is my favorite way to kick off the stone fruit season – but this year, I decided to spice things up a bit.
Having recently picked up some habanero pepper sea salt from a local market vendor, I’ve been looking for an opportunity to try it out in one of my preserves. Kicking my peach jam up a notch seemed like the perfect way to do it, and I have to say that I am thrilled with the result.
This sweet and hot spread makes a perfect summer snack when combined with soft cheeses (my favorites are brie and goat cheese) and crusty French bread, or simply spooned on crackers as you would with hot pepper jelly or jalapeño jelly. Some of my customers have shared with me that they also use it as a glaze for grilled chicken and pork chops – a suggestion that I can’t wait to try the next time we fire up the grill.
If you haven’t tried a combination of sweet and spicy in a preserve yet, I hope you’ll give this one a try. Happy canning!
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Hot Peach Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups Peach peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Hot Pepper finely diced (use your favorite pepper, and make sure to remove seeds for less heat if desired)
- 1/2 tablespoon habanero pepper sea salt
- 1 3/4 ounces Powdered Pectin
- 6 cups Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, crush the chopped peaches. Add in the lemon juice, diced pepper, and habanero pepper sea salt. Bring to a boil and then let simmer, stirring frequently.
- Prepare your canning supplies. Bring the temperature of the glass jars up by processing them in hot water for several minutes, and heat a few cups of water in a small saucepan for the lids.
- Stir in the pectin until dissolved. Bring back to a boil, and then add in the sugar all at once. Boil hard for a minute longer.
- Skim off any foam and ladle the hot jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/4″ headspace.
- Place the lids and bands on top, screwing on the bands just until fingertip-tight. Place the full jars back into the boiling water and process 10 minutes.
- Remove from the water and place the jars on a towel. Let the jars cool. The seals should suck down (you’ll hear a popping noise as they do). Makes 7 eight-ounce jars.