Alright guys, so today I’m sharing my little kitchen adventure – making peach jalapeno jam. I know, sounds kinda fancy, right? But trust me, it’s way easier than you think, and the taste? Killer! So, let’s dive in!
First things first, I grabbed all my ingredients. We’re talking about ripe peaches (I used about 4 pounds), some jalapenos (I went with 3, but adjust to your spice level!), sugar (about 4 cups), lemon juice (half a cup), and a packet of pectin. Don’t forget a little butter – a tablespoon should do the trick to keep the foam down.
Okay, so I started by washing and prepping the peaches. I peeled them, pitted them, and chopped them up into small pieces. It’s kinda therapeutic, honestly. Then, I carefully minced the jalapenos. Remember to wear gloves, folks! You don’t want spicy fingers rubbing your eyes later. I removed the seeds and membranes for a milder heat, but if you like it fiery, leave some in!
Next up, I dumped everything into a big pot – peaches, jalapenos, sugar, lemon juice, and that bit of butter. I stirred it all together and cranked up the heat to medium-high. You gotta stay on top of it, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a rolling boil that you can’t stir down. This is where the pectin comes in – I added it in while it was boiling, stirring like crazy to make sure it dissolved properly.
Now, this is the tricky part. Once the pectin is in, you have to keep it at that rolling boil for exactly one minute. Keep stirring! After a minute, I took the pot off the heat.
While the jam was cooking, I got my jars ready. I washed them and their lids in hot, soapy water, then sterilized them by boiling them in a big pot of water for about 10 minutes. You can also use your dishwasher if it has a sterilize setting.
Carefully, I ladled the hot jam into the sterilized jars, leaving about ¼ inch of headspace at the top. I wiped the rims clean, placed the lids on top, and screwed on the bands until they were fingertip tight.
Finally, I processed the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to seal them properly. After the time was up, I pulled them out and set them on a towel-lined counter to cool. You’ll hear a little “pop” as the lids seal – that’s music to my ears!
And that’s it! The whole process took me maybe a couple of hours, but it was totally worth it. The peach jalapeno jam is sweet, spicy, and just a little bit tangy. It’s amazing on crackers with cream cheese, on grilled cheese sandwiches, or even as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork. Seriously, give it a try. You won’t regret it!
