Just Peachy..Homemade Peach Jam

getting started
The other day while at the Farmer's Outlet I bought several packages of peaches that were on the quick sale table. Most of the peaches were fine, but each package had 1 peach that was slightly bruised. I haven't made peach jam in years and that is what popped into my head when I saw the peaches. This morning I decided to make a batch. I used Ball quilted jelly jars.
preparing my washed canning jam jars in boiling water in a large cooking pot. I have a big enamel canning pot with bottle rack, but didn't bother to go down cellar to look for it.
melting 2 blocks of paraffin wax on low heat on the stove. I bought this aluminum pot with a 50% off coupon in Michael's. If I would have had an old aluminum coffee pot I would have used that. In the past I've used washed/clean metal coffee cans, but the lip on the can makes it a little harder to pour out the melted wax, and you need to use a pot holder so you don't burn yourself on the hot can. Bulky and awkward.
paraffin in the pot waiting to be melted
This morning I washed and peeled the peaches, removed any soft spots and cut the peaches up.
my quick sale peaches
cut peaches that I mashed with a potato masher. I couldn't use my food processor, because it was making loud, weird noises...time for a new one, I guess. My food processor is about 30 years old. I think I got my use out of it.
peaches ready to start cooking..sugar and lemon juice have now been added
boiling foam is starting to cover fruit as the jam is cooking
peaches starting to get to  boil..you can see the bubbles along the edge of the pot
pectin added, and now mixture needs to cook at a rolling boil for 1 minute..foam starting to come to the top of the fruit mixture.
Anyone else remember the brown bottles that CERTO use to come in..now liquid CERTO is sold in packets, 2 packages to a box. I've never tried Sure Gel pectin so I decided to stay with a product I've used before. The recipe for peach jam is in the CERTO box, but I used the recipe in a Ball canning book.  Total time it took me to wash and prepare my bottles, make the jam and bottle it was about 1  1/2 hours.
rolling boil and foam
jam finished cooking, removing foam from top of the jam. Once you get off as much as you can...stir the mixture and then skim off the remaining foam
discarded foam. sometimes you lose bits of fruit
pouring hot jam into drained hot canning jars.
after hot jam is in the jars..use a knife and cut thru the mixture to get rid of air bubbles.
pouring  melted paraffin wax onto hot jam, wipe tops of jars, and put on 2 piece lids. When the jam starts to cool you will hear popping noises as the jars seal, and the circle on top of the lids will depress.
finished and jarred Peach Jam. I got 11 - 8 ounce jelly jars, and I had a 1/2 cup of jam left. I plan on making a couple more batches, and will give some away as Christmas gifts. I love homemade Peach Jam. I need to make up my labels to put on my jars now.
Recipe from Ball Canning Book
1 quart finely chopped pitted/cored, peeled peaches
7  1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pouch liquid Certo Pectin
Combine fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a large pan. Bring slowly to a boil until sugar dissolves. Stir in liquid pectin. Return fruit to a rolling boil and boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam from mixture.  Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space at top of jar. Adjust 2 piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner
*I don't put my jars of jam in a hot water bath to finish preserving. I use melted paraffin poured on top of my hot jam and then seal up the jars. My mom and aunt always used paraffin, and so that's just how I've always sealed my  jams and cranberry sauce.  
I want to try making Pineapple jam next. Sounds good to me.   For my next jam making session I want to get 1/2 pint jars, as I can more jars to give as gifts.
   
Will be making an easy supper tonight...home made italian meatballs and angel hair pasta.
Elaine