For this step you'll need:

• 5 lbs (2.25 kg) Peaches

I received about 5lbs of peaches from a kind neighbor which were very ripe and needed to be eaten quickly. The perfect candidate for peach jam! I don't use pectin or starch in my jams as I like my jams more as a thick, chunky sauce.

For this step you'll need:

• Clean Peaches

Always wash your fruit before you start cooking, especially peaches. They have a fuzzy skin which bacteria love to cling to.

For this step you'll need:

• Your Hands :-)

My peaches were super ripe so the skins just peeled right off as you can see in the picture.

If your peaches are hard, you will need to blanch them. How to do this is to get a cooking pot and heat up some water to boiling. Also have a second bowl right next to it with super duper cold ice water in it. Put your peaches for about 45 seconds in the hot water, and then scoop them out with a ladle and put them into the ice water for about 1 minute. When they are cool enough to handle, the skins should peel right off for you.

For this step you'll need:

• Large Bowl

Peaches have a lot of water in them and the initial jam will look really soupy and sludgy. This is normal as we cook the jam, the water will evaporate, making the jam thicker.

For this step you'll need:

• 1 Lemon
• Zester

Zest a large lemon into a small bowl. This lemon produced about 2 Tbsp of zest.

For this step you'll need:

• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Small Bowls
• Lemon Extract (optional)

After zesting your lemon, slice it and squeeze the juice into another small bowl. For those that like an even extra sour kick, you can also add a tsp of lemon extract into your jam. Personally, I find that the 2 tbsp of lemon zest and about 1/3 cup of lemon juice from a large lemon is more than enough kick.

For this step you'll need:

• Your Peaches From Step 4
• Lemon Zest And Juice
• 4 qt Pot

Pour your sludgy peach soup into a 4 qt. cooking pot. Add the zest and lemon juice into the mix. Turn your heat up to high and bring your mixture to a boil while mixing steadily.

For this step you'll need:

• A Comfy Chair And Your Favorite Podcast :-)

When your jam starts bubbling, you will see a light froth on the top of your jam. This is a signal to turn your heat down to medium low. At this step, you will need to grab a chair or a barstool because this next step is about 2 hours long! It is important to continually stir your mixture every couple minutes so the mixture doesn't stick to your pan or big bubbles don't build up and burst sauce all over the place. I find it is a great time to listen to your favorite podcast.

For this step you'll need:

• 2 cups (420g) White Sugar
• Small Cold Plate

Put a small clean small plate into your freezer. We'll get to that in a few minutes.

After the 2 hours of cooking and occasionally mixing, your jam will be much thicker. This is where you add your sugar. Adding the right amount of sugar is up to your personal preferences. I personally love to taste the fruit so I tend to use less sugar than most jammers who I find use double the amount I use!

For this recipe, I used 2 cups but added the sugar in 1/2 cup increments. This is where you will need your cold plate. After each 1/2 cup Sugar addition, I placed a little jam on the cold plate, tasted it and made the call to either add more sugar or to stop. Every time you pull out the cold plate, rinse it off, dry it and put it back into the freezer. It is important that the plate stays cold for step 10.

For this step you'll need:

• Small Cold Plate

After your jam has been cooking for about 30 mins after you added your sugar, take out your plate from the freezer and put a little bit of jam on the plate. Wait about a minute and then run your finger through the middle of the jam. If it doesn't run back together, your jam is done!

For this step you'll need:

• Ladle
• Canning Jars
• Canning Equipment

Using the hot water bath method, we will can our peach jam. After you have sterilized your jars, place your jar funnel into the top of each jar and scoop your jam into them. Fill up your glass jar to the bottom of the neck. You want to leave a little bit of space at the top.

For this step you'll need:

• Oven Mitts
• Clean Towel

Jamming is very messy and it gets everywhere. Before sealing your jars, make sure to wipe off the top of the jars so a proper seal can be formed. The jam is still hot so be careful as to not just grab the jars with your hands or touch the jam. (jam burns though delicious, are no fun)

For this step you'll need:

• Canning Rings And Lids
• Oven Mitts

After the jars are cleaned, place the lids on them and screw the rings onto the jars tightly. I wear an oven mitt to hold the jars while securing the rings.

For this step you'll need:

• Oven Mitts
• Canning Tongs
• Large Stainless Steel Canning Pot (20qt)

After your jars have been sealed, we will perform steps 9 and 10 of the hot water bath method. Grab your oven mitt and tongs and place your jars back into the hot water. Remember to place your jars side by side in the pot and DO NOT stack them. AND, all jars need to be completely covered by water because if your jars are exposed to the air while the water is boiling, they could explode. So be sure that your cans are completely covered by the water. A good couple inches (5 cm+)  is enough.

Cover your pot, turn the heat on high and let your jars sit in the boiling water for another 15 mins.

For this step you'll need:  

• Clicking Cans
• Your Appetite :-)

After 15 mins, grab your oven mitt and canning tongs to remove your jars from the hot water and place them on your towel or heat resistant counter top to cool.

As they cool, you will start to hear these clicks in your kitchen over the next hour or so. That sound is the top of the can lids being sucked down from the hot jar cooling. After they've cooled completely, you can double check that the lids have sealed by pressing the middle of the lid down. If it doesn't pop up, it is sealed. If it does pop up, don't worry, just eat that one first. :-) It will last about 2-3 weeks in the fridge. The others should last 2-3 months in the fridge. I hope you enjoy it! :-)