Recipe for peach jam | Cooking with Nana Ling

It may not be as popular as other types of jam, but peach jam is absolutely gorgeous.

It’s sunshine and summer in a glass, packing a sweet and peachy punch. It’s also one of the simpler jams.

This recipe will show you how to make peach jam using simple ingredients without Pectin.

Recipe for peach jam

This recipe is from my great-grandmother’s handwritten recipe books from the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.

Isn’t your writing so beautiful?

As I mentioned above, it’s a no-pectin peach jam recipe. Just simple ingredients.

And it gets my vote for best peach jam recipe.

I’ve translated the measurements to metric and also clarified some of the vaguely described steps, so read the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe.

Nana Ling recorded this recipe in late January, right in the middle of Australia’s peach season, which runs from December to March.

Ingredients for peach jam

To prepare homemade peach jam you will need:

• Peaches (white or yellow, Freestone or Clingstone, any variety)
• Sugar
• lemon juice
• Salt.

The recipe is based on 1/2kg of peaches, but you can multiply or divide the ingredient amounts depending on how many peaches you want to jam.

Keep scrolling to the bottom of the post to see ingredient amounts.

How to make peach jam

day 1

Peel the peaches and cut into chunks (including the pitted chunks, from the pits themselves if the peaches are stoned).

Place the peaches on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar.

Place covered in the fridge overnight.

day 2

The next day the sugar will have dissolved leaving a syrup.

Pour the syrup into a saucepan and add the peach pieces containing the stone to the syrup (or just the stones if using stone peaches).

Put the other peach pieces aside.

Boil the syrup for 10 minutes before removing and discarding the peach pieces with stones or stones.

Add the peach pieces that you previously set aside to the saucepan.

Stir and bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the peach pieces start to become more translucent.

Stir the mixture from time to time as it cooks.

Also, once the jam has thickened enough to leave an empty trail behind the spoon, you’ll know it’s done.

Add salt and lemon juice and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

The lemon juice helps thicken the jam mixture, is a preservative, and adds another flavor element.

The salt also enhances the flavor and sweetness of the jam.

Mash the jam with a potato masher if the jam is still too chunky.

Pour into a sterilized jar and seal.

Frequently asked questions about recipes

Q. Which type of peaches is best for peach jam?

Use ripe peaches but not overripe ones. Any kind is fine.

Q. How do I peel peaches?

Depending on the variety, you may be able to blanch the peaches and peel off the skin with your hands.

If that doesn’t work, use a vegetable peeler. (And this method may not work for some peaches that are softer, but the blanching method should work in this case.)

Q. How do I store this jam?

I prefer to make smaller batches and keep the jam in the fridge.

However, you can also follow your own preservation method and store in a cool, dark place.

Q. How long does peach jam keep?

This jam will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

Q. I have more peaches. Do you have any other peach recipes?

Yes. You might like the recipe for baked peaches. Or add peaches to celebratory fruit cups, mini fruit flan or a pavlova gravy board.

Q. Do you have any other jam recipes?

I will definitely do it. Check out the recipes for strawberry, fig, lemon, rosella, tangerine and tomato jam.