Simple Peach and Ginger Jam

Summer is the time when seasonal favorites like peaches and nectarines are readily available and worthy of preserving in some for to be able to enjoy at a later date. In this post, Coryanne from our Kitchen Council shares a very simple recipe for homemade peach jam with a flavor boost from fresh ginger. At Stemilt, our entire crop of peaches and nectarines is grown and certified organic – and in-season now to mid-September. Enjoy!

Preserving used to send shivers up my spine and render images of my mother standing over a boiling pot holding specialty tongs while her kitchen counters where strewn with canning supplies. Her canning hours were long; her clean up never ending and the results were well worth it. But I never took to canning like my mother did, I spent years perfecting compote, my lazy solution to wanting a jam like addition to breakfast or an after dinner treat. The results were immediate, but so too was the impact – there was never any left over and I always had to make it again when I wanted more.

This year I set about learning how to make jam in a way that would fit with my busy lifestyle but still give me the flavor and preservation of a traditional jam. I had no interest in buying or storing canning supplies; I simply wanted to make a few jars. The first thing I learned was that you don’t need pectin because with traditional jam, sugar and fruit is all you need.

The second thing that I learned is that a big pot, a few jars and an ice cold plate are all the materials you need — no tongs, no straining cloth, no ice bath, and no cooling rack. With the shopping list so short, all you need is an hour and half to whip up simple jam. You can put a pot on while you do laundry, read a book, or even cook dinner, which is what I did. I started the jam just prior to making our dinner, looked in on it from time to time and by the time dinner was done, so too was the jam. Exactly the sort of timing I needed to feel especially grand about myself.