Today, we’re diving headfirst into the delightful world of bourbon peach jam – a luscious, boozy concoction that’ll have your taste buds dancing with joy. There’s something magical about the sweet, juicy peaches mingling with the warm, rich notes of bourbon in this homemade jam that’ll make you want to spread it on everything from toast to biscuits (and maybe sneak a spoonful straight from the jar when no one’s looking – we won’t judge!).
What kind of peaches should I use for jam?
Go for yellow peaches at the market! White-fleshed peaches are not acidic enough to safely can in a water bath canner. Otherwise, if a yellow peach is good for eating, it is good for jam! Look for ripe peaches that are juicy and tender. Cut off and discard any bruised spots before chopping peaches for jam.
What do I need to make bourbon peach jam?
For this bourbon peach jam with ginger, you’ll need:
- Fresh peaches. Four pounds of fruit will make you about six half-pint jars
- Ball® Classic Pectin
- Bottled lemon juice. In a lot of cooking, you can use fresh lemon juice—but not with canning! Bottled lemon juice has a more reliable and predictable acidity, so it is the safest choice for making jam.
- Bourbon
- Crystallized ginger
- Granulated sugar
How do you make bourbon peach jam?
Peach jam is a very simple preserve to make—we promise you can do it! Here are the steps:
- Peel and pit peaches, then chop.
- Place peaches in a heavy-bottom pan, such as an enameled Dutch oven, and mash the fruit with a potato masher.
- Stir in pectin, lemon juice, bourbon, and finely minced crystallized ginger. The bourbon and ginger add an interesting flavor profile that is delicious.
- Bring the peach mixture to a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down.
- Stir in the granulated sugar and boil hard for one minute. Remove from the heat and skim off foam.
That’s it—you have a batch of homemade bourbon peach jam! The next step is to can it for shelf-stable storage and easier gifting. If you don’t want to can it, stash the jam in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Protip: Freezing bourbon peach jam
If you plan to freeze the jam, leave at least 1/2″ of air space at the top of the jar, and freeze without the lids on. Once the jam is frozen through, you can label the lids and pop them on. Always be sure to use straight-sided jars for freezing, not jars with shoulders.
What if I don’t have a canner?
You can still make bourbon peach jam! Any large stock pot will do, as long as you can fit a canning rack or trivet in the bottom. The pot also needs to have a lid and to be deep enough to cover the jars with at least one inch of water.
Do you have to peel peaches before making peach jam?
You don’t have to—the jam will still be safe to can and store at room temperature if you leave the peels on. But we recommend peeling the peaches to give the final jam a better texture!
How do I peel peaches?
- Boil a large pot of water, and fill a big bowl with cold water and ice. Use a sharp knife to cut an “X” into the bottom of each peach.
- Drop the peaches into the boiling water.
- After 20-30 seconds, use a slotted spoon to move the peaches to the ice water to stop cooking.
- Use your fingers to remove the peach peels, which should be easy after the shock of going from boiling water to ice water.
Bourbon Peach Jam Recipe
Serve up this delicious bourbon peach jam recipe and savor the sweet taste of summer. It makes a great gift, too!
Recipe excerpted with permission from The All New Ball® Book of Canning and Preserving (2016).
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh peaches, peeled*
- 6 tablespoons Ball® Classic Pectin
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
- 7 cups sugar
Instructions
- Pit and coarsely chop peaches. Measure 4-1/2 cups chopped peaches into a 6-qt. stainless-steel or enameled Dutch oven, and mash with a potato masher until evenly crushed. Stir in pectin and next 3 ingredients.
- Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
- Ladle hot jam into a hot jar, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling-water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.
Notes
- Frozen sliced peaches (4-1/2 cups), coarsely chopped, may be substituted.
- CAUTION: Do not use this process to can white-flesh peaches. Some varieties of white-flesh peaches are higher in pH (i.e. lower in acid) making them a low-acid food for canning purposes. At this time there are no low-acid or acidification procedures for white-flesh peaches.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 96 Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 67Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 0g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.
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