Food & Swine

The Best Peach Jelly

the best peach jelly
I’ve been on a canning kick lately. Through this, I’ve realized.  I ONLY enjoy canning jams and jellies. I canned pickles this week and they were ‘dill-licious’, but not as fun as beautiful jams and gorgeous jellies.  Plus my whole house smelled of dill for an entire day. (My uncle Bobby brought me beautiful dill, I had to do it!)

Jams and jellies are so much better when homemade, pickles, not sure I can agree.  I love to give jam and jelly as gifts, they are pretty to look at, tasty and ready to go ASAP.  Most pickles need to sit a while before you dig in.  Most jams just need to cool before consumption so they can set-up (become firmer).  Jellies can take a day or so to achieve their ‘set’, but can be eaten sooner if desired.
canning peach jelly
I really wanted to make peach jelly to do something different. My daughter loves jelly on her toast in the mornings too, she likes jam but loves jelly. After a few weeks at school, she’s earned some jelly! I juiced some peaches in my ‘Breville mega-power juicer’. (Totally not the name but I’m too lazy to research it for you.  I paid way too much for it so I could juice my way to health… blah blah, now I use it to make fruit juice so I can make beautiful jelly!  Same with my Weight Watchers scale I use to weigh my dinner roll dough, oops!) Anyway, I placed the frothy peach juice in the refrigerator and the froth separates from the juice, I skimmed the froth and began my recipe with the pure peach juice.  It was delicious.

prep peach jelly
Peach Jelly: Sure Jell packet = NO RECIPE!  What?!
peach jelly ingredients
I nearly melted to the floor… what to do?  The trusty packet directions were totally failing me.  If you want to make JAM here’s the recipe for Fresh Peach Jam, but this folks is JELLY.  Jelly = Clear and no chunks of fruit.  Jam = not clear, chunks of fruit remain after cooking.  So, I do what I enjoy doing most in the kitchen… I make it up as I go along!  (this works 99% of the time, but jelly can be fussy.)  This Peach Jelly turned out so beautifully, and I wouldn’t change a thing.  Now… get along and go make some jelly!

finished peach jelly recipe

Peach Jelly

By: Cristen     www.foodandswine.com
Makes 8 small 4 oz. quilted jelly containers full of Peach Jelly
Ingredients:
3 1/3 C sugar
4 C fresh peach juice, strained through cheesecloth 2 times
Nearly 1 entire Sure-Jell Packet, remove 1 TBSP and discard or save for later
1/2 tsp butter (keeps foaming down)
Sanitize jars, rings and new lids.  (Did you know new BPA free lids cannot be boiled?  You can warm in oven: 225 degrees for 10 minutes.)
Pre-measure sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.
Combine juice and Sure-Jell in large stock pot. Add butter. Whisk well.  Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.  Add sugar.  Bring back to full rolling boil for exactly 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Skim any foam (oddly, I didn’t have any, possibly from use of butter). Fill sterilized jars with hot jelly mixture leaving only 1/4″-1/8″ room from top of jelly to top of jar. This is called ‘headspace’. Wipe rims of jars, place lids and rings on tightly. Process jelly by lowering it into boiling water for 10 minutes.  Remove jars, cool.  Store in cool dark place.  Once jelly is opened, store in refrigerator and consume within 2-3 weeks.

Trade Secret: If you make jelly that doesn’t achieve the proper ‘set’, and it is still runny… call it “syrup” or even “honey”, as in “Peach Honey”. (this loose set jelly which acts as syrup, would go well with ice cream or on pancakes)  Your friends will think you are even more amazing than you already are, trust me.  There are instructions to help you re-make your jelly but don’t worry.  It’ll be fine!

Here are some pictures from our weekend…

peach jelly recipe fun
Cookie Dough gets loves from my son.  He’s brushing her off.  She had her FarrowSure Gold plus B shot today along with Sassy, needless to say, they ignore the shot-giver after that.  They still like the kids.  They’ll be over it in a day.
farmhouse peach jelly
Played in the trailer… before we had to take a couple of barrows to the butcher.
kids love peach jelly
Had some beautiful pork ribs for lunch… and we’re making pork tenderloin sandwiches for dinner.  Thank goodness for locker meat!
cook with peach jelly

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1 Comment

  • Reply robin September 1, 2014 at 11:53 pm

    You are soooo creative! And way too calm, cool, and collected. I’m a bundle of nerves when I don’t have a recipe to follow. Last year we experimented with apple juice blends (have 2 apple trees). All turned out fine but was worried for a full month. BTW canning pomegranate seeds in apple juice is beautiful, would make a nice gift but use quickly.

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