Peppery Peach Jam

This experiment turned out yummy!  Katrina helped taste test this one.  I plan to use it as a BBQ glaze, on ham or just pork in general, make breakfast sandwiches with egg, ham, english muffin, cheese, a sweet tangy mustard, and this jam.  The multiple layers give this jam depth.  Using the skin and pits also adds flavor and doesn't waste the fruit the clings to the pits.

6 quarts water
2 quarts peaches
3 individual size (0.4 oz) pouches of pectin (Ball or Sure-Jell)*
4 - 2/3 cup sugar*
3 tablespoons chopped garlic chives
1 three to four inch sprig tarragon
2 dried hot peppers
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper - medium to fine grind

Wash the fruit.  In a large pot heat 6 quarts water until boiling.  Add the washed peaches blanching 4 -5 minutes or until the skin begins to peel from the fruit.  Remove fruit to a bowl of cold ice water. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins and pits. Put the skins and pits in a medium saucepan. Chop the fruit and place in a large heavy bottomed pot.

To the saucepan of skins and pits add enough water to just cover the scraps.  Add dried hot peppers,  tarragon sprig, and chopped garlic chives.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a rolling boil about 10 minutes.  Strain liquid into a bowl.  Discard the scraps.

Add the strained liquid to the peaches.  Add the hot sauce, nutmeg, allspice, and fresh ground pepper to the peaches.  Follow the directions on the pectin for peach jam.* Add the amount of sugar the pectin requires.* Follow the directions for canning the jam. 

Some canning tips can be found here on my blog. http://dianasrecipebox.blogspot.com/2010/08/tools-of-canning-trade.html
 

Final product