Instructions

1. Fill a large pot of water on the stove top and bring to a boil.
2. Place a large bowl in the sink and fill it with cold water and a generous amount of ice cubes.
3. With a sharp pairing knife, cut a shallow and small “x” on the bottom of each peach.
4. Working with 4-5 peaches at a time, place them in the boiling water for just about a minute, until the skins begin to peel back. Remove from the pot and transfer to the cold water bath.
5. Use your fingers to peel away the skins. Cut the peaches in half, discarding the pit. Give the peaches a rough chop. Repeat this process until you’ve peeled, pitted and sliced all the peaches.
6. Combine the chopped peaches and sugar in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Cook the peaches over medium heat-high. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the jam to a boil, then turn heat to medium-low and let simmer until thickened, stirring frequently and skimming away any foam from the surface. This will take about 45-60 minutes.
7. Test jam by pouring a teaspoon onto a very cold plate that has been placed in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Wipe your finger through the jam. If the jam holds its shape and does not run to fill the gap created by your finger, the jam is ready.
8. At this point, you can leave the jam chunky or use an immersion blender to break up big pieces and make a smoother preserve. (I usually leave a few small chunks.)
9. Stir in the lemon juice and simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
10. During the last half an hour of cooking the jam, bring a large pot of water to a boil and place your canning jars and lids inside. Let boil for several minutes to sterilize.
11. When ready to can, remove the jars and lids from the water. Spoon the jam into the jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Use a clean damp paper towel to whip the rims of the jars. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings just finger tight,
12. Gently lower the jam into the boiling water. This is where a canning rack is your best friend! Let the water return to a boil, then continue to boil for 10 minutes.
13. Remove the processed jars from the water and place them on the counter that has been lined with a clean dish towel. Let the jam sit for at least 12 hours and up to overnight before removing the rings and storing in a cool place.