Moving to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches… millions of peaches, peaches for free. Millions of peaches, peaches for me!
If I lived in the south, you can bet my house would have a peach tree. I’d be making peach pie, peach scones, peach cobbler, and yes, peach jam all summer long. And if we were friends, I’d invite you over for a peach party, and we’d sip peach cocktails and eat all things peaches. Life would be juuuuust peachy.
Sadly, I don’t live in the south, I live in Michigan, where peaches are scarce. At least, ripe peaches are. Instead, we have what I like to call “rocks”, which generally require at least a week of sitting around on the counter before being edible, and even then, there’s no guarantee how good they’ll be. I rarely think about moving away from here, but peach season is one that makes me dream.
Against my better judgement, I gave in and bought a bushel of these rocks a while back, and set them on the counter to ripen. A week later, to my happy surprise, they had transformed into some of the best peaches this side of Ohio — sweet, juicy, drip-down-your-chin delicious. Maybe my dreams of having a peach party aren’t that far off, after all?
It took every ounce of willpower I had not to eat every last one, but resist I did. Oh yes, I had plans for these.
If sweet and spicy are your kind of wonderful, let me introduce you to my new favorite indulgence: jalapeno peach jam. Perfectly sweet preserves, with just enough punch from the jalapenos to make things interesting. Let’s be honest here, we could all use a little more jalapeno in our lives.
You might be thinking that hot peppers in jam might make it’s uses limited, but that’s where you’d be wrong. That touch of heat makes this the perfect accompaniment to spice up a cheese plate (I’ve been spreading it on toast with brie or cream cheese, and on crackers with cheddar) or just about anything else, for that matter. I am a huge fan of foods that dance the line between sweet and savory, so I’ve also been brushing it liberally over grilled chicken and pork, schmearing it on sandwiches, and having it on toast with my eggs in the morning.
The more I eat it, the more things I think to try. Next on my list: shaking it up in a cocktail shaker with some bourbon and ice. Who wants to come over and taste test with me?
Rumor has it summer is coming to an end (it’s still hotter than bacon grease here, how should I know), so hurry up and grab yourself some peaches while you still can. I’m hoping to make one more batch of this jammy goodness before it’s too late, to last me through till next year. Or, at this rate, September or so… who knows.
What’s your favorite sweet and savory flavor combo? I’d love to hear in the comments below. Also, please RSVP if you’re coming to my peach party. I need to know how many cocktails to make.
- 3 lbs (about 7-8) very ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped (you should have about 8 cups of fruit)
- 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 5 cups sugar*
- ½ tsp. Lemon zest
- ½ tsp. Freshly grated ginger
- 3 TBSP (half a 1.75oz packet) powdered pectin
- 3 jalapeno peppers**
- Before you begin, place a small plate or saucer in the freezer so you can check the jam's consistency towards the end of cooking.
- (Optional), if you plan on canning your jam, bring a large stock pot of water to a boil and cook your (clean and empty) jars and lids to sterilize them. Using canning tongs, remove the jars to a clean dish towel to dry. Keep the stock pot of water at the ready for sealing the jars later.
- To peel the peaches, blanch quickly in boiling water (thirty seconds should do), then transfer to a bowl of cool water. This will help the skins slide off easily using just your hands. One peeled, remove the pits and roughly chop the peaches. Place in a large pot or enameled dutch oven (stay away from bare cast iron or aluminum, as the acidity of the jam can react with the metal).
- To the pot with the peaches, add the sugar, 2 TBSP lemon juice, cider vinegar, lemon zest, ginger, and pectin. Stir to combine, and let sit for 10-15 minutes to macerate.
- Meanwhile, prep your jalapenos. Remove the stems, and cut the peppers in half lengthwise. If you want a spicy jam, leave all of the seeds and veins in the peppers. For a milder jam, remove some or all of the seeds and veins by scooping them out with a spoon. (See recipe notes for more details.)
- Add the peppers to the bowl of your food processor, and pulse until very finely chopped, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Add the chopped peppers to the pot with the rest of the ingredients, and place over high heat. As the mixture heats up, gently break up the peaches with a potato masher or fork. (If you prefer a smoother jam, use an immersion blender to puree the mixture BEFORE turning on the heat.)
- Bring the mixture to a full boil, and let cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from scorching. As the mixture boils, skim off any foam that appears on the surface.
- To test the jam, spoon a small amount onto the saucer that's been chilling in the freezer. This will give you an idea of how thick the jam will be once it's cooled. If the jam sets up to your liking, it's done. If it's too loose, cook a few minutes longer and test again. (Once the jam has cooled on the plate, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a taste. Keep in mind that the jam will taste significantly spicier while it's fresh than it will the next day. If you're worried that it is still going to be too spicy, or if it isn't sweet enough, you can add an additional ½ cup of sugar and cook until completely dissolved.)
- Once the jam starts to set up to your liking, remove it from the heat and stir in the remaining TBSP of lemon juice.
- Carefully ladle the hot jam into your clean jars (a canning funnel is a big help, if you have one) leaving about ½ inch of head room in each jar. Once the jars are filled, wipe the rims with a damp towel to ensure a clean seal, and screw on the lids.
- (Optional) if you want to preserve your jam, return the sealed jars to the stock pot of boiling water, lowering them in carefully with canning tongs, and making sure the water is deep enough to cover the jars completely. Cover the pot with a lid and let the jars process in the water bath for 6-8 minutes. Remove the jars and set them carefully onto a clean kitchen towel. Let sit at room temperature, undisturbed, until completely cool. If you're using ball jars, the metal lids should make a “pop” or “ting” sound as they cool, and the bump in the center of the lids should no longer flex when pushed down on, letting you know the jars have properly sealed. If any jars don't seal completely, store these in the fridge and use within a couple months. Jars that are properly sealed can be kept in a cool dark place for up to a year.
**The heat of a hot pepper is contained (mostly) in the seeds and veins. To control how spicy your jam is, you can leave these in (hot!), or remove some or all of them (mild). I found I really liked the level of heat from de-seeding one of the peppers, while leaving the other two. If you aren't sure how much heat you want, I suggest de-seeding all but one of the peppers, and adjust from there with future batches to find what you like best. (And of course, if you just want some good ol' fashioned peach jam, you can leave the jalapenos out all together. Ain't nothing wrong with that!)
Keep in mind that the jam will mellow considerably over the first 24-48 hours after being made, so don't worry if it seems spicier than you want at first. When I first tasted my batch, it was waaaay spicier than I wanted. The next day? Perfection!
not to make you feel bad or sad or envious, but maybe to make you feel like you should probably make your way south east to MD, we went peach picking a few weeks ago. the farmer told us to pick the ones that are still hard as they will ripen at room temp within a day or so. we picked 20lbs. HE WAS NOT LYING. the jewels became perfect within 24-36 hours. i have since sliced and froze quite a bit for smoothies, ice cream and popsicles. but i added good dozen into the fridge to slow down the ripening process and we’ve been enjoying them as is. SO GOOD.
i really like the combination of peach + jalapeno. i don’t have the equipment to can jam and i don’t have the patience to do much in the kitchen lately anyway. BUT, inspired by this recipe, i’m thinking my next popsicle creation will have the peach + jalepeno combo.
my fave sweet + savory: watermelon and salt. SO SIMPLE, SO SOUTH. when we lived in thailand a combo that i saw often: pineapple dipped in chili salt. SO GOOD.
Okay, that is AWESOME, and I am definitely jealous. I’m not sure I’d be able to control myself if I had twenty pounds of perfect, freshly picked peaches… you’d probably find me huddled in a corner somewhere, stuffing my face and dripping with peach juice like a kid sneaking into the stash of halloween candy. HOW GOOD THAT WOULD BE. Thankfully, it sounds like you have a better handle on it than I would, haha!
Peach and jalapeno popsicles are a fantastic idea! Now I’m really curious what it would be like to have a spicy popsicle. I might just have to give that a try if I can get more peaches! As for canning, I rarely do the real deal — I included instructions in the recipe for processing your jars, but ninety percent of the time, I just cook the jam, ladle it into my jars, let it cool, and then refrigerate, no special equipment required. :)
So glad you reminded me of watermelon and salt! I’ve had a major lack of watermelon in my life this summer, and need to grab some before it’s too late. Also, pineapple dipped in chili salt = mind blown. I would not have thought of that, but now it has my gears turning and I’m wondering if it could be made into a cocktail… oh, summer, don’t be over quite yet!
Hi there! I don’t want to make you jealous, however, my Husband & I live in Nevada, and we have a fantastic Peach tree in our backyard! I think they are White Peaches, but I’m not sure. When ripe from the tree, they are the sweetest, juiciest, and most flavorful peach I have ever tasted! My hubby started this tree by planting a peach pit in the ground! Four years later, the tree grew ONE peach! My hubby picked it at the peak of it’s ripeness & begged me for three days to try it. After four days I cut into it, and wished I had many more! Since that first peach, now our tree is loaded with hundreds of peaches ever year! This September, I have already canned Strawberry Peach Jam, just Peaches, and your recipe, Peach Jalapeño Jam just today! I am biting my tongue, waiting to try my creation, inspired by you! Thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it on chicken and fish.
Can I omit the ginger? Hubby not a fan
I made a half batch, using canned, drained peaches, totally 4 cups, and I accidentally bought a jar of jalapenos months ago, when I needed banana peppers. I halved the other ingredients, putting just a dash of ground ginger. I made it to give to my adult kids, who love spicy food. I just tried some on sourdough pita manchego cheese crackers. The jam goes VERY WELL with foods that have a sharp flavor. This recipe is a keeper!
I so badly want to ship you some ripe, juicy peaches. No one should have to deal with what you call “rocks.” Technically, I live in the south, but Maryland doesn’t really have that southern feel. However, we do have some damn good peaches. This jam sounds amazing. I love a good sweet and spicy combo.
This recipe sounds terrific! How many 8 oz jars can I expect to get from preparing this recipe?
Thanks Elise, I hope you make a batch! Mine made exactly eight 8-oz jars.
Hi there. Can you bbn use liquid pectin? If so how much? Thanks!
My wife and I used the 1 liquid pectin pouch/envelope and it turned out fantastic. Just remember for the liquid pectin to bring your fruit mixture to a full boil then add the liquid pectin. Enjoy!
Good morning!
I loved your site. I make a lot food for friends too.
And I have a channel on YOU TUBE. I love that I do.
Hi Eusa, thanks you! Loving what you do is what it’s all about. Will check out your channel when I have a chance!
I used 2 cups of sugar and even that was a lot. Tree ripe peaches are sweet on their own. Really nice marriage of sweet and spicey.
I glazed a roasted chicken with the jam – it was OMG delicious.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Barb, I’m glad you liked it! There can definitely be a ton of variety in the sweetness of fruit. Many traditional jams are made with equal parts fruit and sugar by weight — this increases the shelf life considerably — but I typically reduce that ratio by quite a bit, because I prefer less sugar when I can get away with it. This recipe uses a little less sugar than traditional jams, but living in the northern midwest those super sweet peaches are hard to come by! I’ve updated the recipe to include a note that you can use less sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit. :)
Willow, your photos are incredible – absolutely beautiful! I just made this jam and oh my! It was delicious! I tasted it like 5 seconds after putting in the jalapenos and it was already spicy and amazing. Thank you for the lovely tutorial!
I’d love to be one of your lucky friends who you cook for… either I’ll have to move to MI or you’ll need to head west to Utah. ;)
I also went with only about a cup and a half of sugar with these sweet peaches. Added teeny bits of diced yellow and red bells for color. And I sliced my jalapeno really thin, but left it in circles as I liked how pretty that looked in your pics!
Thanks again, this was fantastic!
Aw, thank you so much Sabrina! I’m so glad you liked the jam (what a great idea adding some bell peppers for color, too). I’d be happy to cook for you any time, just let me know when you’re in MI! :)
hey guys i read some of the comments u no if u use the heat from the product it self it will self seal in a mason jar what u do is flip it upside down throw on burner to give a little extra heat after about 30sec just push to the side let time do the rest ull literally hear a random pop at some point i have done this a few times works great
Thanks for the tip, Josh! I’ve heard this method can work, but I’ve also heard that it’s a little more hit-or-miss than the water bath method. Will have to give it a go next time, though!
It’s not considered “safe” canning or a true vacuum seal when you do this inversion method.
I am not crazy about ginger. Have you made this without the ginger?
Hi Monica, sorry for not replying to this sooner! You can definitely leave out the ginger. It’s such a small amount that it doesn’t taste gingery in the final jam, it just adds a little more spiciness — but absolutely feel free to leave it out, the jam will still be totally delicious!
I just made some hot pepper peach jelly, not this recipe, and it did not set. It did however taste fantastic. This recipe didn’t use ginger, but a teas. of vanilla. I added a few dashes of cinnamon too. There was also smoked paprika, fresh ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes for more color. I am going to try again and this time add some crabapples for extra pectin. Happy Cooking.
Hi
I made two batches of this, but neither set well despite cooking for 10 minutes or longer and adding 1 tbsp. more pectin to the second batch. It tastes incredible, but is more of a sauce than jam. It’ll make for a messy PBJ!
Have you ever used your ingredients/proportions, but followed the directions and order of inclusion (i.e., for the sugar) on the Sure-Jell packet? If so, how did that work.
Hi Kim, I’m sorry to hear the jam didn’t set up for you. I have not experimented with using the directions on Sure-Jell. I haven’t run into a setting issue with this jam before,, but it is a little looser than your average jam (I prefer it that way, but I realize that’s personal preference). If you prefer a really solid jam, you can follow the directions on any pectin packet for regular peach jam, and add jalapenos according to the amount of peaches called for (one jalapeno per pound of peaches is the ratio I like, but you can use more or less if you’d like it spicier or milder). I hope that helps!
I live in Northern California and I am surrounded by peach orchards and every other type of produce you can imagine. We really are and agriculture society here.
I have a lug of peaches, a hand of ginger and six lemons on my counter right now. Will let you know how it goes.
I have never canned or made any preserves before, but this sounded amazing so I tried it…and sadly, failed. Mine turned out as more of a glaze instead of a preserve. I thought I followed the directions to a t, but I must have made a mistake somewhere. It does, however, taste amazing so I think I will use it as a glaze for chicken or pork.
Hi Rhonda, my apologies that the jam didn’t set up properly for you! Glad you found an alternate use for it, though — spooning it over pork chops is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it!
If I have no powdered pectin how much liquid pectin would I use?
Hi Gregory, I’m not very familiar with liquid pectin, and my understanding is it works slightly differently (I’ve heard it needs to be added at the end of cooking rather than at the beginning, for example), so I can’t really say. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Hello Willow I have been canning for a few years, and have been canning for friends and myself. I LOVE PEACHES also and I live in New Jersey. I have peach orchards nearby, about 5 minutes. The peach season is closing soon. I am at the orchards normally every third day to pick up my peaches for cooking. I have not try making the peach jalapeno jam, but your recipe looks to good not to try. I have made peach jam, preserves and variety of combinations with peaches. The combinations were strawberry, ginger, spearmint, amaretto, rum, grand mariner. Thank you for the recipe
Greetingz Willow. Been so wanting to try canning. This peach an jalapeno jam sounded very yummy. My question is why cant u just boil down to make thicker jam with sugar rather than pectin? Isn’t pectin just a setter no flavor enhancer.
That’s a great question, Mzkitty. I used to make jam without pectin all the time, and it can definitely be done that way. The downside, I learned, is mainly in the volume of jam you get out of each batch. The turning point for me, where I really appreciated why pectin is used, was when I made what I thought was a massive batch of jam from over ten pounds of blueberries, only to be left with a a few pints. All that “boiling down” means you lose a lot of liquid to evaporation, and therefore, you get a lot less jam. The result will be sweeter, too, so it’s harder to plan for how much sugar to use, and it can also cause the sugars to caramelize a little, resulting in a darker, less fresh-fruit flavor (which can be delicious if it’s what you’re going for, but can take away from some fruits). By adding pectin, you get to keep all the fruits juices, you get a lot more jam, and you have a fresher flavor in the end. You can still make it either way, but those are the reasons I use pectin in most of my jam recipes now. I hope that helps!
Hi, I make Jalapeno jams often and a word of advice to help the jam set properly. First I would prep the jalapenos first, after pulsing them place in a sieve or fine cheese cloth, even a coffee filter or paper toweling works, and squeeze out as much water as possible. Then spread out on paper towels and let dry a little while prepping everything else. A word of advice, if you have rubber gloves to use I would, or use tongs to assist squeezing the peppers to avoid burning hot hands. Seriously though this should help a lot.
Great tips Shelly, thanks! And gloves are a must for me… I keep them in my kitchen for all hot pepper handling because I can’t be trusted not to rub my eyes. They’re a life saver!
My jalapenos are growing like CRAZY! I usually just make jalapeno jelly but wanted to try something different. It’s Peach season here in WA, my office is right next to an orchard :-) I’m going to try this this weekend, very excited! Thank you!
Hello. Looks like a great recipe. Can I double or triple this recipe? Thanks !!
Great question Shirley! I haven’t personally tried increasing this recipe, but you should be fine to do so. Sometimes jams have issues setting up when the amounts are increased, so worst case scenario is you wind up with a looser end product… it will still be delicious, but if you want to be safe you can always make separate batches one after another instead. I hope that helps!
I’m glad I came across your site and recipe for peach jalapeno jelly, it prompted me to use up some peaches and peppers I had to make a batch of my own. I made a smaller batch since I only had 4 peaches and used a couple of small jalapenos along with 2 small Hungarian wax pepper. I also added a half tsp. if cinnamon, an eighth tsp. ginger, an eighth tsp. Pie spice and an eighth tsp. Cayenne pepper, along with 3tbs. Lemon juice and the juice of one lemon, along with a half of a pouch of See to liquid pectin, following the directions for making peach jelly once I’d cooked and mashed the peaches, added the peppers and spices, and simmered all together for thirty minutes to blend the flavors. I used just the proper flesh, discarding the seeds and veins, and dicing the flesh pretty fine. Oh, I also added a couple drops of red food color to make the jelly a lovely reddish color. My haphazard recipe yielded 3 1/2 half pint jars of pretty darn delicious jelly of nice thickness. Thank you for the recipe. I’m going to give it a try if I can hustle up some decent peaches.
Haha, thank you for sharing this, Debbie! I’m glad it turned out, it certainly sounds good. I love how one recipe can inspire another based on the ingredients you have on hand. That’s one of the beauties of cooking, and how some very great recipes are discovered!
Hello, for those of us without decent peaches will frozen work? Iif so would the recipe need to be adjusted?
I just made this recipe, it was delicious. I added more 7 more jalapenos and used a whole box of pectin, because I’ve learned from experience to use extra.
I usually make plain jalapeno jelly but I still have some from last year (surprisingly ) so I was looking for something with peaches or mangoes. This was perfect.
Due to the extra green of the jalapenos I added some yellow food coloring to bring the peach color back out, but other than the extra jalapenos, and using all the juice in a fresh lemon I did not alter the recipe. The ginger was a nice addition, with the extra heat I think increasing the amount of ginger wouldn’t hurt next time
oh, but you Can find good peaches in Michigan! Michigan Native over here, and the best peaches I’ve ever tasted came off any one of the 50 peach trees we had on our little hobby farm growing up in Antrim County. today i live in the city and have just harvested the first quart of peaches off a tree i planted here last year, espaliered against my house on our teeny tiny postage stamp city lot.
I loved it!!!!!
Just made this today..it is truly amazing. I did add a bit of red bell pepper to mine for added color and texture. Did just a small batch today as a test run, tomorrow I will get serious about this! Christmas is just around the corner… I have canned about 20 lbs. of the 40 lbs. of peaches I bought, I think this will get the rest of what we don’t consume right out of the box. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Do you think this would work with huckelberries as well?
I want to make a hot and sweet sauce to serve with chicken. Can I use store bought jelly or preserves and add jalapeño juice to it?
8 cups of peaches is more than just 3 pounds, but I used the 8 cups called for, and a whole box of pectin, and simmered for 40 minutes because it just wouldn’t set up. I finally gave up and bottled it as a sauce. I’m going to freeze my jars instead of water bath because I like better. The taste was amazing, the consistency disappointing. But I have 25 lbs more of peaches to prepare for storage. I made peach butter yesterday and my batch of peach butter I make tomorrow will be dehydrated into fruit leather.
I just made a batch with my fresh GA peaches (thanks to The Peach Truck) and IT’S SO DELICIOUS! I only used 2 large jalapeños this time and forgot the last TBSP of lemon juice ???♀️ (But I had put lemon juice on the peaches as I was processing lots of peaches at once). I will be making another round of this tomorrow with 3 jalapeños it’s THAT GOOD! Thank you for this gem! A great use of my peaches ?
Wish we could upload our photos of how all of ours turned out. Would be great to see everybody’s finished product. I’m making this now as I’m waiting for the mixture before boiling thinking what happens if you add a little more pectin, does that help it set at all? Preserving mine. Great experience and thank you. Apples, strawberries, raspberries and orange preserve recipes I’m looking for now. ?✅?.
I love this recipe. I made 2 batches yesterday. My only problem with the recipe was when it said 3 Tbl pectin was half a box. It was more than half a box but I used the amount anyway. My other issue was knowing when it was set up exactly. The cold plate didn’t really work for me. My first batch turned out great and I got about 7 half pints. The second batch got much thicker and I only got 5 half pints. I’m going to make a couple more batches to perfect my instructions so I can make it again next year. I love the taste with the ginger and the heat! Can’t wait to share it with my family and friends here in Texas!
I have Serrano Peppers in the garden, so that’s what I am using. I am not sure how the heat compares to a jalapeno. I think it’s pretty similar.
I know this recipe has been posted for a while, but I was so excited to just find this! Can this jam be stored in the freezer to keep a little longer?
PHENOMENAL!!! I have looked for a good Jalapeno & Peach Jam recipe, and this is it! I shared this one Facebook, on a Canning Site, and of course gave you FULL props. I appreciate your recipe so much!
So ive made 3 batches of this recipe so far, I love the flavor, however im missing the mark just a little bit somewhere. First batch I followed recipe exact except I used 6 jalapenos, 2 with seeds and veins and 4 cleaned out. Flavor was good but not spicy at all. Also the 5-10 minute cooking time I feel is way off if your going to get jam consistency, as I had to boil significantly longer to get correct consistency. This batch yielded 6 – 8oz jars. Second batch I followed recipe, and this time used 7 jalapenos, 4 with seeds, 3 cleaned out. Tastes about the same as the first batch. However I did taste the foam I skimmed off of this batch, and it was the spiciness I desired. How do i keep the spiciness in the jam versus skimming it off with the foam? The second batch also yielded 9 – 8oz jars, but was not quite to jam consistency, so I may open them back up and cook down further and re-process.
This is just the best! The only changes I made was I added an extra jalapeño and only deseeded 2 of the four. Oh, I added an extra peach. I will be sharing this recipe and continue to make this. Bravo! Thank you.
Could you freeze this jam instead of canning it?
Do you have a recommendation on shelf life if you use less sugar?
As an inexperienced jam maker, I was nervous about reducing the sugar since I was using peaches I bought at a grocery store and I’ve seen so many warnings about jam not setting up if you reduce the sugar. That was a mistake. It’s really sweet, and even though I used four jalapeños with seeds and membranes it has no heat because of the sugar. We’ll still eat it. It’s still a yummy peach jam – just didn’t end up with what I hoped. I will definitely try it again through because I’m confident I can get it right next time.
I just found this awesome recipe I want to try it but my fresh peaches are frozen so peeling the skin off won’t be possible once they thaw ….I’m hoping that I can make it without taking the skin off?
I have done years of jamming so felt confident trying this recipe. However, mine did not set either. I cooked additional minutes. Even added more pectin. But still very runny. Pretty disappointed. Hated to waste those peaches :(
Didnt thicken … wasnt spicy with 2 Jalapenos and seeds … may re do and re can …. BUMMER !
Should have used whole pkg of pectin, great flavor but did not set properly. Will use as appetizer over cream cheese