Easy Grape Jam

Special equipment

a boiling water canner, a food mill, and a jar lifter

Ingredients

serves 4-5 half pint jars, active time 45 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 3 pounds of flavorful grapes, concord or otherwise (about 2 quarts)
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons low sugar pectin
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup lime or lemon juice

Procedures

1. Prepare boiling water canner and sterilize 5 half-pint jars by boiling them for ten minutes. Wash lids and rings and bring to a simmer in a separate, small saucepan of water. Turn off heat and allow jars, lids and rings to sit in hot water until you need them.
   
2. Wash and stem grapes, removing any split or compromised ones. Don't worry if small stems remain on the fruit, since they will be strained out along with the seeds. In a nonreactive, heavy-bottomed saucepan bring grapes and water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
   
3. Simmer grapes, periodically stirring and crushing, until they've begun to lose their shape and you can see seeds floating in the mix, about ten minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
   
4. Set a food mill (with the smallest sieve in place) over a large, heatproof bowl or pitcher, and pour grapes and cooking liquid through. Mill until all that remains are the seeds, skins, and stems. You will have about 4 cups (32 ounces) of grape pulp.
   
5. In the same, nonreactive saucepan, stir grape pulp together with sugar, pectin, and citrus juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture registers 220°F on a candy or instant read thermometer.
   
6. Turn off heat and skim any foam with a spoon. Ladle jam into prepared jars, leaving a quarter inch of head space. Wipe the rims of the jar lids with a clean kitchen or paper towel and seal.
   
7. Place the sealed jars back into the canning kettle. When all jars are added, make sure that the water level clears the jar lids by at least one inch. Add more water if necessary, and, over high heat, bring the water back up to a boil. Once the water boils, set a timer for ten minutes.
   
8. After ten minutes, turn off heat, and allow jars to sit in water for five additional minutes. Then, using a jar lifter, remove the jars to a cooling rack.
   
9. Once jars have reached room temperature, remove rings and test that all lids have sealed properly. If any have not sealed, store them in the refrigerator. Label and store sealed jars in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

Sweet's Peach Melba Jam

Ingredients

serves makes six 12-ounce jars, active time 45 minutes, total time several hours, for setting and cooling (and more if canning)

• About 4 pounds yellow peaches (10 to 12), rinsed
• 3 1/2 cups (24.5 ounces) sugar, or more to taste
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out, seeds and bean reserved
• 2 pints (about 1 pound) raspberries, rinsed

Procedures

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut a small X in the bottom of each peach. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set it close to the stove.
   
2. Plunge 2 peaches at a time into the boiling water and leave them in the water for 1 minute; you will see the skin start to pull away at the X marks. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water. When all the peaches have been blanched, drain and remove the skins; they should slip off easily.
   
3. Halve and pit the peaches and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges. Mix with 11/2 cups of the sugar in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla bean and seeds and cover the bowl. Combine the raspberries with the remaining 2 cups sugar in another bowl and cover the bowl. Set the fruit aside for 30 minutes, or macerate for as long as overnight in the refrigerator.
   
4. Sterilize six 12-ounce canning jars and lids: Heat the oven to 250°F.
   
5. Wash the canning jars with soap and warm water, or run them through a cycle in a dishwasher.
   
6. Set the jars right side up on a baking sheet and put them in the hot oven for 15 minutes to sterilize them.
   
7. Put four small ceramic plates in the freezer.
   
8. Pour the peaches and sugar into a large pot and set over high heat. Cook, stirring with a large wooden spoon or a heatproof silicone spatula, scraping the edges and bottom of the pot to prevent scorching, until the fruit comes to a boil. If the jam bubbles up too much, lower the heat to medium and continue stirring. Once the bubbling subsides, after about 10 minutes, the jam will begin to thicken.
   
9. Taste the jam for sweetness. If you want, add a little more sugar 1/4 cup at a time, taste, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
   
10. Check the set of the jam by putting a small dollop of hot jam on one of the chilled plates. Run a finger through it: if your finger leaves a track, the jam is ready; if not, continue cooking for a few minutes and repeat the test. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    
11. Pour the raspberries and sugar into another pot and set over high heat. Cook, stirring with a large wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, scraping the edges and bottom of the pot to prevent scorching, until the mixture starts to thicken and the major bubbling has given way to smaller bubbles, 10 to 12 minutes.
    
12. Taste the jam for sweetness. If you want, add a little more sugar 1/4 cup at a time, taste, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The raspberry jam should taste tarter and brighter than the peach jam.
    
13. Check the set of the raspberry jam. When it is ready, remove from the heat.
    
14. Pour the peach jam into the sterilized jars, filling each one about halfway. Wearing a heatproof glove or an oven mitt, pick up each jar and carefully tap it on the work surface to remove any air bubbles in the jam. Caution—the contents and jars are very hot!
    
15. Then fill the jars with raspberry jam and seal with the warm lids. (It is not necessary to tap the jars with the second layer of jam.) Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or follow the canning instructions for long-term storage below.
    
16. Sterilizing and Canning: Prepare a boiling-water canner, or fill a large deep pot halfway with water and bring to a low boil.
    
17. Bring a small saucepan of water to a low boil, then remove it from the heat and drop in the sterilized jar lids (and bands). Heating the lids before canning will soften the wax seal and result in a tighter seal.
    
18. Remove the jars from the oven and set them on a stable work surface. When the jam is cooked, fill the jars one at a time using a funnel or sterilized heat-resistant pitcher, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
    
19. Using a clean damp cloth, wipe the rims of the jars clean.
    
20. Carefully remove the lids from the small saucepan and seal the jars. If using lids and bands, put the lid on top of the jar and screw the band on until it is secure.
    
21. Using a jar lifter, carefully put the jars into the boiling-water canner (or large pot), making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.
    
22. Place the lid on the canner (or pot) and bring the water to a full boil. Boil the jam for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
    
23. Lay two large dish towels on a flat surface. Using the jar lifter, carefully remove the jars from the canner (or pot) and put on the towels. Leave the jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours. Check the seals; if they’re secure, store the jars in your larder. If any seal is loose, refrigerate the jar immediately and consume the contents within the appropriate timetable.
    
24. Jams can be stored in a cool area away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year; marmalades will keep for up to 1 1/2 years. Once they’ve been opened, store all preserves in the refrigerator. Jams keep well for up to ?3 weeks in the refrigerator, marmalades for up to 2 months.

Fresh Tomato and Caramelized Onion Jam

Ingredients

serves Makes about 1 cup, active time 30 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 3/4 pounds yellow onions (about 2 medium), finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes (about 6 medium), peeled, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Procedures

1. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed stainless steel or enameled cast iron saucepan over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until bottom of saucepan is glazed in a pale brown fond, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and scrape up fond with wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until fond has built up again, about 2 minutes longer. Add 2 more tablespoons water and scrape up browned bits. Repeat cooking, adding water, and scraping until onions are completely softened and a deep, dark brown, about 15 minutes total.
   
2. Add tomatoes, white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes in with the onions; stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and jam has thickened and developed a jammy consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat. Transfer jam to a an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks, or ladle into sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal for self storage.

Roasted Plum and Lemon Verbena Jam

Special equipment

boiling water canner and jar lifter

Ingredients

serves Makes 5 to 6 half-pint jars, active time 1 hour, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh lemon verbena
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 20 to 25 plums (about 5 1/2 pounds, whole)
• 2 tablespoons low-sugar pectin
• 2 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons

Procedures

1. Strip verbena leaves from stems and place leaves in a tight-sealing container with 1 cup of sugar. Allow to sit at least overnight and up to several weeks to infuse flavor.
   
2. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare boiling water canner. Sterilize 6 half-pint jars by boiling them for ten minutes. Wash lids and rings and bring to a simmer in a separate, small saucepan of water. Turn off heat and allow jars, lids and rings to sit in hot water until you need them.
   
3. Wash and quarter plums, removing pits. Toss plum quarters with infused sugar and verbena leaves and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast, uncovered, until plums have softened and begun to release juice, about 30 minutes..
   
4. When plums and verbena are finished roasting, place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, along with lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir together remaining sugar and pectin in a small bowl, then stir mixture into Dutch oven and return to a boil. Cook until the mixture registers 220°F on a candy or instant read thermometer.
   
5. Turn off heat and skim any foam with a spoon. Ladle jam into prepared jars, leaving a quarter inch of head space. Wipe the rims of the jar lids with a clean kitchen or paper towel and seal.
   
6. Place the sealed jars back into the canning kettle. When all jars are added, make sure that the water level clears the jar lids by at least one inch. Add more water if necessary, and, over high heat, bring the water back up to a boil. Once the water boils, set a timer for 10 minutes.
   
7. After 10 minutes, turn off heat, and allow jars to sit in water for f5additional minutes. Then, using a jar lifter, remove the jars to a cooling rack.
   
8. Once jars have reached room temperature, remove rings and test that all lids have sealed properly. If any have not sealed, store them in the refrigerator. Label and store sealed jars in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

Blueberry Peach Jam

Special equipment

a boiling water canner and jar lifter

Ingredients

serves Makes 5-6 half-pint jars, active time 45 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 5 large or 12 small peaches (white, yellow or a combination), washed
• 1 quart (about 2 cups) blueberries, washed and stemmed
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons low-sugar pectin
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Procedures

1. Prepare boiling water canner and sterilize 6 half-pint jars by boiling them for ten minutes. Wash lids and rings and bring to a simmer in a separate, small saucepan of water. Turn off heat and allow jars, lids and rings to sit in hot water until you need them.
   
2. Bring a medium-sized (3 quart) saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. While you wait for the water to boil, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water.
   
3. Using a paring knife, score an "X" shape on to the bottom of each peach and gently drop, 2-3 at a time, into the boiling water. Once the water returns to a boil, remove the peaches to the ice bath using a slotted spoon.
   
4. Once blanched peaches have cooled slightly, remove their skins and crush the skinned peaches into a heat-proof measuring cup. Discard pits. Repeat blanching, skinning, and crushing with remaining peaches until you have 2 cups (16 ounces) of peach pulp. Keep any remaining peaches for another use.
   
5. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, combine peach pulp with lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Add sugar and return to a boil. Add blueberries and cook until the mixture registers 220°F on a candy or instant read thermometer.
   
6. Turn off heat and skim any foam with a spoon. Ladle jam into prepared jars, leaving a quarter inch of head space. Wipe the rims of the jar lids with a clean kitchen or paper towel and seal.
   
7. Place the sealed jars back into the canning kettle. When all jars are added, make sure that the water level clears the jar lids by at least one inch. Add more water if necessary, and, over high heat, bring the water back up to a boil. Once the water boils, set a timer for ten minutes.
   
8. After ten minutes, turn off heat, and allow jars to sit in water for five additional minutes. Then, using a jar lifter, remove the jars to a cooling rack.
   
9. Once jars have reached room temperature, remove rings and test that all lids have sealed properly. If any have not sealed, store them in the refrigerator. Label and store sealed jars in a cool place out of direct sunlight.