PAM'S STRAWBERRY- PEACH JAM

Pam's Strawberry- Peach Jam image

I got a great buy on strawberries and peaches yesterday! I had been wanting to add another flavor to my Christmas stash, so I got busy and made this jam. No pectin is needed. Sure tastes good on a English muffin.

Provided by Pam Ellingson

Time 2h5m

Number Of Ingredients 6

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Ingredients

8 c firm ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and coarsely chopped
4 c firm, ripe peaches, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
1 juice of lemon , fresh
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp, ground cinnamon

Steps:

1. Prepare the fruits: Wash and hull the strawberries, then chop coarsely. (Measure 8 cups of chopped strawberries) Wash peaches. (To peel, dunk them into boiling water, leave for 30 seconds to one minute, then immediately plunge into ice water.) When peaches are cool enough to handle, remove the skin, remove pit, then chop the fruit coarsely.(Measure 4 cups of chopped peaches)
2. Place the strawberries and peaches into a large heavy pot or Dutch oven and stir in the lemon juice. Heat the fruit over medium heat until it begins to soften (about 10 minutes). Mash the softened fruit (or use a stick blender until chunky smooth) and add the sugars. (if using cinn stick, add now).
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat and let it continue to cook until thick or until it reaches 221F on a candy thermometer. (I turned the heat to medium and let it boil slowly along for about 45 min to an hour, stirring occasionally. It never got to 221°F) Watch your jam carefully to prevent scorching, stirring often if using higher heat. If you're worried or think you can smell the mixture starting to burn, turn the heat down and cook slowly until the jam tests done
4. Testing can be done by dipping a small spoonful of the hot jam onto a china or glass plate that has been kept in the freezer. Return to freezer and give the jam on the plate a minute or so to cool and then see if it is the right consistency.
5. When the jam is gelling to your satisfaction, remove the pot from the heat and remove cinnamon sticks (or stir in the ground cinnamon).
6. Pour into hot, sterilized jars, place two piece lids and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from hot water and place on towel lined workspace. You can cover jars with another towel to prevent drafts. Let sit until all jars are sealed. If there are any which don't seal, refrigerate and use as soon as possible.