Use this sweet and spicy peach and pepper jam on cheese and crackers or try it as a glaze for chicken or shrimp.
I am seriously addicted to the flavours of this peach and pepper jam. Sweet peaches pair with red and jalapeno peppers, to make a jam that is both sweet and spicy, delicious and versatile.
There is possibly nothing finer than this jam on top of a round of melted brie. I’ve also enjoyed it with crackers and cream cheese. Or aged cheddar. If you’re adventurous, enjoy it on toast or a scone. And that’s not all! It makes a great and flavourful glaze for chicken or shrimp. Or serve it on the side as a sweet and spicy condiment.
This jam makes great hostess or Christmas gifts. If you decide to make lots, make some small jars and have them ready for gifts any time.
Cook’s Notes
Unless you properly preserve this jam (sterilized jars and lids and hot water bath), you will need o refrigerate this jam after making, for shorter term use.
While I always aim to be as helpful as I can, I am not a Master Food Preserver and as such, I am not qualified to instruct on the procedure for preserving this jam for longer term, room temperature storage. (It’s a liability thing). I recommend you seek out a reputable safe-canning resource or a Master of Food Preserving for guidance.
You can make a half-batch if you don’t think you can use it all in the short term, or just hand out out to friends and family to enjoy, as they’ll surely appreciate it, too :)
Get the Recipe: Peach and Pepper Jam
Ingredients
- 4 cups peaches, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 medium jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
- 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 oz box pectin powder, 57g *see Note 1
- 5 cups white sugar
Instructions
- Place peaches in a large, non-reactive pan. Combine peppers, lemon rind, cider vinegar and pectin powder with fruit in pan. Stir well to combine. Place on the stove-top over high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a full boil. Stir in sugar and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off foam with a spoon and discard. Pour into clean warm, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4-inch of rim.
- Refrigerate in jars for short-term use.
I’ve made this recipe four times with fresh peaches and have had great success. The fifth time I tried canned peaches (the kind in syrup). The jam did not set up well and is runny. I’m assuming that I should rinse the peaches and pat dry perhaps to have better success. It taste great and will go well as a baste for my chicken just not so well on crackers. I just love the flavor obviously as I’ve made 5 batches. I’ve had to share pints with friends after they’ve tried it!
So glad you are enjoying it and for letting us know that it doesn’t work that well with canned peaches. I wonder if frozen peaches might perform better? I haven’t tried anything other than fresh peaches myself (even out of season ones seem to work quite well). I love the flavour, too :) Thanks so much!
Hi Jennifer, Do you think the recipe will work using frozen or canned peaches?
Thanks,
I haven’t tried it Elizabeth, but I suspect it would. The texture might be a touch different, but other than that, should work.
Love the jam and it’s flavor. We put through hot water bath to keep it preserved and can use throughout the year. When it cooled (all jars sealed 😊) the chopped peppers weren’t suspended in the solid but layered at the top of the jam. What did I do wrong?
Hi Shannon, it sounds like the jam was thinned from the hot water bath and the solids floated to the top. I suspect you could fix next time by inverting the jars several times while it is cooling, to re-distribute the solids.
I couldn’t be more pleased with the results of this recipe. It is so pretty and the consistency is perfect. I am a novice canner and this was out of my wheelhouse. Thank you for this recipe that even I could make like a professional.
I do have a question, could I substitute pineapple for the peaches?
So happy to hear, Vicki! And yes, although I haven’t tried it, I suspect pineapple would work similarly in this recipe. If you try it, let me know how it works out :)
Very delicious! This was my first time making a jam and it turned out well. Followed the recipe but my only change was using the small snacking peppers in red, orange, and yellow. I just purchased pectin (Ball) that was in a larger size and weighed out 57g. Canned in half pint jars and processed in a water bath for 10 minutes.
So glad to hear, Leslie :) Thanks so much!
I tried the recipe for the first time and I absolutely love it!
I am making it again for Christmas gifts. Thank you!
So glad to hear, Karen :) Thanks so much!
Can you use less sugar . Would that mess with the set?
Hi Crystal, I don’t recommend reducing the sugar as it will affect both the set and the shelf life of the jam. Jams have a lot of sugar, but it is necessary. Just remember it’s a condiment, so you are only using a small amount at a time :)
Had anyone used a jam maker for this recipe?
Have you canned this before if so how long should the jars be in the water bath?
Hi Paula, I can’t advise on canning, as I’m not a Master Canner. I suggest seeking out guidance from a reputable canning website for specifics on how to can this safely.
Can I double this recipe without it affecting the set?
Hi Angie and I can’t say for sure, as I have’t tried it myself. Might be safer to make 2 separate batches.
I doubled the recipe and used 2 boxes of Sure-jel (49g each) and everything turned out great! It made 12 pints that I canned, I still had more jam leftover after running out of sealing lids (another Covid shortage!!) so I put the remaining jam in 10 half-pint jars with plastic lids and put those in the refrigerator. They look beautiful and will make great gifts! Thank you!!!
So glad to hear, Rhonda :) Thanks so much!
I absolutely love this recipe! I’m making it again today but adding a bit more jalapeños as I like a little more heat. I weighed out 57g of Sure-jel and it turned out perfect!
So happy to hear, Linda :) Thanks so much!
I just made this jam and it’s wonderful!! I added 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger because I love a peach- ginger flavor and it’s perfect! Can’t wait to share with friends. Thank you for sharing this recipe! And FYI- the sure jell I used is 56g ( bought in Charleston, SC)
Sounds lovely, Kristie :) So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much!
I am in US and only had 49g regular surejell, so I used it plus a low/no sugar surejell 49g pack. Then I added alittle bit more fruit, peppers, and sugar. I forgot to cook the fruit down before adding sugar, so used my immersion blender right before it came to a rolling boil. I also substituted lemon juice for the rind as I didn’t have one on hand and added a tablespoon of butter to help with foam. It turned out amazing and smooth, I’ve had tons of compliments and I love it. Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear, Jordan! Thanks so much :)
I would like to try with green hatch peppers instead of jalapeno and bell pepper. If I can use hatch peppers, how many should I use?
Hi Bertha, you’d probably be in the 3/4-cup-ish range when diced. Let me know how it turns out with the hatch peppers :)
I called sure-jell to see when they changed from 57 g to 49 g thinking that could effect other recipes. They say it has always been 49. could you tell me where you got this information, thanks
Hi Wanda, in Canada the Certo brand of powdered pectin comes in 57g packages. At some point, someone told me that the packages were now 49g, so I added that information. I have since learned that the difference is a different brand/country situation. Certo in Canada is still 57g and apparently Sure-Jell in the USA is (and apparently always has been 49g) I have only tested this recipe with 57g of Certo powdered pectin.
Can I not put in bell pepper. Will that change the recipe?
Hi Kathryn, are you asking if you can use all bell pepper (omit the jalapeno?). If so, yes, you certainly can, you will just lose the little bit of heat from the jalapeno.
Do you need to put these in a water bath to keep in cool food cellar for extended time?
Hi Patricia, I can’t offer advice on canning this for longer storage. I am not a Master canner or a safe canning expert. You should refer to reputable sources online for guidance.