Friday, July 28, 2017

Peach Preserves - Less Sugar Recipe - More Peaches than Sugar Ratio!


*Because I hate scrolling down for the recipe, my recipes are AT THE TOP - comments are at the BOTTOM below!  :))

"They are mighty little peaches; sweet, juice running down your chin kind of peaches! Delicious and smell divine!" 

                        



Fresh Peach Preserves 
Less Sugar Recipe

  • 5 half-pint canning jars with lids/rings
  • 4 1/2 cups peeled/chopped/pitted fresh peaches (place peaches with skins in boiling water and then in ice water and the skins loosen, just like for peeling tomatoes)
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 cups white/granulated sugar, measured into a separate bowl
  • 1 box SUREJELL For Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes
  • 1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional)

Instructions (FOLLOW directions in order exactly or pectin won't work):
  • Sterilize jars, lids and rings per USDA recommendations.
  • Place peaches in boiling water and then place in ice water for easy peeling - the skins will slip right off!
  • Measure 4 1/2 cups peeled/chopped fresh peaches into a medium/large pot (cold-do not heat yet) AND stir in lemon juice.
  • Measure 3 cups sugar into a separate bowl (of this 3 cups of sugar, remove 1/4 cup of the sugar and place it into a separate small bowl)
  • In the small bowl with the 1/4 cup of sugar, dump the SureJELL for Less or No Sugar Need.  Stir/combine well and then add to the pot of fruit.
  • Bring mixture of peaches/SureJELL to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred).  Stir OFTEN so it doesn't burn.)
  • At boiling, add the remaining measured sugar - ALL AT ONCE (2 3/4 cups), stir well and stir OFTEN.
  • Bring to another full rolling boil and start timing when the boiling stays consistent when stirred.
  • Time for 1 MINUTE (stirring constantly).  
  • REMOVE FROM HEAT (skim foam).  
  • I then mash my fruit with a potato masher but you don't have to if you like chunky preserves.
  • Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch space at top
  • Add sterilized lids/rings (two parts)
  • Process - hot water/boiling with water covering jars for 10 minutes.


We have a little peach tree in our back yard by my clothesline that my husband always wants to cut down.  I'm not sure what he hates more, my peach tree or my clothes line!  Ugh!  

Finally the little tree produced so many peaches that I doubt Doug will ever ask me to chop it down again.  WHEW!  This year I could see peaches on it and I knew I wanted to get them before the deer (because last year they ate every single peach once the peaches were ripe - all in one night).   I had no idea there were so many peaches until I picked them all off!  Check out the motherload of peaches we got from one little tree (about 10 feet tall).  These are huge bowls, each almost as big as one side of my sink!


My peaches weren't overly big.  Probably they are about just a little larger than golf balls.  But they are mighty little peaches; sweet, juice running down your chin kind of peaches! Delicious and smell divine!

I gave some away to a friend and she was able to make two batches of preserves for her family!  And still I had a ton of peaches.

I have made three batches of these low sugar preserves for my family (so far, and still counting).  

I am sold on SUREJELL pectin though!  I have used other brands and had flops.  Surejell is dependable and it never fails me!  

I used a box of this No-Low Sugar Surejell and it worked like a DREAMBOAT!  The preserves taste plenty sweet and still the beauty of the peaches shines through.

I hadn't tried a low sugar recipe before but I hated to drown my precious peaches in so much sugar and hide their bright, fresh flavor with too much sweetness.  Here's the exact kind I used - which is available from Amazon and delivered to your door!  How easy is that?




I can't wait to make some homemade Buttermilk Biscuits to go with these preserves.  Like these!




Also, am hoping to have a few jars to use as Christmas gifts this year!  It's really perfect and a beautiful example of what fresh from the garden is all about.  My peaches were not sprayed or sprinkled with anything.  They are beautiful and don't have many blemishes.  The only thing tending to them this year was our beloved honey bees, and they have outdone themselves!

I still have a big bowl of peaches yet to process and am hoping to can some and maybe to make a cobbler yet this weekend.  Before I go, here's a link to my small batch - canning peaches post, in case you need some inspiration.



Enjoy!




Gina