I was baking a peach pie one day, and as I was slicing peaches I caught the smell of fresh basil from the windowsill. The aroma of those basil leaves mixed with the sweet scent of ripe peaches was amazing! I immediately wanted to figure out a way to combine the two and finally decided on a Peach Basil Jam, which allows me to enjoy these flavors long after peaches are no longer in season!
This Peach Basil Jam is packed with ripe summer peaches and fresh basil, and I promise you, it tastes like summer! This jam is delicious just spread on some good toast, but if you’re looking for more creative to use it, I love serving it spooned over vanilla ice cream and it’s also my secret BBQ sauce ingredient – a heaping tablespoon in your favorite BBQ sauce recipe will give your sauce a sweet, sticky boost. If you’re new to waterbath canning, check out my tutorial below – or store jam in the fridge or freezer and enjoy for weeks! This recipe yields about 4 8oz jars.
To start:
- You’ll need 5 1/3 cups mashed peaches, which is about 7-8 large peaches.
- 4 Tbs Lemon Juice (from a bottle)
- 6 Tbs Classic Fruit Pectin
- 4 Cups Sugar
- 1/2 Cup fresh basil leaves, torn
If you are canning this, begin preheating your jars. First, the peaches need to be peeled and pitted. The easiest way to peel a peach is to blanch it. If you’ve never done that before check out the step by step instructions I have here.
Next roughly chop the peaches. Don’t worry about size too much, we’re still going to mash them a bit.
Mash the peaches slightly, then measure 5 1/3 cups.
Combine the peaches and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Slowly stir in the pectin and, stirring constantly, bring the entire mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat.
Once you’ve got a full boil slowly add all of the sugar, stir to dissolve, and bring the mixture back to a full boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring the whole time.
Remove from heat and skim off foam with a metal spoon. Stir in a 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves.
Now your jam is finished, ladle immediately into hot jars. You are now ready to process the jars in a waterbath canner, or allow them to cool and refrigerate for up to three weeks.
If you are canning them, leave a 1/4 inch headspace, wipe the rims clean, fit with a lid and ring and place in your waterbath canner. Boil gently for 10 minutes, then let sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing to cool. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 24 hours, then check to make sure the jars have sealed and store.
Canning is a great way to create delicious, wholesome jams with locally available, in season fruit, that your family can enjoy all year long! Homemade jams and jellies also make wonderful, personalized gifts. If you’re interested in canning check out the Ball Guide to Waterbath Canning to get started. Here are the very simple and inexpensive tools you will need to begin:
A Waterbath Canner – this is a large pot fitted with a jar rack, used to process your jars.
Canning Tools – Jar grabbers, funnels and measuring tools. I’ve used this particular set for years and it certainly makes canning easier to have them available.
Jelly Jars – These are the jars you will fill, process and store your jam in.
Jar Labels – Makes marking the name and date of your jam simple, and they come off easily in water so you can reuse the empty jars.
- 5 1/3 Cups mashed peaches (about 7-8 large)
- 4 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 5 Tablespoons powdered pectin
- 4 Cups sugar
- 1/2 Cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- Blanch, peel, pit and roughly chop the peaches.
- Mash the peaches and measure 5 1/3 Cups.
- Add the peaches and lemon juice to a medium saucepan
- Slowly stir in the pectin
- Bring the mixture to a hard boil that can't be stirred down
- Stir in 4 cups of sugar until dissolved
- Return to a hard boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring the whole time
- Remove from heat and skim foam off of the top with a metal spoon
- Stir in 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
- Ladle into hot jars and begin canning, or allow to cool 30 minutes and store in the fridge
- Can be stored for up to three weeks in the fridge or 1 year if canned.
This looks delicious! I’ve never tried to make my own jam but I might try it after seeing this!
I have made homemade jam once and I loved it! Do you think a different combination of basil and some other fruit would be good? I’m not familiar with the taste of basil, but I dislike peach… I wonder what other combination would go well together like that?
I bet it would be good with strawberry, or even in a watermelon jelly!
This sounds like a great jam. I have never had peach jam before. Thanks for sharing this delicious sounding recipe.
This looks like a great jam. Would love to try this.
This looks delish!
I’ve never had peach jam before but this looks really tasty! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This looks sooo good! I just harvested some peaches and may try this 🙂
I love peach jelly. I bet this would taste ten times better! The peach/basil combination sounds really nice.
I have never tried making my own jam before but would so love to!
We are always looking for healthy new foods and recipes to try. This one is not only that, but it looks pretty simple to do as well. We will have to try this.