This is one of my favorite jams. I make it every year in the fall after my family and I go apple picking. It is a great jam for gift giving, and once it’s opened, it never lasts long!
Spiced Orchard Jam:
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of apples
- 4 cups of pears
- 5 cups of sugar
- 2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 Tablespoon of ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon of cayene pepper
- 3 cups of water
- 1 packet of pectin
- juice of a lemon
Directions:
- Process the apples and pears: Peel the fruit and chop it into small pieces, or use a hand grater to grate the fruit. Place all fruit into a large pot.
- Add the water and Pectin: Pour the water over the fruit and stir in the pectin. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the fruit for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the sugar: Add the sugar to the pot, and stir well. You want to maintain a rolling boil, stirring frequently so that the bottom doesn’t burn. The mixture gets very hot during this time and can easily burn you. Wear long sleeves and gloves to protect your skin. You need to continue boiling the fruit and sugar mixture until it begins to jell. The best way to know if the jam is nearly ready is by taking a small amount of the liquid on a spoon, and dropping it onto a plate. The liquid will become jelly like and not runny once it has been on the plate for a few moments.
- Add the spices and lemon juice: Stir the spices into the jam and squeeze the lemon juice into the pot. Stir well and cook for another few minutes.
- Bottle the jam: Using clean mason jars, ladle the jam into the jars. If any jam gets on to the rim, clean if off with a clean cloth or paper towel. Place the lids on and seal tightly.
- Place the jars in a water bath: Boil water in a large pot, high enough to submerge your jars. Insert a canning rack into the water to place your jars on, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Boil for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the jars and set aside to cool. The lids will pop as the jam cools.
If making this jam for gift giving, it looks great with a handmade tag. Make your tag, place a hole punch through the corner, and secure to the jar by tying with string.