Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- The night before (or at least 4 hours before your jam session begins), wash, peel, cut, and dice to 1/4-1/2 inch pieces your apples to equal 4 cups. Basically about 1 pound or 6 medium apples should do it. Add diced apples to a bowl.
- Next, stir in your sugar and lemon juice. Incorporate the ingredients well so that the lemon juice is on each apple to prevent browning. Cover your bowl and then store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but overnight is best. This process allows the apple pieces to soften in the liquid but not become applesauce when you cook them down in the jamming process.
- The next morning or after 4 hours minimum, strain your apples from the liquid into your large jam pot. Set the apples aside.
- Bring last night's sugar/lemon juice liquid to a rapid boil then add your apple pieces to the boil. Cook your apples down over medium-high heat for about 25 mins, give or take 5 minutes. You will see when your jam is gelling up. You can always test it with the plate test to see if it is ready for storing.
- Store in jars with 1/4 headspace, working out any bubbles with spatula. Use 2 part lid and ring system after wiping each jar's rim well with a clean, wet paper towel. Process in a water bath for 10 mins. Turn off heat and let sit in water for 5 more minutes. Then remove from water. Cover jars with a towel and allow to cool overnight. Store all sealed jars in the pantry after labeling each jar with name and date. Any unsealed jars go directly to the refrigerator to eat ASAP (or within a couple of weeks).
Notes
Additions to this apple jam recipe:
- Add a whole cinnamon stick to the jam pot in the beginning and let it cook with the jam.
- Add 1-2 split vanilla bean pods to the recipe right at the end of the boiling down process. Stir in well for about 2-3 minutes, then remove pods before pouring jam into jars.
- Add 1 TBSP of ground cinnamon and 1 TBSP of nutmeg to the pot after about 15 mins of cooking. Stir well for the remainder of the cook time.