Apple Jam Recipe & Canning Instructions
This apple jam is much easier to make than apple jelly, no straining the juice! Delicious with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to spice it up! Makes a double batch - about 8 half-pint jars.
Ingredients
- 10 cups apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 cups water
- 5 cups sugar
- 6 tbsps no sugar needed pectin 2 packages of Ball or Sure Jell No-Sugar-Needed Pectin.
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp butter to prevent foaming, optional
- 2 tbsps lemon juice, optional for jam made with sweet apples
Instructions
- Put a hot water bath canner on the burner and fill with enough water to cover jelly jars, with an extra inch of water over the top of jars. Turn the burner on high and cover with the lid.
- Wash jelly jars and screw bands. Place jelly jars in the canner to sterilize.
- While you wait for the water bath to come to a boil, prepare your apples. Peel, core, and dice apples.
- When the water in the canner comes to a full rolling boil, boil jelly jars for 20 minutes to sterilize them.
- Measure the pectin into a small bowl and add 1/4 cup of the sugar to the pectin. Combine and set aside.
- Measure the rest of the sugar into a bowl. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.
- Prepare canning jar lids according to the manufacturer's directions. (Most jar lids are no longer designed to be boiled, be sure to check.)
- Once the water bath with jelly jars comes to a full rolling boil you may begin cooking the apples to make the jam.
- Place diced apples, butter, molasses, lemon juice (if you are using a sweet apple) and water in a large saucepan on a medium burner.
- Cook apples until they are soft, then turn the burner to medium-high and stir constantly as you bring apples to a full, rolling boil.
- Add the pectin and sugar mixture to the apples, stirring constantly to combine the pectin into the apples and prevent the jam from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Bring the apple and pectin mixture to a full rolling boil. Add the remaining sugar with spices all at once and stir in.
- Stir the apple jam mixture constantly and return to a full rolling boil.
- Boil jam for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the burner.
- Use a jar lifter to remove sterile jelly jars from canner and place them on a heavy towel on your countertop.
- Place a canning funnel in a jelly jar and use a ladle to fill with apple jam. Work quickly but carefully to prevent the jam from cooling.
- Wipe rim of jar clean, place canning lid on the jar, then screw canning band in place until finger tight.
- Use the jar lifter to place the filled jar into the boiling water bath.
- Repeat until all of the jam has been placed in the canner. Place lid on the canner and return to a full rolling boil.
- Process jam for 10 minutes once the water returns to a full rolling boil. Remove jars from canner with the jar lifter and place them on a heavy towel to protect your countertop. Allow to cool without disturbing the jars or screw bands until jam reaches room temperature.
- When the jam has cooled completely, remove screw bands and wash the jars to remove any jam that may have leaked during processing. Check each jar to be sure it has sealed properly. A properly sealed lid will not spring up and down when pressed with your fingers.
- If any of the jars did not seal properly, refrigerate them and use the jam within 3 weeks.
Notes
For foods that are processed for less than 20 minutes, the jars must be sterilized before filling. To sterilize jars, boil them at a full rolling boil for 20 minutes.
When canning food, do not allow the food to cool down before placing in the jars and then into the boiling water. The difference in temperature can cause the jars to crack, wasting your food, time, and money.
As an added measure of cleanliness, I wash and dip the canning funnel and ladel in the boiling water bath just before using them.
Apple jam is a high acid food and should be processed in a water bath canner.