Description
This apple jam recipe is easy to make and has only three ingredients! Use this fresh apple homemade jam at breakfast alongside toast or waffles, or use it as a topping for delicious desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 cups (4lbs) apples
- 4 cups of sugar
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel and dice the apples, removing the cores and seeds. Slice the apples into small pieces, around 1/4-inch cubes.
- Add the chopped apples into a bowl with the sugar and lemon juice and give it a quick stir. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Macerating the chopped apples in sugar will help give them a chunky texture instead of turning them into applesauce.
- Once the apples are done macerating, clean your canning jars and sanitize the canning equipment. Get your water bath canner ready by filling it halfway with water.
- Bring the apple mixture to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
- Stir the mixture continuously and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, monitoring and stirring regularly to prevent burning. The natural pectin within the apples will cause the mixture to thicken.
- Continue cooking until the jam reaches 220 degrees F (gel stage). Check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the apple jam from the heat and ladle it into half-pint jars while hot. Gently press down on the mixture to remove air bubbles, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal the jars with canning lids and place screw bands around the jars. Ensure the bands are fingertip tight.
- Once the water is boiling in your canner, place your canning jars inside carefully. Ensure the water level is 1 inch above the jars. Close the lid and process the jars for 10 minutes.
- Remove the water bath canner from the heat and allow the canning jars to sit inside for an additional 5 minutes.
- Using a jar lifter, carefully transfer the jars to a countertop to cool.
- Allow the jars to cool slowly over 12-24 hours. You should hear a popping sound as the lids seal during the cooling process.
- Once completely cool to room temperature, check the seals on your jars. For unsealed jars, you will need to either re-process or refrigerate them and use them within two weeks.
- Label and date your canning jars. Then store the sealed jars in a cool, dry place for up to 18 months.
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Canning Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 90kcal
- Sugar: 17g
- Fat: 0.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 0g