Making nectarine pepper jam without the pectin

I'm attempting a nectarine/jalapeno jam tonight without pectin. No recipe to speak of so here's my plan of action:
-macerate nectarine in sugar (50/50, weight basis) overnight
-cook jam with peppers and lemon juice until you get the same consistency (cold plate test)
-can or put into freezer

Does that sound ok? Am I off somewhere in this "recipe"?

HalfPint
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15 Comments

HalfPint
HalfPint July 23, 2013
Update: made the jam last evening. No commercial pectin, no apple added. I did not have them on hand and didn't feel like going to the market for an apple. I did switch to a 2:1 ratio (fruit to sugar). Just thought 50/50 was way too much sugar. I added 1/3 c fresh squeezed lemon juice and only 2 red anaheim chiles. Flavor was fantastic. The consistency was a bit thin, but I expected that. It will still be so good with cheese and would make a great base of glazed ribs. Next time, I will up the sugar and maybe boil the lemon rind (lots of pectin) along with the mixture and discard later. Thanks for all the great advice!
 
em-i-lis
em-i-lis July 23, 2013
when i use apple for pectin, as i am not a pectin girl at all, i core the apple (discard the core) and then dice the remainder, peel and all. usually, one small apple is sufficient for a standard recipe. i never use pectin in my peach/apricot jams. i've not canned with nectarines so am not familiar w/ their pectin/acid levels but 50/50 sugar ratio is definitely solid re: safety-wise (for fruits of appropriate acid levels). white peaches are low-acid, for ex. i'd do a check at UGA or a similar spot for nectarine acid amount...
 
aargersi
aargersi July 23, 2013
So I am curious about using the apple for pectin - would you just grate it into the jam peel and all (no core or seeds)? And how much apple to jam ratio typically?
 
Rebecca V.
Rebecca V. July 23, 2013
Hi Abbie-- I leave the skin on depending whether the apple is unsprayed or not, then cut in quarters and plop into the jam. I've never used more than two apples (for maybe 2-4lbs base fruit), but it's fine to do so; depends how loose the fruit you're jamming is. Core and stem are fine to leave in and help out with pectin. Knock out loose seeds if you don't want them floating around for aesthetic reasons. I remove apple quarters when they're fully penetrated -- darker, becoming translucent -- and look like they don't have much more to give. I suppose you could grate it in if you wanted to, but I do it for pectin and not for apple flavor. Works well.
 
jamcook
jamcook July 22, 2013
Lemon zest and juice also add natural pectin, but do check a similar recipe for proportions and safety's sake.
 
Carolyn
Carolyn July 22, 2013
I would add 1 green apple like Granny Smith high in natural pectin
 
HalfPint
HalfPint July 22, 2013
Ugh, that's pectin is NOT an issue.
 
Rebecca V.
Rebecca V. July 22, 2013
Sounds great! I would add the peppers in for the overnight maceration (I do that w strawberries and habanero) and not add lemon juice until after jam is cooked down. In terms of pectin, I only ever use a whole apple cut in quarters if the fruit isn't very high itself in pectin... not sure if you'd be game for that or not. Never done nectarines but I do apricot all the time and it can go either way. Hope it goes well!
 
HalfPint
HalfPint July 22, 2013
I debated about the macerating the peppers with the nectarines. So erring on the side of caution (not sure from what), I decided to just cook the peppers along with the lemon juice. I like a looser jam, so the pectin is an issue.
 
Rebecca V.
Rebecca V. July 23, 2013
Haha.... I can appreciate erring on the side of caution in a kitchen experiment! I macerate w habaneros and then take them out; flavor is pervasive and gentle. Anyway, let us know how it went!
 
Diana B.
Diana B. July 22, 2013
That's what I usually do; I'm definitely not a fan of pectin, although there are some recipes in which it cannot be avoided (like jelly).
 
HalfPint
HalfPint July 22, 2013
Got it. Thanks, Everyone!
 
smslaw
smslaw July 22, 2013
Sounds good. Probably need about 1/3 cup of lemon juice for typical recipe making 6 8 ounce jars or so.
 
aargersi
aargersi July 22, 2013
That sounds right to me, though I am a pectin girl ... make sure to use enough lemon to bring the acidity up, I would check Ball or other canning sites to be sure
 
HalfPint
HalfPint July 22, 2013
sorry that "same consistency" should be "jam consistency".
 
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