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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. Like, last summer in my kitchen…. I put away more bags of sliced peaches in the freezer than I can count. (Actually, I can’t remember now how many bags of peaches I put away. Almost as many as pears, though.) I was far too busy processing fruits and vegetables to can everything, so I froze quite a bit to take out later when I had time to make Christmas presents. I’ve had a hankering to make this peach conserve recipe for months–and yesterday was the day!
What is a conserve anyway? A conserve is a jam-like thing that is not jam. It usually contains two or more fruits and sometimes nuts and raisins. A conserve should be cooked until it rounds up on a spoon, but it’s not as thick as jam. This peach conserve recipe is from the Ball Blue Book, though I did a few things differently. The recipe suggested chopping the cherries. I left them whole. I added extra peaches, too. I wanted it real peachy. I also doubled the recipe entirely (along with adding more peaches).
I also never did get it to round up on the spoon properly, but I decided that was okay. I left too much liquid in from the thawed peaches. I suggest you don’t do that. This was my first experiment in substituting fruit that had been frozen in a recipe calling for fresh fruit. Live and learn! What I ended up with was more of a cross between a conserve and a compote (fruit cooked in syrup). I’ll tell everybody it’s peach compote with rum when I give it to them. I bet they won’t mind.
If you’ve never canned before, check out my tutorial–How to Can: Hot Water Bath Method for detailed instructions on the canning process.
For me, doubling this recipe, I made about four pints (though I used some odd size jars, which is why you see five jars in this post–it’s about four pints, if I’d been using all standard size pint jars). The recipe as written below will make you two pints. (Why would anyone make only two pints of this???)
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How to make Peach Conserve with Rum:
3 tablespoons slivered orange peel
2/3 cup chopped, seeded orange pulp
2 cups chopped, pitted, peeled peaches
3/4 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons lime juice
6 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/2 cup rum*
*You can make this without the rum.
Combine orange peel and pulp with just enough water to cover in a small pot. Cook until peel is tender; set aside.
Place opened bottle of rum in hot water and let sit. Don’t drink it! Stop that!
Combine orange mixture with peaches, pineapple, cherries, and lime juice. (Drain everything! Ask me how I know that…. I had to filter out the excess liquid later. It was too much.)
Add sugar and spices, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Sugar and Spice Mountain.
I buy sugar in the mega bags at Sam’s. (The biggest size I can stand to lift.)
Cook rapidly almost to the gelling point.
Stir frequently to prevent sticking. The instructions say to add the rum now. I wanted to pack the jars full of fruit. I didn’t want to be canning liquid! Or wasting rum. I strained the fruit before ladling into the jars. I added some liquid from the pot then poured in the rum, directly into each jar, topping it off to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles and adjust lids and rings. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
I’m still canning outside.
That’s going to be super fun when it’s snowing.
I think these jars came out gorgeous and it’s going to be hard to give them away! (I’m planning on making more of this recipe, and several others, before Christmas for gifts. Maybe enough to keep some for me!)
See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.
See All My Recipes
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1:19
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I love your blog and I love you! I can’t tell you how much time I spend sitting here reading old posts when I should be doing homework. But your blog is an education of a different kind, I think. You’re inspiring. I want to be just like you!
1:28
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I’ve been slowly building my own homestead, and really want to learn how to can. The Ball Blue Book would sure be helpful… I’d love to have it!
Thanks again for all the work you put into your site. You’re totally awesome.
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You should try American Crystal sugar. A quality sugar grown in the Red River Valley!
I’ve been reading this blog for over a year. I ventured on Twitter for the first time, and, if I remember, did a search for writers/authors when “Chickens in the Road” came up as a suggested result. The farm girl in me couldn’t resist checking out the web link, and I discovered a blog post with pictures of this lady trying to milk a goat! I’ve been coming back everyday since! Suzanne, lets just say, “You had me with goat milking!”
5:46
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Thanks for the post today. I always enjoy your posts and pictures but for some reason I really loved the pictures today! They made me feel warm and cozy, and are inspiring me to go get creative in the kitchen!
Thanks!
6:02
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Cricket
PS.
I have voted everyday on at least two computers since you first anounced it on your blog for the first round. Slow and steady.
6:29
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I would really, really like that Ball Blue Book
Voted……..steady and strong!
6:39
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P.S. I have been faithfully voting every day. I really want you to win the writing gig!
6:45
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Please enter me in the drawing for the book
I voted…
6:50
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I’m voting everyday for you Suzanne! Good luck.
6:52
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I could have canned tomatoes this year but was just too busy. Now that I am no longer working outside the home, I am busier than ever but that will be over after Christmas and I will learn to can.
I would love that Blue Ball book on canning.
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hugs from PA
connie
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As one of the comments mentioned, ladling over pound cake would be great! Also just over ice cream. You could put it on top of french toast. Etc. Anything! (A properly gelled conserve–which this one wasn’t–could also be spread over toast like jam.)
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The canning book would be so helpful!!!! Did I tell you how I think I really want to learn to can. Today I am considering buying a grill for this. Outside canning sounds like a good idea if one does not have enough room on their stove. Hubby will be please. I might even grill on it. lol.
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I’d love to win the book!
~Jenny~
8:20
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I vote every day and pray that the judges will choose you.
8:21
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Another wonderful recipe with equally yummy photos.
Everyday another publish ready page! Have you plans for a ccokbook? I can’t see any publisher turning one down, especially with with your “make do” philosophy in these hard times.
Free Ball book would be nice, buying one writen by YOU woud be even nicer! And you’ve already written it…
Bet you hear this 100 times a day!
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I would love to have the Ball Blue Book of canning!!! Can not wait to do some canning. Mama always canned things. It was so satisifying to her to look at her shelves of canned goods. I know I will feel the same when I look at mine. But I really want to win that canning book!
Deb
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I just Voted! I’m keeping my fingers crossed, because I can never have too much Suzanne info in my life!
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And I just voted.
8:58
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I will keep voting…Wishing you all the luck in the world!!!
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I’m voting every day! Your blogs are a great part of my mornings every day…thank you.
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Still voting for you every day, BTW, and put your link on my FB page.
9:19
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Those peaches look sublime!
9:26
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I would love to win the book! I never win anything, but it is worth a try!
9:27
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You bring back such fond memories of my grandma, and then my mom & aunts talking about how beautiful their canned goods were. My mom would lovingly pick up a jar and show everyone how pretty it was. I don’t can, but I do freeze veggies and fruit every year. Maybe now that I’ve hit the big 5-0, I’m ready to start thinking about learning to can. So I’d love to have the canning bible. Love your blog, and I’m still voting every day from home and from work.
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Voted today: 19723 votes.
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Actually today I am making authentic Plum Pudding since last Sunday was “stir-up Sunday” and today is the first Sunday in Advent.
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I voted!
And I want the Ball Blue Book of Preserving!
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Oh, and I’d also like to register for the BBB. Thank you.
10:17
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Ladies and gents, lets keep up the momentum for Suzanne!
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Amy
10:27
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Please enter me in the Ball Blue Book of Canning contest again today.
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Maybe its in the Ball canning book. Love to have it so I can continue the family tradition of embarrassing my children with unusual home made lunches at school.
As always I voted for you this morning. Hang in there, Suzanne, if loyalty means anything to the Sam-e people, your loyal readers have all ready won this for you.
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LOVE the canning recipe! I could SO use the Ball Canning book…
I just keep taking it out of the library…plus it’s never there when I need it!
Xoxo,
Susan
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I would love to win the Bible of home canning! Please enter me in your giveaway! I would rather you win this talent search more!
Your recipes are always so easy to follow! I’ve been sending my friends to your blog.
We went to the tree farm in Griffinsville, WV yesterday and cut down a nice looking tree! You can go to http://www.wvforestry.com to take a look and see if there are any tree farms in your area! I’m hoping to post my pictures of our adventures at the tree farm this Friday if you want to take a peek.
Angela
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I’d love to win the Ball book.
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The peach conserve looks fantastic!
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I, too, would love the canning book.
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Please enter me for the canning book drawing.
Withing the last two weeks, we’ve gotten THREE canners given to us. Just say the word to people that you’re interested in canning and stuff starts coming out of the woodwork. My mother-in-law has had her day with canning and is now giving me all of her stuff. w00t!
Now that we are somewhat settled on our acreage, I am looking forward to doing more canning this coming year.
You inspire me, Suzanne!!
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Just a thought about adding the rum in the peach conserve.
I thought the heat from the cooking made the alcohol evaporate and just leave the flavor, such as with vanilla. So there wouldn't really be any alcohol in the finished peach conseres. That's what I was told….not sure if I am right or not?
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I think Phyllis Ryan has the right idea. I’ll skip the Ball Book – although I think whoever donated it is a wonderful person and should get major props – if you’ll put me on your Christmas list! Mmmmmmmmmm
Seriously though – what’s the difference between orange zest and orange rind? I know the pith is the bitter white part between skin and fruit, but where does the zest hide?
Thanks
2:37
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Thank you for your great site Suzanne.
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I’d love to win the book.
I’ve been voting for you (and daily reminding my husband to vote for you, too!) and I really want you to win!!! You deserve it so much!
I made grandmother bread rolls and your cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving! Both were a HUGE hit! Folks who previously didn’t like cranberry sauce (myself included) couldn’t get enough of it!
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I love the fact that your visitors are from all over the place. Yesterday there was someone from…Englahd, maybe? Today, Mexico. And everywhere in the US. That is so cool. I feel as if I’m bonding with this huge community of people. It’s like sitting down around a wood stove or in front of a fireplace with a cup of coffee (or tea for you tea drinkers) and just having a friendly chat.
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Kathleen H from Indiana
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I so wanna win the canning bible!!
I voted!!
Hugs Granny Trace
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I am still voting.
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On another note, my dsl was down all day yesterday..grrrr..but I was on-call for work, and had to go in, and so I voted from there.
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This looks fabulous!
Am going to the store tomorrow to buy lots of cranberries to make the sauce to give as Christmas gifts, Even my friends who thought they didnt like cranberry sauce loved this. I made jello today with fresh fruit and added some of my sauce and nuts, it is delicious.
JO
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I hope everyone who reads your blog ads a link to their blog or FB page and will send notes to their friends and family encouraging them to vote every day. I wish I knew more people I could shout out to to help increase your votes and I hope everyone who reads this does whatever they can to achieve that!!
9:01
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The recipes sound great, the pictures are
inspiring too.
If the contest is still open, I want The Book.
Selene
9:34
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Come on, people! Ask everybody you know to vote for Suzanne!
9:47
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Is there any way to make this without the use of Rum (or any alcohol)? Don’t like the taste – which is a good thing, since it’s against my beliefs to drink alcohol. But I don’t like the “essence” or Extracts either. Ok, so I’m weird.
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funny though, this book is the only thing on my christmas list this year!
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