Easy Homemade Guava Jam

1. Before starting the jam, wash the canning jars and lids using hot soapy water. (We recommend using Ball or Kerr canning jars). Be sure your lids and seals are new (you can only water-can jams safely with previously unused lids.) Do I need to sterilize jars before canning? Jars do not need to be sterilized before canning if they will be filled with food and processed in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes or more or if they will be processed in a pressure canner.

PREPARE THE GUAVAS:

1. Peel the guavas with a sharp vegetable peeler. Slice the guavas in half crosswise. Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out the seeds from the center of the fruit. Reserve the pulp and seeds to make a simple syrup for cocktails.
2. Roughly chop the guava fruit and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the fruit is to the consistency you like for jam. We like ours just slightly chunky, but you can also process until smooth.
3. Transfer the guava puree to a glass measuring cup to determine how much fruit you have. Measure half as much sugar as you have guava purée. For instance, If you have 4 cups of puree, you'll need 2 cups of sugar.

Before you begin cooking the fruit, PREP THE CANNING POT.

1. Place a low canning rack in the bottom of a canning or stock pot and fill it with enough hot water that it will cover the jars by 2". Cover the pot with a lid and heat to bring the water to a boil. Make the jam while the water comes to temperature.

COOKING GUAVA JAM:

1. In a large non-reactive saucepan, combine the guava puree and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring regularly until the mixture comes to a boil. Add one tablespoon of liquid pectin for every cup of fruit. Continue to cook the guava jam at a low boil for 10-20 minutes or until the jam has thickened.
2. Note: If you're not water canning, transfer the cooked jam to an airtight jar or container and keep it refrigerated. The fresh jam will last for two weeks.

FILLING THE JARS:

1. Place a canning funnel over the mouth of a canning jar and ladle the guava jam into the funnel. Fill the jars, leaving about ½" of headspace in each one. Top each jar with the flat lid (seal covering the mouth of the jar) and screw on the lid to fingertip tightness.
2. Use your canning tongs to transfer the jars of guava jam to the wire rack resting in the water bath and bring to a boil. Process the jars for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them rest in the bath for 5 minutes longer.
3. Use your canning tongs to lift the jars from the water and place on a work surface lined with a clean dish towel (this will help prevent breakage from temperature shock).
4. Within a few minutes, you'll hear a little "plunk sound" from each jar - indicating that you've processed the jars correctly and are vacuum sealed.
5. Let the jam cool to room temperature and rest on the counter overnight. Tighten the screw-on lids and store them in a cool, dark pantry.