Use this recipe with only the ripest, most flavorful seasonal fruit. The large amount of sugar reduces the overall boiling time, which will help retain the flavor and color of the fruit. Please see How to Process. Prepare a water-bath canner, gather all your canning equipment, place a couple of saucers in the freezer, and have ready 4 clean, hot half-pint jars.

Combine in a wide heavy pot or Dutch oven:

Stir the fruit gently with a wooden spoon over low heat until it has “juiced up.” Then increase the heat to medium-high and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly, stirring frequently, until it reaches the jelling point. Take the pot off the heat. If using the vanilla bean, remove the pod, scrape any vanilla seeds from the pod and add them back to the pot, then discard the pod. Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe the rims. Place lids on jars and screw on rings until fingertip-tight. Process for 10 minutes. Let cool completely and store as directed.