How to Can Peaches
It’s summer time, and that means it’s time for peaches! This simple tutorial for how to can peaches will show you how to preserve the flavor of peak summer season to enjoy all year long!
There is nothing as good as fresh, tree-ripened peaches! Getting them from a store, whether fresh, frozen, or canned, is just not the same – not even a little bit.
So I want to show you how to can your own peaches. We’ll discuss all the tips and tricks from how to keep your peaches from turning brown while you peel them, to pitting, and best canning practices.
I remember helping my mom can peaches when I was growing up, and honestly, it wasn’t very fun back then – I’d much rather be out playing with the horses or in the creek. But I sure did enjoy the fruits of our labors.
I loved having home-canned peaches on hand for gluten-free peach crisp all year long. And now, we make even more goodies with them throughout the years, including peach pound cake, and gluten free peach sheet cake.
Tips for selecting peaches to can
For canning you want a ripe, but still firm peach. Overripe peaches can get mushy during canning. That said, you can still can them if you want to, or make peach jam with them. I’m big on the waste not side, and less on the “it must be perfect” side.
Early in the season, you’ll probably find cling pit peaches. That’s actually what I’m canning in these photographs and the video below. Cling pit peaches are not as easy to work with. I’ve seen video tutorials for how to pit them, and they work for firm, underripe peaches. But when you have a soft, ripe peach, it’s a lot harder to dow without crushing the peach.
I’ve left the struggle of pitting a cling pit peach in the video, so you can see a bit of what I’m talking about.
In the end, I find it’s easiest just to cut the peach off of the pit.
That said, your ideal peach for canning is a freestone peach, which we’ll have later in the season.
A ripe freestone peach will pull right off of the pit after you halve, or quarter it. It’s so easy!
How to keep peaches from browning during preparation
Peaches are notorious for turning brown after they’re exposed to air (i.e. peeled and sliced). That’s not so pretty in your jar.
To avoid darkening in raw fruit, there are a couple steps you can juice from:
- Soak or dip fruit in lemon water after it’s peeled and sliced. I add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to 6 cups of water, and drop the peaches in as I peel and slice them. Citric acid also works well for this.
- Soak the peaches in the canning syrup or juice. Similar to above, but instead of dropping the peaches in lemon water as you go, drop them into the liquid you plan to can them in. This works well if you plan to hot pack your peaches.
- Small batches. I tend to work in small batches. Once I peel enough for 2-4 quarts, I pack them in the jars, add the canning liquid, get the lids on, and then go back to peeling. Repeat the process until you have a canner load ready. This works well for cold packing peaches.
How to keep canned peaches from floating in the jars
Floating fruit is a common frustration among home canners. For the record, it’s harmless – just not as pretty.
The reason peaches float is because the contain air, which makes them less dense than the canning liquid.
So, the best way to keep them from floating is to remove the air, and the best way to remove the air is by hot packing the peaches, cooking them before packing into jars.
Ergo, hot packing is the solution for floating fruit.
Is it worth it? Ehh, not for me. I suppose it’s not a big deal if you’re only processing a few jars, but if you’re canning bushels of peaches? that’s a lot of extra steps, and big pots to wash when you’re done.
Keep in mind that removing air bubbles from the jar when using the raw pack method is not the same thing.
Can you pressure can peaches?
I suppose you can, insofar as it’s safe. But it’s not really useful. The high heat can destroy the structure of the fruit, making them mushy.
Water bath canning is the preferred method for canning peaches. Since peaches are a high acid fruit, they are a low risk food to can. While they may go bad, they’re unlikely to carry deadly bacteria, and since they’re low density, they’re fairly easy to heat through in a water bath canner, meaning easy to kill harmful bacteria during the canning process.
Do you have to can peaches in syrup
Truthfully, canning peaches in water will give you lackluster results. The flavor and sweetness will bleed into the water, leaving you with watery, near flavorless fruit and juice both.
- Traditionally, peaches are canned in a light or medium syrup. But there are good alternatives.
- Pear juice, or white grape juice is a good alternative. You can also try apple juice, or other juices, but pear is a mildly flavored juice, that is sweet enough to help preserve your flavors.
- Maple syrup. Making a canning syrup using maple syrup and water is another excellent alternative to a traditional sugar syrup. You will want to use about a 25% maple syrup solution, or adjust to your preference.
Equipment needed to can peaches
There are a variety of things you need to get the job done, but in terms of canning equipment, this recipe is fairly basic.
- A gallon or so sized pot for heating water to blanche peaches (this loosens the skin and makes them easy to peel)
- A colander for draining after removing them from the blanching water
- A knife for peeling and pitting
- A large bowl catching peelings and pits
- A larger bowl for holding the prepared peaches
- Canning jars. I usually can peaches in quarts, but I’m not too picky about the brand of jar – ball, Golden Harvest, Great Value, it doesn’t matter.
- Canning lids. Usually, if I’m using new jars, I use whatever lids came with them. If I’m using previously used jars, I buy Denali canning lids to replace the old ones. These lids seal really well, and are American made.
- Canning funnel for filling the jars without making a mess
- Water bath canner. I have an enamel one and a stainless steel one. Both work well, but I like the stainless steel because I can see through the glass lid. The important thing is that it has a rack inside for keeping the jars off of the bottom.
Other recipes for you:
- Raspberry peach jam
- Fresh peach salsa
- Peach iced tea recipe
- How to can strawberries
- Easy blueberry jam recipe
How to Can Peaches
Ingredients
- 8–12 pounds of peaches
- 6 1/2 cups sugar
- 5 1/2 cups water
- Extra water for blanching
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (optional, to keep peaches from browning
Canning supplies:
Instructions
- In a 4 quart or larger pot, combine sugar and water. Heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat. (See section above for alternatives to sugar syrup)
- In a separate pot, heat 2 quarts of water to near boiling
- Add peaches in batches, for 30-60 seconds each. Remove from water when the skin begins to crack. Note: If your peaches aren’t ripe enough, they may not crack, In that case, remove them anyway. The skins may not slip off quite as easily, but they’ll be fine.
- Peel blanched peaches, using a paring knife to break the skin, and pull from flesh.
- Slice peaches into quarters and release from pit. If using cling pit peaches, as shown in the video above, you may have an easier time just slicing the peaches from the pit, rather than pulling them away.
- Hold prepared peaches in a solution of 1/2 cup of lemon juice to 6 cups of water as you continue to peel and slice.
Cold pack method:
- When ready to proceed with jarring peaches, drain lemon water, and pack into sanitized caning jars leaving 3/4 inch headspace
- Ladle cooking liquid over peaches, leaving 1/2-inch headspace
- Wipe rims of jars with a damp paper towel or soft cloth, and screw down lids and bands.
- Fill water bath canner with cool water, and add jars of peaches, making sure the water reaches a depth of at least one inch above tops of jars.
- Heat over medium-high heat to a rolling boil.
- Once a rolling boil is achieved process quarts fro 30 minutes•, or pints for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Hot pack method:
- Drain prepared peaches, and combine with syrup in a large pot.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pack peaches and syrup into hot, sanitized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace
- Wipe rims clean, and screw down lids and bands.
- Fill water bath canner with hot water, and add prepared jars, being sure your canner’s water level reaches at least an inch above the tops of the jars.
- Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and process quart jars for 30 minutes•, or pint jars for 25 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
As always, it’s best to let the jars cool most of the way down in the water bath. But if you must remove them while they’re hot, remember to do it in a warm place away from drafts, protect yourself, using a bath towel to cover them as you move them, and to cover the hot jars with another towel as you go. All these things are to prevent jars from exploding. It’s happens! So be careful.
*If you live at a high altitude, be sure to check with the national center for home food preservation for any canning adjustments you may need to make.
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