How To Preserve Peaches

Explore How To Preserve Peaches in this simple guide covering 3 proven methods including freezing, canning, and dehydrating! Keep summer’s sweetest fruit fresh all year with the expert tips we’ve included!

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Peaches

When summer’s bounty of juicy, fragrant peaches floods farmers markets and grocery stores, it’s the perfect time to learn how to preserve peaches for year-round enjoyment!

Preservation techniques allow you to capture that peak summer flavor and enjoy it long after the season ends. From simple freezing methods to traditional canning techniques that create pantry staples, preserving peaches is easier than you might think and incredibly rewarding!

The Best Way To Peel Peaches

Before you get started on preserving, it’s essential to know how to properly peel your peaches as well! One of the best and easiest methods, is the blanch and shock method.

1. To start, dip your peaches in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the skin is properly loosened. It may help to cut an X along the bottom of the peaches as well!
2. Then quickly dip them in cold water to stop the cooking process, and slip off skins either using your fingers or a simple paring knife if necessary.

The skins should slip off easily, and you’re ready to preserve your summer harvest!

When To Harvest Peaches

Watch the ground color (the base color of the skin of the peach), not the amount of red on peaches. The ground color should be yellow when picked.

The flesh should give under finger pressure when ripe enough. The fruit should separate easily from the branch with a slight lift and twist motion

The Best Way to Store Peaches

You should allow your peaches to ripen on the counter first, then refrigerate them.

Dehydrating Peaches

• CUT: For steam and syrup blanching, leave whole, then pit and halve. May also be sliced or quartered.
• DIPPING: Ascorbic acid solution or fruit juice dip
• DEHYDRATOR: 36-48 hours
• APPEARANCE WHEN DRY: pliable, leathery

Canning Peaches

QUANTITY: An average of 17 1⁄2 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts – an average of 2 1⁄2 pounds per quart.

PREPARE PEACHES:

Dip fruit in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until the skins loosen.

Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins.

Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired.

To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in ascorbic acid solution. Prepare and boil a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack peaches in water, apple juice, or white grape juice.

HOT PACK:

1. Adjust lids and process in Boiling water bath
2. In a large saucepan place drained fruit in syrup, water, or juice and bring to boil.
3. Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace.
4. Place halves in layers, cut side down.

Freezing Peaches

PREPARING PEACHES

1. Select well-ripened fruit and handle carefully to avoid bruising.
2. Sort, wash and peel.

SYRUP PACK 

1. Use 40 percent syrup.
2. For a better quality product, add 1/2 teaspoon (1500 mg) ascorbic acid per quart of syrup.
3. Put peaches directly into cold syrup in container – starting with 1/2 cup syrup to a pint
   container.
4. Press fruit down and add syrup to cover, leaving headspace.
5. Place a small piece of crumpled water-resistant paper on top to hold fruit down.
6. Seal and freeze.

SUGAR PACK 

1. To prevent darkening, sprinkle ascorbic acid dissolved in water over the peaches before adding sugar.
2. To each quart (1 1/3 pounds) of prepared fruit add 2/3 cup sugar and mix well.
3. Stir gently until sugar is dissolved or let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Use 1/4 teaspoon (750 mg) ascorbic acid in 3 tablespoons cold water to each quart of
   fruit.
5. Pack into containers, leaving headspace.
6. Seal and freeze.