Canned Peaches
We’ve reached the final day of canning week! Today, let’s go back to basics with canned peaches. This is perhaps one of the easiest and best places to start if you’re new to canning.
Growing up, this is one of the recipes we’d always follow for both peaches and pears. And let me tell you, homemade canned peaches and pears are divine. They beat the taste of the store canned version any day. Bursting with flavor, the fruit tastes fresh and has great texture.
These peaches are perfect straight out of the jar, served with ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese or they can be used in different types of recipes. You can even make homemade peach syrup from a jar! Mmmm!
Let’s get started!
I didn’t get around to taking too many pictures, but for reference, they start out the same way as when I made peach syrup.
First, I started by peeling the peaches. You can do this one of two ways. You can dip the peaches in a pot of boiling water and quickly remove the skin, or you can hand remove the skin with a knife. Because the skin on the peaches came off quickly and easily, I went with the second option.
I also recommend using peaches that are non-clings, or a freestone, meaning the pit of the peach will come out easily and without harming the peach. If it’s not a non-cling, it can be very difficult to remove the pit, and have a nice looking peach leftover to can as a whole, or half peach.
I used a paring knife to pinch the skin at the top of the peach, then pulled down on the skin for a clean removal. Normally the skin will come off in large sections.
Once I had the peaches peeled, I cut out any bad spots, and then added them into the jars, filling them until there was 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Give the jars a gentle shake to better pack the peaches into the jars.
Next, start to prepare your syrup. Depending on the sweetness of your peaches, you can choose between a light syrup, medium syrup, or heavy syrup. For these peaches, I used a medium syrup.
Once you have your syrup made, pour the hot liquid over the peaches, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. I wiped off the rim of the jars with a clean cloth, and them topped with with a warm lid and a tight band. Then, I processed them for 30 minutes.
When they were done, I set them on a towel to cool. That’s it!
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Here’s the recipe for you to try, plus I’ve linked all of the supplies! You can follow the same directions for pears and they’re just as delicious!
Canned Peaches
Equipment
- Quart Jars
- Lids & Bands, narrow or wide mouth depending on jar
- Small Saucepan
- Water Bath Canner
- Paring Knife
- Large Stockpot
- Measuring Cups
- Whisk
- Ladle
- Funnel/ Canning Tool Kit
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs Peaches Per Quart Jar
Light Syrup
- 2 cups Sugar
- 4 cups Water
Medium Syrup
- 3 cups Sugar
- 4 cups Water
Heavy Syrup
- 4 3/4 cups Sugar
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
- Wash, dry and set aside quart jars. In a small saucepan, add lids. Fill with water, covering the lids. Turn heat to low and let the water lightly simmer.
- Fill water bath with water and heat on high until boiling.
- Peel peaches, cut in half and remove pit.
- Put halved peaches into quart jars, shaking the jar occasionally to pack peaches tight into the jar. Set aside.
- In a large pot, prepare the syrup, depending on the level of sweetness desired.
- Add sugar and water. Boil together for 5 minutes. Skim the top if needed.
- Funnel hot syrup into jars, covering the peaches and leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
- Use a clean cloth to wipe jars and jar rim. Remove jar lids from heat and add to jars. Tighten well with band.
- Add jars to water bath, adding any extra water needed until at least an inch of water is over the top of the jars. Bring water to a full boil and set a timer for 30 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and lift the jars out of the water bath. Gently place them on a towel and let them sit for several hours, until cool and the jar lids have sealed. You should hear little "popping" noises as the jars seal. If any jars haven't sealed once they've cooled off, place in the refrigerator and use those first.
- Store in a cool, dry space. Jars can last up to 18 months.
I hope you’ve enjoyed canning week! 🙂 If you missed any of the recipes from this week, I’ve included them below: