After something bright and fresh for winter? This canned peaches recipe will bring a bit of sunshine to the colder months.
Throwing a sulk now that ice cream season is over? Never fear, we have just the remedy for you today with a beautifully simple recipe that will leave you forgetting the outdoors as the cold sets in.
This beautiful canned peaches recipe might just prove to be your favorite new comfort food.
Autumn and winter often stir up the classic craze over pumpkin-inspired recipes, and peaches at this time of year might sound strange. but trust me – these peeled, sweet peaches in smooth, sugary syrup will get your tastebuds rocking. Match that with gorgeous spices and your choice of ‘secret’ ingredients and you’ll be left with a magical aroma.
The nostalgia involved with preparing jarred or canned recipes like this one is priceless and, I don’t know about you, but it stirs up a feeling in me most around as autumn and winter approach.
Canned peaches in jars bring out this childish warmth within me that reminds me of home in ways that not many other foods do.
I love simple recipes, and there are few that are as simple as this. It’s one of our favorite recipes with canned peaches, and it’s easy to see why. All you need is just a few ingredients and jars, and you’re good to go.
Take your time to pick the right peaches: We want them ripe, but only just. Anything overly ripe won’t hold its form once submerged in the jar, but anything underripe won’t give us the warm aroma that we’re after from these.
This recipe gives you a lot of artistic license to be as creative as you want with flavors. I should say that these are great just on their own with the sugar-water syrup in the recipe below, but feel free to be imaginative with ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg and honey.
Further to this, a wedge or two of lemon or a drop of vanilla will give the jars a beautifully fresh smell.
Be sure to let me know what you think of this recipe, and tell me if you get creative with ingredients. Enjoy!
Best Peaches for Canning
The peaches that you use for canning need to have a high acidity and sugars. Use yellow peaches instead of white peaches. You should also use freestone instead of clingstone peaches as the pit comes out easier. Popular canning varieties include Elberta, Angelus, and Red Haven peaches.
When choosing your peaches, make sure that they are ripe but still firm. You want the fruit to have a bit of resistance when you squeeze it. Don’t use green peaches.
Why Is Sugar Important for Canned Peaches?
Sugar helps enhance the sweet, natural flavor of peaches and makes canned peaches delicious. Besides taste, it has an important role in preserving peaches. It helps peaches maintain their structural integrity and vibrant color even after months in a can.
How Long Do Canned Peaches Last?
Canned peaches can last for at least 18 to 24 months. They can go longer than that without spoiling, but after two years, the taste and texture start to go a little.
What Type of Jars Are Best?
The best jars for canning peaches are glass jars that seal well, such as quart or pint Mason jars. Before using any type of can, sanitize it thoroughly to keep yourself and others safe.
What to Serve Canned Peaches with
Canned peaches are a great year-round addition to desserts, savory dishes, and festive tables.
- You can use canned peaches instead of fresh peaches in dessert recipes such as peach cobbler.
- Canned peaches can help add a little sweetness to your breakfast. Top waffles, pancakes, or oatmeal with the peaches and their juice.
- Canned peaches also go well with savory meat dishes to balance out the flavors. Add them to a pork glaze or mix with chicken to make a chicken salad sandwich.
- You can even consume canned peaches in liquid form by blending them up in a blender and making a smoothie!
Quick Tips
Here are some tips to make the canning process less daunting.
Canned Peaches Without Sugar
You can can peaches without any sweet syrup, however, they will not preserve as well, and their color and flavor will drain faster. If you want to achieve the best results but don’t have sugar on hand, replace sugar with another sweetener such as honey or syrup.
Are Browned Peaches Safe to Eat?
Browned peaches look unsightly, but they’re usually still safe to eat. Usually browning happens if the fruit oxidizes or was exposed to air for too long before it was canned. Carve away the brown spots or blend the peaches into a sauce or cake batter to hide imperfections. However, browned peaches are more likely to develop mold so check them carefully before eating them.
Why Do My Peaches Float to the Top of the Jar?
There are a few reasons why peaches float. The fruit could be low in pectin content, which happens if they are too ripe or processed, or the sugar content is too high. If you raw-pack the peaches, they are more likely to float.
Why Do Canned Peaches Smell Bad?
Canned peaches, like other fruit, can develop a strange odor thanks to the canning process. However, if your canned peaches smell very off or moldy, that means that they developed mold while sitting in the jars. You shouldn’t eat them.
Why Do Canned Peaches Taste Different?
Canned peaches sit in their own juices and a sugar syrup for months on end, absorbing the extra flavors. This affects their taste and makes them sweeter than fresh peaches. They are also higher in certain nutrient levels, such as Vitamin C.
Easy Canned Peaches
Ingredients
- 20 medium ripe peaches
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 cups water
- 8 pint jars
Instructions
- We’re going to kick things off by peeling the peaches, but we’re going to use a little trick to peel them with ease. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and set up an ice bath nearby.
- Carve an X into the bottom of each peach.
- Put 4- 5 peaches at a time into the water and allow them to boil for up to 1 minute. Be sure not to cook the peaches, but rather just boil them until the skin starts to peel away from the flesh.
- Use a large slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the boiling water and drop them into your makeshift ice bath.
- Once you’ve shocked all of them in your ice, use the carved X as a guide to peel them. Once you’ve peeled all of them, cut them in half and remove the pit. Quarter them.
- Add any flavoring elements you wish to your jars (e.g. cinnamon, vanilla), and start stuffing the quartered peaches in the jars, hole-side down. This is important because having the hole face down allows you to fit more peaches into the jar. Try to leave about ½ inch space between the top of your peaches and the rim of the jar.
- While you fill the jars, heat the sugar and water to make the syrup. I prefer to do this in a tea kettle just because it makes pouring the mix into the jars all the easier.
- Once all the jars are fully stuffed with peaches, slowly pour your hot syrup mix into the jars. Doing it slowly will allow the mix to creep its way into the peaches.
- Seal the jars and put as many as you can into a canner, and leave to process for about half an hour.
- Serve up and enjoy!
