How to Can Peaches
Learn how to can peaches with this recipe that gives you all of the step-by-step details to preserving the best peaches. Canning peaches does not get easier than this!
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With the weather we had this spring, a lot of our Okanagan fruit was affected. I still managed to find some of the best peaches though!
So I bought 30 pounds and decided to add them to our pantry of deliciousness. I love canning fresh fruit, because it tastes so amazing, but it’s hard not to eat all that fruit before it goes into the jars!!
If you’re new to home food preservation, the canning process might seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m here to help make it simple. The recipe I have for you today uses the raw-pack method, which I find is the easiest way of canning, and is a perfect starting point for beginners.
An excellent resource to check out is my Complete Guide to Canning for all of the tips and tricks. Here’s how to can your own peaches!
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Canning Supplies:
- 12 Quart Water Bath Canner with Lid – best for foods with high acidity like salsa, tomatoes and fruit.
- Ball Mason Jars – sterilized quart size jars work best for this recipe.
- Snap Lids and Rings – new, unused snap lids are needed to get a good seal on your jars.
- Canning Jar Lifter – this is used to lift the hot jars safely out of the boiling water bath.
- Magnet Snap Lid Lifter – this makes pulling the snap lids from the water after being sterilizer much easier.
- Jar Canning Funnel – perfect for pouring the syrup into mason jars.
- Ladle – for pouring liquid into the jars.
- Over the Sink Strainer – this is my go-to strainer for processing a lot of fruit.
- Rubber Tongs – for grasping hot jars and lids when sterilizing.
- Tea Towels – used for cleaning and handling hot jars.
- Stock pot – for blanching the peaches.
- Paper towel – for clean up.
How to choose the best peaches:
Because I don’t have my own peach tree, the best way for me to find fresh peaches is at local orchards and farmer’s markets. I look for fruit that is ripe, but still firm.
FYI, for canning, yellow peaches should be used. White peaches can be frozen.
In my experience, freestone peaches are the easiest to use in canning recipes. As the name implies, clingstone peaches can be difficult to remove the flesh cleanly. But if you don’t mind the extra effort, they definitely still taste delicious!
Ingredients:
- 30 lbs peaches
- 8 cups granulated sugar or sweetener of choice
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Note: this makes about 8 quarts of peaches. You can halve or double this recipe.
How to can peaches:
Directions:
1. Prepare equipment. Be sure that all jars are clean and sterilized. Place snap lids in small pot and keep on medium heat.
2. Fill medium pot half full with water and turn on to boil. Fill canner half full with water and turn on to boil.
3. Make a simple syrup to pour around the peaches. Fill a large pyrex mixing cup with simple syrup mixture (1 cup sugar, 2 cups water) stir and heat in the microwave for 5-10 minutes. Repeat this process each time that you need more simple syrup to fill jars.
4. Fill the sink with cold water, add 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice.
5. Prepare fruit. Place 3-4 peaches in the medium pot to blanche. Leave in boiling water (completely covered) for about 2 minutes. Remove and place fruit in cold water bath in the sink.
6. Peel off the skin. Remove the stem and pit and cut into cubes or wedges.
7. Place cut fruit into extra large bowl. Repeat until all of the fruit is prepared.
Canning peaches:
8. Can the fruit. Place jars on a cookie tray and fill with fruit. Pack the jars very full, drain excess water.
9. Fill jars with sugar water until the fruit is covered completely, leave 1″ of head space. Use a butter knife to jostle the peaches in the jar and get out any air bubbles.
10. Clean the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel.
11. Use the tongs to remove snap lids from small pot and place lids on jars. Hand tighten rings over the snap lids.
12. Place jars in the canner, be sure to have them completely covered in boiling water.
13. Process for 30 minutes.
14. Remove jars from canner with jar lifter and place on a towel on the counter to seal.
Note: Snap lids will “pop” and be indented when the cans have sealed.
15. Once cooled, wash jars and store in a cool dark place.
Tips & tricks:
- This recipe calls for cubing the peaches, which is my preference. Peach halves or peach slices work very well too.
- The lemon juice in your cold water bath creates an ascorbic acid solution. This helps to preserve the colour and freshness of the cut peaches. Vitamin C or citric acid powder could also be used. These items are often found with the home canning supplies in stores.
- For some people, quarts may seem a bit too big. Use pint jars instead.
- If you want a syrup that doesn’t have as much sugar, you can use a medium syrup or light syrup. You can even use a fruit juice, like white grape or apple juice. Whatever your choice, be aware that using less sugar may affect the final results.
- When adding the hot syrup to your jars of peaches, always leave 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar to ensure a proper seal.
- Processing time is very important in making sure your food is safe to eat. Don’t cut corners!
- Any jars where the centre of the lid hasn’t “popped” should be stored in the fridge and eaten first. They haven’t sealed properly and won’t maintain freshness at room temperature.
Now that you’ve stocked up, enjoy your peaches all winter long. I particularly like eating them with ice cream or yogurt. Another great way to use your canned peaches is to turn them into a filling for peach pie! Or try peach jam! Yum!
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Canning Peaches
Ingredients
- 30 lbs peaches
- 8 cups granulated sugar or sweetener of choice
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- 1. Prepare equipment. Be sure that all jars are clean and sterilized. Place snap lids in small pot and keep on medium heat.
- 2. Fill medium pot half full with water and turn on to boil. Fill canner half full with water and turn on to boil.
- 3. Make a simple syrup to pour around the peaches. Fill a large pyrex mixing cup with simple syrup mixture (1 cup sugar, 2 cups water) stir and heat in the microwave for 5-10 minutes. Repeat this process each time that you need more simple syrup to fill jars.
- 4. Fill the sink with cold water, add 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice.
- 5. Prepare fruit. Place 3-4 peaches in the medium pot to blanche. Leave in boiling water (completely covered) for about 2 minutes. Remove and place fruit in cold water bath in the sink.
- 6. Peel off the skin. Remove the stem and pit and cut into cubes or wedges.
- 7. Place cut fruit into extra large bowl. Repeat until all of the fruit is prepared.
- 8. Can the fruit. Place jars on a cookie tray and fill with fruit. Pack the jars very full, drain excess water.
- 9. Fill jars with sugar water until the fruit is covered completely, leave 1" of head space. Use a butter knife to jostle the peaches in the jar and get out any air bubbles.
- 10. Clean the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel.
- 11. Use the tongs to remove snap lids from small pot and place lids on jars. Hand tighten rings over the snap lids.
- 12. Place jars in the canner, be sure to have them completely covered in boiling water.
- 13. Process for 30 minutes.
- 14. Remove jars from canner with jar lifter and place on a towel on the counter to seal.
- Note: Snap lids will "pop" and be indented when the cans have sealed.
- 15. Once cooled, wash jars and store in a cool dark place.
