Canning Peaches

Canning peaches is easier than you think. All you need is a few tools and an afternoon in order to have fresh peaches all year long.

• 7 sterilized quart jars with lids and rings
• Waterbath canner
• Jar grabber, or tongs to lift the hot jars
• Peaches (about 17 lbs fresh, ripe peaches) Freestone varieties are the easiest.
• Sugar, honey, or juice

Method:

1. Make a simple syrup with water and sugar. This is easily customized to how sweet you want your peaches. We like using a 2:1 ratio. (2 cups of water to 1 cup of sugar)
2. Wash peaches thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place peaches in the pot for 2-3 mins. Peaches should peel easily.
3. Peel, pit, and slice peaches.
4. Place slices of peaches in freshly washed jars. If not using new jars, inspect them for any chips or cracks as this will prevent your peaches from sealing correctly.
5. Fill up jars with peaches and syrup. Run a butter knife around the inside of the jar to get rid of any air bubbles.
6. Wipe the rim and outside of the jar with a damp cloth to get rid of any spills. This step is important to help the lids seal correctly.
7. Place the 7 metal canning lids in a small pan.  Cover with water; bring to a boil.
8. Use a fork to lift the jar lids out of the water- be careful not to burn yourself! Place them on the jars.  Secure each lid with a jar band/ring.  (The reason for heating the lids is to soften the rubber, to allow for a better seal.)
9. Place the jars into the canner.  Fill with enough hot water to cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches.  Turn the burner on medium-high heat.
10. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat slightly and process for 30 minutes making sure the water is boiling gently and steadily the whole time. You may need to adjust the heat to keep the boil going.
11. After processing for 30 minutes, turn the burner off.  Remove the jars using a jar lifter. You may want to have a dishrag in your other hand to catch any hot water that drips from the jars as you remove them and place them on an old towel. Jars will be really hot, take caution so as to not burn yourself or your countertops.
12. Allow at least a little bit of air space around each jar, making sure the jars are not touching.  Do not move until the jars are completely cool.
13. Jars should seal as they begin to cool and will typically make a snapping sound as the vacuum seal is formed.  Lids will be slightly concaved when sealed.  To test the seal, lightly tap the center of the cooled jar lid.  If it is firm and does not move, it is sealed. If it pushes in or pops, it didn’t seal properly.  You can still use unsealed jars, just put them in the refrigerator and use them as soon as possible.
14. After the jars are completely cool, you can remove the rings.  Jars should be wiped clean before storing. Use canned peaches within 12 months.