Canning preparation: sterilizing the canning jars and lids
You’ll want to begin by properly sterilizing the canning jars. I’ve found the easiest way to do this is to run them through the dishwasher on a regular load.
You’ll also want to sterilize the rings and lids. Simply place them in a saucepan over medium high heat and bring them to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.
Wash peaches thoroughly
Wash the peaches thoroughly and place them on a clean towel to air dry.
Cut and peel
Determine what size you want your canned peaches. Whole peaches in a jar, halved peaches, or canned sliced peaches will work fine.
To easily remove the skins, bring a pot of water to boil and blanch the peaches for 30 seconds and place them immediately in an ice bath. This will allow you to easily remove the skins without wasting any of the peach flesh.
Slice/Dice (optional)
The next step is to cut the peaches into the desired shapes or sizes.
Make the Simple Syrup
Using our chart above, choose your preferred method for simple syrup. Will you use honey, fruit juice, sugar, or plain water?
Mix the desired sweetener with the specified amount of water and heat in a saucepan, bringing it to a boil. Keep the mixture warm on low until ready to use.
If you’re choosing plain water, you’ll need to use the hot pack method. Other methods that use sweetener can choose either the raw pack method or hot pack method.
Put in Peaches in Canning Jars
By this point, you will need to determine whether you’ll be doing the hot pack method or raw pack method.
For the hot pack method, add the peaches to the syrup mixture and boil for 2 minutes. Then place the peaches in glass jars, filling them as full of fruit as possible, but leaving about ½ inch head room.
For the raw pack method, simply add the fruit to the jars, packing it as tightly as possible.
Fill Jars with Sugar Syrup
Next, fill the remainder of each of the jars with your peach canning syrup mixture, leaving about ½ inch head room at the top above the peaches in syrup.
Top the Jars with Lids
Add the sterilized lids and rings to the tops of each of the jars and place them in the stockpot filled ½ full of water.
Can the Peaches for 30 minutes
Cover the stock pot with a lid and boil for 30 minutes. If you’re using a pressure canner for pressure canning fruit, please see the instructions above for the length of time as well as the suggested psi based on the type of pressure canner used.
Remove from the canner
Once the peaches have finished canning, slide the canner to the center of the stove and allow the cans to cool. Then carefully remove each can of peaches from the canner using a jar grabber and place them on the counter at room temperature in a safe place for 12 hours until each of the jars has sealed.
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