How do I can (or jar) peaches?

Question

We have just moved to a place that has peach trees. My children LOVE can/jarred peaches. Can somebody tell me how to do so and what spices to use. Thanks!!

Answer 1

"fishineasy" has the correct canning time for boiling-water canning of peaches. But she mistyped the head-space for the liquid. Both the fruit and liquid should be 1/2 inch head-space. Also it is not advisable to use a metal tool to release the air bubbles as it can scratch the jar and cause failure of the glass during canning. Plastic or wood is better. Remember the timing for the canning begins after the water has reached a full, rolling boil.

For all your canning questions go here:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html

For USDA canning publications go here.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_home.html
They are down loadable, printable .pdf documents.

For prep and canning of peaches go here.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_02/peach_sliced.html

Answer 2

I just finished my summer canning! There are multiple sites online to help you with this, but here's what I do:

1. Pint Mason jars. You'll need about 24, with the lids and tops.
2. 2 lugs great peaches (I use Freestone), peeled and cut into slices.
3. Honey or sugar
4. A large canning pan to ensure you have a water bath

Wash jars and lids in dishwasher to disinfect. Set aside. In large kettle, add sliced peaches and cover with a mixture of 2 quarts to 2 gallons water, 1/2 to 2 cups sugar or honey and 3 T lemon juice. Bring to a boil and ladel mixture into jars, insuring that you have enough liquid to cover the peaches, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top. Place lids on jars and tighten. Place jars in canning pot and cover with water. Water should be at least 1/2 inch over the top of jars. Boil for 5 minutes and remove. Tighten lids as they cool and store in a cool place.

Answer 3

FREEZING & CANNING PEACHES:

Freezing Peaches

Ripe peaches
Ascorbic acid or commercial ascorbic-citric acid mixture
Sugar or medium sugar syrup

Select well-ripened fruit and handle carefully to keep from bruising. Wash and peel. Hand peeling gives a prettier frozen product.

Drop peeled fruit into a mild salt solution. Drain and slice. Freeze with sugar, in a medium sugar syrup or without sugar; however, sugar helps protect color, flavor and texture.

Treat peaches to prevent browning (Click here for more "Helpful Hints")

To freeze with sugar: Add 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid or 1 teaspoon of commercial color control to each cup sugar. Mix 1 cup sugar with 4 to 5 cups sliced peaches; stir gently. Allow to stand 10-15 minutes until sugar is dissolved and peaches are covered with syrup. Package in moisture-vapor-proof freezing containers - jars, rigid plastic containers or plastic bags in cardboard boxes. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. Place a piece of crumpled waxed paper or freezer paper on top in the rigid containers to keep peaches under juice. For bags, fill and push out as much air as possible. Seal airtight, label and freeze immediately at zero degrees F.

To freeze in sugar syrup: Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 2 cups water for a medium syrup. Add 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid or 1 teaspoon of a commercial color control to each cup of syrup. Fill freezing container 1/4 full of syrup. Slice peaches directly into syrup. Fill container, cover with syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Place a piece of crumpled waxed paper on top. Seal airtight, label and freeze immediately.

To freeze without sugar: Dissolve ascorbic acid or color control in a small amount of water. Sprinkle over peaches and stir, being sure they are well-covered with the ascorbic-acid solution. Package as above.


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Canning Peaches

Firm, ripe peaches
Medium sugar syrup
(1 cup sugar to 2 cups water)

Wash and peel peaches dropping into a mild salt solution (see Helpful Hints).

Cut peaches in half or slice as desired. Drain when ready to pack. Prepare enough syrup using the proportions above. Heat to boiling. Peaches may be packed cold or hot, but you get a better pack if you pack them hot.

Cold (raw pack). Pack soft raw peaches into clean hot jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Pack in over-lapping layers, pit sides down. Cover with boiling syrup to 1 1/2 inches of top (juice cooks out and fills jar). Remove air bubbles by running a table knife gently between fruit and jar. Wipe jar mouth and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath canner; pints, 25 minutes, quarts, 30 minutes.

Hot Pack. Cook peaches in boiling syrup about 3 minutes or mix 1/2 cup sugar per quart of peaches and heat to boiling. Peaches make their own syrup. Pack in hot jars as directed above. Cover with boiling syrup to 1/2 inch of top. Remove air bubbles, wipe jar mouths and adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath canner; pints 20 minutes, quarts, 25 minutes.

Note: Peaches may be canned without sugar. Precook in a small amount of water or heat in juice that cooks out. Pack hot as above.