It is peach season!
When we lived back East, I liked to can Baby Gold peaches. But since moving West, I have been unable to find them. So we have settled on Elbertas.
This is a project that the children and I do together every year. They help with the washing, twisting, peeling, and chopping for the most part. I get to do the rimming, pitting, some peeling, and canning.
They always groan in despair when they see how fast I can peel a peach. I tell them it’s because I’ve done this almost every year for several decades now! And remind them that when they are as old as me, they will be faster too.
Little Tyke got the responsibility of chopping the peaches! I used to slice them . . . until I had little kiddos. Then we’d get to the supper table, open a jar of peaches, and I’d still have to chop up the slices for them yet. So we got smart and simply chopped them into bite-sized peaches in the canning process! Saves times later.
Um . . . some of those are really BIG bite-sizes! That’s what happens when little guys help. But it all comes out in the wash, like they say! I’ve decided you can’t be picky when you let the little ones help. If you get a large chunk, you can also be sure you’ll get a tiny one soon to even it out.
I love a canner full of peaches!
It takes all hands on deck to get the job done!
And one more to be Mr. Fat Squishy’s personal babysitter! He loves the one-on-one attention.
Oh, the beauty of bright, yellow peaches in their shiny jars.
It helps to have a cutie right there helping, too!
If you’re wondering about the steps to can peaches, here’s a handy printable for you. Have fun!
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Canning Fresh Peaches
1. Wash your peaches.
2. Rim your peaches by making a cut all the way around them.
3. Twist them open to get the pit out.
4. Get out the pits using a knife or pitter.
5. Peel your peaches.
6. Slice or chunk your peaches.
7. Wash your quart jars.
8. Fill your jars with peaches.
9. Pour your syrup over your peaches in the jars. I make a light syrup to cut down on some sugar around here. You can use one of these: Canning Syrup Recipes.
10. Put your canning lids in small sauce pan and cover with water. Get the water to boiling and turn stove off. You want your lids to be hot when you put them on the jars.
11. Once lids are hot, put them on the jars and screw tight with a canning ring.
12. Put jars in water bath canner and fill canner with water up to the necks of the jars (or slightly over).
13. Turn stove burner on high.
14. Once water in canner is boiling, set timer for 10 minutes.
15. After 10 minutes, take jars out and set on a towel on the counter. Cover with another towel and let cool for 24 hours. You will hear them popping as they seal during this cooling process.
16. Once they are sealed, unscrew the rings, wash the jars, and put in storage.
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Sandra Miller says
Did you know you can speed up the peeling by dipping the whole peach in boiling water for a few seconds, then drop them in cold water? Then you proceed with step #2. Works like a breeze. You can do the same with tomatoes.
Living in the Shoe says
I usually run boiling water over my tomatoes for salsa, but hesitated to do it to peaches. Comes from my mom! 🙂 We thought it would make them mushy, and these are already a mushier peach than Baby Gold’s. However, after kids touch them all over, it might not have been much better!
Sandra Miller says
It does not make them mushy. In fact your grip on them when you peel them has a greater chance of making them mushy, I would think. When you run the knife around the pit I use it to pry the halves apart instead of twisting the halves – they are slippery and could get squished when you grip them. I suggest you try it,play with it and you might like it! 🙂
Mrs.L says
Here’s a tip to make your slices or chuncks a bit more even. Do you have one of those niffy things that slices the apple and takes out the core? Take that over half a peach and ditto it’s done! Granted, you’re left with unique shapes; a circle and odd shaped wedges, but it’s so simple that I don’t care! 😀
Living in the Shoe says
That is very clever! I have one of those and should try it next time. Thank you!