How To Can Peaches for Beginners| Preserving Summer
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One thing my husband and I have always been interested in is living a more self-sustainable life. My husband loves hunting, and I love gardening and homesteading projects. I am not a pro, but I’ve learned so much as a homemaker over the past several years. And I’m grateful every day that I get to spend my free time working on projects and learning new hobbies.
We are nowhere near surviving completely on our own, and honestly, that’s not really our goal. However, learning life and survival skills, along with teaching our kids these things, is very important to me.
I’m still fairly new to canning. I’ve only ever canned jam before, and this year is my first time canning peaches. We bought our peaches in Georgia from a local farm stand, and they have been so juicy and delicious. We have been enjoying them all summer.
Now that the season is coming to an end, I knew I had to preserve some for the months to come.
So after successfully canning peaches, I am here to share with you how simple it really is. All you need are 3 ingredients and a little time. Maybe about an hour is all you need.
Now let’s can some peaches!
What You’ll Need
- Yellow-flesh peaches
- Sugar
- Water
- Canning jars with lids and bands
- Water-bath canner
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover or plastic utensil
- Clean washcloth
How to Can Peaches
1. Prepare Your Jars and Canner
First, prep your jars by washing them with warm, soapy water and rinsing them well. Keep the jars warm until you’re ready to fill them.
Fill your water-bath canner about halfway with water and begin heating it. Since we’re using the raw-pack method, you don’t need the water boiling yet.
Wash your lids and bands according to the manufacturer’s instructions and set them aside.
2. Peel and Prepare the Peaches
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Place the peaches into the boiling water for about 30–60 seconds, or until the skins begin to loosen. Remove them and immediately place them into cold water.
The skins should now slip off easily.
Cut the peaches in half, remove the pits, and slice them into your desired size.
3. Make the Sugar Water
In a medium saucepan, combine your sugar and water. Choose your sweetness depending on your preference:
- Light: 1 cup sugar + 3¾ cups water
- Medium (what I used): 1 cup sugar + 2½ cups water
- Sweet: 1 cup sugar + 1½ cups water
Bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Double or triple the recipe depending on how much you’re canning. I tripled mine to make sure I had enough for all of my jars.
Keep the sugar water hot while you fill your jars.
4. Fill the Jars
Pack the raw peaches into your warm jars.
Carefully pour the hot sugar water over the peaches, leaving ½ inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
Use a plastic utensil or bubble remover to remove any trapped air bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more sugar water if needed.
5. Add the Lids
Use a warm, wet washcloth to wipe the rims of the jars clean.
Place the lids on the jars and fasten the bands until fingertip tight. You want them secure, but not too tight.
6. Water-Bath the Peaches
Using a jar lifter, carefully lower each jar upright into your water-bath canner.
Make sure the jars are covered with at least 1–2 inches of water. Cover the canner and bring the water to a full rolling boil.
Once the water reaches a full boil, start your processing timer.
For the raw-pack method at 0–1,000 feet elevation:
- Pints: 25 minutes
- Quarts: 30 minutes
If you live above 1,000 feet elevation, make sure to adjust the processing time for your elevation.
Keep the canner covered and maintain a steady boil for the entire processing time.
7. Remove and Cool
Once the processing time is finished, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.
Let the jars sit in the canner for about 5 minutes.
Carefully remove each jar with your jar lifter, keeping the jars upright, and place them on a towel.
Let the jars sit undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Don’t tighten the bands or press down on the lids while they’re cooling.
8. Check the Seals
After 12–24 hours, remove the bands and check each jar.
Gently press the center of the lid. If it is firmly sealed and doesn’t flex up and down, your jar has sealed properly.
If a jar didn’t seal, place it in the refrigerator and use it first.
Label your sealed jars and store them in a cool, dark, dry space.
What to Make With Your Canned Peaches
Now that you have your canned peaches, here are some yummy peach recipes you can make with them:
- Peach crisp
- Peach turnovers
- Peach sweet tea
- Peach cobbler
- Or simply eat them as a snack!
I hope you found this helpful.
Follow along for more homesteading and homemaking recipes.
Thank you so much for reading!
With love,
Melissa
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