How to Can Peaches
Today we’re going to learn how to can peaches! Canning peaches at home isn’t that difficult, it just takes a bit of time, but the delicious results are well worth it!
Updated July 2020
Last Friday I went down to my mom’s and canned peaches with her. Canning is a great way to preserve fresh fruits and produce for your family. Nothing tastes as good as home canned peaches!
I’ve been canning with my mom since I was a small–I’ve always been her right hand girl. I also took 10 years of Food Preservation in 4-H and excelled at it!
I’m a bit spoiled having grown up with home canned foods–I much prefer it to store-bought options!
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I will always be honest about what I like and use, whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
Peach Canning Supplies you may need…
- Canner
- Wide mouth jars, rings & lids
- Lifter (absolutely essential!)
I bought a small canning kit similar to this one a few years ago and and it has been perfect for the canning I do! I would also recommend buying the Ball Blue Book of Preserving—it is the ultimate guide to all things preserving, canning, freezing and has very clear instructions. My mom’s is VERY well-used and I love mine!
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How long do canned peaches last?
Peaches canned properly should be eaten within a year. They can sometimes last longer, but a year is a good benchmark for all canned goods! You can learn more about safe canning practices here!
How to Can Peaches – Step by Step
- Here we go! Start by prepping your jars. They need to be cleaned with hot water. I used all pint jars because that is how much my husband and I will eat. My mom mostly makes quarts for her larger crew. Either size the process is the same.
- Next, start a large pot of boiling water. Your peaches are going to take a quick bath in there! Once the water is boiling add peaches to the pot; it’s okay if they all don’t fit at once. Let them splash around in there for a minute or so and then carefully remove with a slotted spoon.
- Place them in a sink or basin filled with cool water. This hot bath and cool bath will help the peach skins just slide off!
- Then slice the peach lengthwise along the natural line; pull apart so you have two halves; remove the pit (with your finger); and slip off the skin. Rinse in cool water if necessary to remove “yuckies”. If there are bad spots slice off or save riper peaches for jam. Continue doing this until your peaches are finished or you come to a good “break point”.
- You should have a beautiful bowl of peaches right now!
- Take your wide mouth jar and gently stack the peaches insides down into the jar until full, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Add 5 cups water to 2 cups sugar in a large pot on the stove. Heat until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved in the hot water.
- Then slowly pour sugar water into to jars.
- Slide a butter knife along the edges to get rid of air pockets and make sure the sugar water is spread out. (The sugar water helps maintain the peaches firmness and coloring. You can rinse off when you serve if you prefer.)
- Wipe jars rims with a damp cloth. The top of the jar must be clean or the jars will not seal. Add lids and screw on rings.
- Place jars in canner, touching, but not tight. Fill canner with warm water until water just covers the jar lids. Bring to boil. Once boiling process 30 minutes for quarts; 25 minutes for pints. Just let ‘er boil!
- After 30 minutes are complete, turn off heat and remove canner lid.
- Allow jars to rest in canner 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; allow to seal overnight before removing rings. Test the seal by tapping on the jars. A high pitched “ting” means it didn’t seal. I did about 15 jars and one of them didn’t seal. I just put this one in the fridge and plan to eat it this week!
There! Not to scary, huh?
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Tips for how to can peaches quickly
If you have a friend who also wants to learn how to can peaches canning is definitely more fun with two! Plus, you can divide the tasks to go faster!
For example my mom bathed the peaches and filled them in jars and started them in the canner while I did most of the slicing and peeling that way we didn’t bottleneck on one task.
My mom and I started the peaches around 2:00pm and finished close to 6:00 pm. We canned a bushel of peaches which made 15 pints and another 16 quarts plus 8 half-pints of freezer jam (another post for another time) from the more bruised peaches.
How to Can Peaches at Home
How to Can Peaches
Delicious and easy step by step guide to canning fresh peaches at home!
Ingredients
- 1/2 bushel fresh, ripe peaches
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
Instructions
- Prepare jars by throughly cleaning and rinsing them in warm water.
- Boil water in large stockpot. Place 6-8 peaches in the pot of boiling water. Allow to cook for a minute and then remove with a slotted spoon into a colander.
- Immediately place peaches into a sink or bowl of cold water.
- Then slice the peach lengthwise along the natural line; pull apart so you have two halves; remove the pit (with your finger); and slip off the skin. Rinse in cool water if necessary to remove “yuckies”. If there are bad spots slice off or save riper peaches for jam. Continue doing this until your peaches are finished or you come to a good “break point”.
- Take your wide mouth jar and gently stack the peaches inside section down into the jar until full, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. (Should be 8-10 peach halves.)
- Add 5 cups water to 2 cups sugar in a large pot on the stove. Heat until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved in the hot water. Then slowly pour sugar water into the jars of peaches until the peaches are thoroughly covered. Leave 1/2 inch of space at the top.
- Slide a butter knife along the edges to get rid of air pockets and make sure the sugar water is spread out. (The sugar water helps maintain the peaches firmness and coloring. You can rinse off when you serve if you prefer.)
- Wipe jars rims with a damp cloth. The top of the jar must be clean or the jars will not seal. Add lids and screw on rings.
- Place jars in canner, touching, but not tight. Fill canner with warm water until water just covers the jar lids. Bring to boil. Once boiling process (aka let it continue boiling) for 30 minutes for quarts; 25 minutes for pints.
- After 30 minutes are complete, turn off heat and remove canner lid.Allow jars to rest in canner 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; allow to seal overnight before removing rings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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Canning peaches at home is definitely a worthwhile (not to mention delicious!) process to learn! Learning how to can is a skill that less and less people learn and I’m thankful for my mom who has taught me well over the years. Having peaches canned for the whole year is a great feeling!
I’d love for you to give this recipe a rating and review!
Be sure to pin it on Pinterest for later too!
Thanks for sharing this! I have always wanted to can but haven’t tried it yet. I will have to start looking into getting the supplies, but I really want to do this!:)
i’ve never canned before! this looks doable though & i love peaches! well, i love all fruit really! 🙂
It really is! Plus you get to enjoy the taste of local produce all year round!
I have so been wanting to do this! Like really bad! I need to go to a farm and buy a box of peaches! Thanks for the easy tutorial!
<3 Sam
DO IT!!
I have always wanted to can! Make jelly and make homemade salsa.. 🙂 Thanks for this Kate!
Freezer jam is so easy and crazy delicious! I haven’t done salsa yet, but my neighbor made a scrumtious recipe I’d love to try!
I didn’t realize it was that easy! I just made 6 pints and 6 half pints of peach jam, right around a 1/2 bushel of fruit. Plus I froze some for sorbet and smoothies. My mom will have peaches from her tree yet,so I think I will try this out with those. Thanks for the how to!
Hi ! Stopping over from the Pinterest Party at On Sutton Place. Pinned this post to my cooking board, for future use ! 🙂
Mmm… your peaches look so tasty! I am looking forward to use your recipe!
I’m glad you like it! Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
thanks for posting! I will attempt canning peaches this summer! In my research I saw some people use fruit-fresh and lemon juice – do you feel this is needed?
I don’t and I don’t think it’s necessary, especially if you are eating it within the 1 year recommended guideline. The peaches will over time become less bright orange and more faded in color, but it doesn’t affect the taste or safety at all!