Can peaches or freeze them?

[mamiof5]

We have a peach tree, and unless I get them all soon we'll just become the perfect early morning breakfast stop for all the neighborhood birds :P

Has anyone ever froze or canned peaches? What would be best? And...has anyone canned without a canner? Found some info online...says it's doable without a canner...wanted to check here :)

[Lolly]

I prefer them frozen. Easier, less work, less mess, more nutrition retained.

[zoobie]

I freeze them. I slice them and put some pre-measured into ziplocs with sugar and lemon juice for cobbler and ice cream and jam. (Different for each), then spread some on Silpat-covered trays to freeze solid before bagging plain. And make lots of peach preserves and peach-vanilla preserves.

[Shelly in IL]

I freeze with some fruit fresh and sugar.

[Carrie12345]

I haven't canned peaches yet, but I'v'e never been thrilled with my freezing results.  I have a (pressure) canner, I've just been afraid to use it, lol.  But I'm even more afraid of makeshift/olde timey solutions for canning.  I say get a canner!  (Waterbath is fine for peaches.)

 

 

[MFG]

I have canned peaches with a waterbath canner. Your available storage space may also influence your choice of method.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Freeze, but MFG is right to point out that it depends on your freezer space.

 

I haven't done peaches, but tomatoes.  I've tried canning and freezing.  Freezing is SO much easier.  Plus when you can you are cooking the stuff.  That is going to change texture a lot more than freezing will.  Some people blanch stuff before freezing.  I don't.  I just throw it in there.  No clue if that is some sort of problem, but I've never had a problem doing that.

 

 

[MEmama]

I've canned them in a water bath (no need for a pressure canner) and they've turned out fantastic. I use a bit of honey for a sweetener. They've always turned out firm and fresh tasting. A lot of fruit isn't that great fresh where I live and I've found canning actually improves their flavor.

 

I also make peach ginger jam. I don't have any freezer space to speak of so most what I want to put up gets canned, particularly fruit. Veggies take up my limited freezer space.

[againstthegrain]

We freeze but that's because I use them mostly for pies or smoothies which means I don't care about consistency when thawed.

[mamiof5]

Thanks for suggestions!!! For canning I found most directions included peeling...ugh! What about freezing, can they be frozen with the peel or there's no way around the peeling process?

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I canned some delicious peaches.  When they were opened later, they tasted just like regular old canned peaches you buy at the store.  I was so disappointed.

 

I have also made freezer jam with fresh peaches.  It didn't really gel, but it was the most delicious thing ever on ice cream (especially butter pecan ice cream).  My tummy is rumbling just thinking about it.

 

[myfunnybunch]

I do both.

 

We prefer the canned peaches for texture and appearance. We prefer the frozen peaches for smoothies.

 

And peach jam is delish! Even better is blackberry-peach, or apricot-peach, or strawberry-peach, or blueberry-peach. (I don't care for blueberry jam, but the bright peaches and the mellow blueberries together are a perfect combo.) Mmmmm. Summer! :)

[LucyStoner]

Frozen. But do not omit the lemon or sugar. You will get a disgusting result in a home freezer.

[Bambam]

Maybe I've been doing this all wrong - we've frozen peaches before and didn't put any sugar in there. What is the sugar for? We use the peaches in smoothies and have been very happy with them. 

[The Girls' Mom]

Mmmmm!  

I usually do both.  When we get peaches, we get bushels of them.  I usually get tired of canning them before I get them all done, so I freeze the rest.  I prefer the canned ones for snacking, but dh prefers the frozen ones (he pours milk and a little sugar over them while they are still frozen).

[Catalytic]

I prefer frozen because I don't like the texture/sliminess of canned, but if we ever get a bumper crop (we planted a few pear and peach trees at our property before we had to move again) I'll definitely be canning some, simply to save freezer space.

[skimerinkydo]

I've done both. Some years we have been overwhelmed with peaches and other years have gotten almost none.

 

The variety of peaches on my tree don't can well- August Pride freestone-  they turn into mush. I was so disappointed. But in my experiments with canning I learned that if you don't peel the peaches, the peach fuzz gets into the syrup and causes the jars to not seal. So since I can't make canned peaches we make LOTS of peach jam. You don't have to peel the peaches for jam.My teenage son seems to live on peach jam and peanut butter sandwiches. I prefer low-sugar jam which keeps up to a year but I also make high-sugar jam that keeps much longer.

 

I also make freezer peach pies frozen in pie tin shape:

 

Make two batches - we eat about 10 pies per year. A refrigerator crisper bin full of peaches = 2 bowls or 40 cups sliced peaches for 2 batches. Filling can be used for pie or crisp.

 

Prepare Peaches- 20 cups sliced peaches (not peeled) ( one plastic bowl  full )-use crisp, greener peaches

Wash and slice peaches. Treat to prevent browning by dipping in fruit fresh mixture.

 

Sauce:  Combine in large Stainless steel pot:

2 cups sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

1/3 cup minute tapioca

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tsp. lemon peel (optional –2015)

Stir in :

20 cups sliced peaches

 Â¼ cup lemon juice

1 Tablespoon almond extract

Cook and stir until mixture begins to thicken. Ladle into pie pans a lined with wax paper.  (about 2 ½ cups per pie)

Cool in pans no more than 3 hours.

Freeze in pans. Pop out of pie tins and freeze in gallon ziplock bags.

To cook thaw slightly, remove wax paper, place in pie crust, finish thawing. Cook about an hour at 350?

Yield: 5 pies or crisps

Variations:

*You can use ½ cup flour instead of the cornstarch and tapioca, but the flavor/texture is not as good.

*instead of lemon juice you can use 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice concentrate or ¾ cup orange juice.

*one recipe I saw adds ¼ cup butter  to pie filling before baking?

*another recipe uses 1 teaspoon salt- would this enhance flavor? Try it.

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

What would you actually like to have later on?

Personally I don't have much use for canned peaches.  I think I had them too often as a kid or something.

But frozen ones are fantastic in smoothies.

And I eat dried ones out of hand as snacks.

 

Which reminds me, I really need to score a dehydrator before the apricot crop comes in.  it's going to be a big one this year.

[Ausmumof3]

They are really yummy dried and you can do it with the peel on.