Home canning is essential for gardeners who want to grow their own food and reap the benefits year-round. Canning peaches and other fruits is the best way to have a sustainable food supply from home grown crops. Learning how to can peaches is something that can help preserve the quality and taste of these late-summer crops. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Complete Guide to Home Canning, will show you how to can peaches in a boiling-water canner. Try this and our other canning resources to help you stock up after each harvest.
The following is an excerpt from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning covering how to can peaches.
Canning Peaches — Halved or Sliced
Quantity: An average of 17-1/2 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts – an average of 2-1/2 pounds per quart.
Quality: Choose ripe, mature fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking.
Procedure: Dip fruit in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in ascorbic acid solution. Prepare and boil a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack peaches in water, apple juice, or white grape juice. Raw packs make poor quality peaches.
Hot pack — In a large saucepan place drained fruit in syrup, water, or juice and bring to boil. Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Place halves in layers, cut side down.
Raw pack — Fill jars with raw fruit, cut side down, and add hot water, juice, or syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process.
Processing directions for canning peaches in a boiling-water canner are given in the Image Gallery.