Sharing our family tried-and-true recipe for canning peaches at home to enjoy all year long.
The Joys of Canning Peaches
As long as I can remember, canning of fruits and vegetables has been a family tradition in our household. Everything from pears, dill pickles, peppers and beets has been lovingly preserved by our parents for the rest of the family to savor.
Canned peaches, also known as “kompota” in our house (kompota is the Croatian translation), has always been one of our favorite treats. The mild syrup with the sweet and soft peach slices is the perfect combination for a light, refreshing dessert.
Love Peaches? Try these tasty recipes:
Ingredients for Canning Peaches
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These proportions make 6 jars, 8oz each
- 2 baskets of peaches, freestone peaches, Red Haven
- 4 liters of water
- 4 cups sugar (can also use Stevia)
- 2 whole lemons, freshly squeezed (or 1/2 cup lemon juice, separated)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
EQUIPMENT
How to Can Peaches:
Preparing the Peaches
Start by cleaning the peaches. Place peaches in a large bowl of hot water and let them sit for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, peel off the skin. After soaking in hot water, the skin will peel off easily.
Cut peaches into slices, quarters, or halves. It’s up to you!
Place peaches in another bowl of cold water with a freshly squeezed whole lemon (or ¼ cup of lemon juice) to soak.
Making the Syrup
Place 4 litres of water in a large cooking pot with 4 cups of sugar. Add lemon juice (another whole lemon squeezed or 1/4 lemon juice) and cinnamon sticks.
When syrup water begins to boil, add the strained peaches.
Canning Tip: Add a couple of whole peaches with skin and pit into the cooking pot when water boils. This will add more flavor.
As syrup water begins to bubble, leave it to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
For more firmer peaches, cook no more than 2 minutes. The longer you cook, the softer the peaches will get.
Sterilizing the Jars and Lids
The goal in sterilizing your jars is to kill any microbes on the inside surfaces of the jars and lids.
Place new or thoroughly cleaned jars (ideally fresh from the dishwasher washed on hot setting) and lids in a large cooking pot filled with water and boil on the stove top for 10 minutes.
Alternatively, arrange the clean jars, open side up, in a deep, oven-safe baking dish. Place the dish with the jars into the oven and heat to 210F for 15 minutes. The jars will be sterilized – make sure not to touch the insides of the jars with anything that hasn’t been sterilized.
Just before pouring the jam into the jars, boil the rims, lids, a pair of tongs and ladel on the stove top for 5 minutes. Use the tongs to place the lids on to the jars. Do not touch any of the inside surfaces with anything that hasn’t been sterilized.
Filling the Jars
Fill the jars to the rim with the cooked peaches.
Leave the whole peaches in the pot until jars are filled. They can be put into a jar as well or eaten fresh.
Pour the syrup into the jars to cover peaches. Distribute the syrup evenly across all jars to be sure you have enough syrup.
In case the syrup runs out, make more syrup by bringing water and sugar to boil for 3-4 minutes, then topping up the jars with this extra batch of sugar water.
Seal jars and place in the oven again to sterilize.
How to know canning jars are sealed?
Check that each jar is sealed properly by pushing down on the center of the lid. If you hear a clicking sound this means the jar is not secure so eat the contents of that jar within a couple of days.
How to Store Canned Peaches?
Store properly sealed jars in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Wipe the outside of the jar with damp clean cloth after the jar cools to prevent mold from forming on the outside of the jars.
Delicious Jam Recipes to Try
- Low sugar strawberry jam recipe
- Raspberry jam recipe
- Mulberry jam recipe
- Instant Pot double berry pepper jam
- 4-ingredient quince jam
Strawberry Jam Raspberry Jam Mulberry Jam Double Berry and Pepper Jam Quince Jam
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Recipe for Canning Peaches
Ingredients
- 4 liters of water
- 4 cups sugar can also use Stevia
- 2 baskets of peaches freestone peaches, Red haven
- 2 whole lemons freshly squeezed (or 1/2 cup lemon juice, separated)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
Preparing the Peaches
- Clean peaches.
- Place peaches in a large bowl of hot water, let sit for 10 minutes.
- Peel off skin.
- Cut into slices, quarters, or halves.
- Place in another bowl of cold water with freshly squeezed whole lemon (or ¼ cup of lemon juice) to soak and not brown
Making the Syrup
- Place 4 litres of water in a large cooking pot with 4 cups of sugar. Add lemon juice (another whole lemon squeezed) and cinnamon stick.
- When syrup water begins to boil, add the strained peaches.
- As syrup water begins to bubble, leave it to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- For more firmer peaches, cook no more than 2 minutes. The longer you cook, the softer the peaches will get.
Filling the Jars
- Fill the sterilized jars to the rim with peaches.
- Leave the whole peaches in the pot until jars are filled. They can be put into a jar as well or eat fresh.
- Pour the syrup into jars to cover peaches. Distribute the syrup evenly across all jars.
- In case syrup runs out, make more syrup by bringing water and sugar to boil for 3-4 minutes, then topping up the jars with this sugar water.
- Seal jars and place in the oven again to sterilize.
How to Store Canned Peaches?
- Wipe the outside of the jar with damp clean cloth after the jar cools to prevent mold from forming on the outside of the jars.
- Store in a cool, dry place. Keep sealed jars in the pantry all year long. Must be sealed properly.