Canning Peaches at Home

Prepare for Canning

1. Sterilize canning jars by running them through a cycle in the dishwasher.
2. Place the canning lids in a large saucepan of hot water and simmer until ready to use.
3. Prepare a large pot of water and bring it to a boil on the stove.
4. Fill the sink with cold water, or prepare a large bowl of ice water.
5. In another large pot, combine the 12 cups of water and 6 cups of sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup Fruit-Fresh and set aside for later.

Prepare the Peaches

1. Carefully place several peaches in the large pot of boiling water. All peaches should be totally covered by water.
2. Set a timer for one minute. Remove the peaches from the boiling water and place them in the sink filled with cold water, or in an ice water bath. Repeat this process until all the peaches are in the cold water.
3. Add 1 quart of cold water and 1/2 cup of lemon juice to a large bowl. At this point, peeling the peaches should be easy. The peach skins should slide off without even using a knife. If the a peach is less ripe, it may require a little peeling. Cut the peaches in half or slice them and remove the pits.
4. Place the halved or sliced peaches in the large bowl filled with water and lemon juice. Stir the peaches into the water and lemon juice as you slice them to avoid discoloration.

Canning the Peaches

1. Place the sterilized jars right side up on a large cookie sheet. This helps keep spills to a minimum.
2. Pour 1 cup of the light syrup into each jar. Fill each jar with the halved or sliced peaches. Use a slotted spoon or ladle to remove peaches from the bowl of lemon water. Leave 1/2 inch headspace at the top of each jar.
3. Add more syrup to fill the empty spaces between the peaches and to cover the fruit. There should still be 1/2 inch unfilled space at the top of each jar. You will likely have some light syrup left over after filling the jars.
4. It's important to get all of the trapped air bubbles out of the jar before it seals. Slide a clean knife down the inside of the jar in four or five places to release the bubbles. Clean any liquid from the rims of the jars with a clean towel before placing the heated lids on the jars.
5. Use a magnetic lid wand or fork to carefully remove a canning lid from the simmering water on the stove. Do not dry it or touch the lid with your bare hands. It will be hot and you don't want to contaminate it. Place it directly on the top of the jar as pictured. Tighten the screw bands firmly on each jar.

Processing the Peaches

1. Fill a water bath canner 1/2 full with warm water. Place the jars on the wire rack and lower the jars into the canner. Add more water to cover the jars with 1 inch of water above the jars.
2. Cover with a lid, and watch for it to boil. Once it reaches the boiling point, reduce to a medium to medium-high heat. The water should still be boiling, but not at a raging boil that makes a sauna in your kitchen and a mess on the stove. Set a timer for 25 minutes for elevations of 0-1,000 feet (Check exact processing times for your elevation on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website).
3. When the time is up, remove the jars from the boiling-water canner and let them cool on a counter in a non-drafty area.
4. Once jars have cooled, make sure they have sealed properly and store them in a cool, dark place.