No Question, This Is The Quickest Way To Peel Peaches

Peaches ripen quickly here during August and September, which is great for me! It means I can take home a whole box of perfectly ripe peaches for much less money than at any other time of year.

And what do I do with all those peaches once I bring them home? Make peach jam, of course! I try to make as much as possible so we can enjoy it throughout the fall and winter seasons, but making huge batches of jam is not for the faint of heart!

It’s not exactly difficult, per se, but the process can be pretty time-consuming. Or at least it used to be, until I learned a brilliant shortcut that makes peeling all those peaches quick and easy.

The process is called blanching, and it also works well on potatoes, tomatoes, plums, and almost anything with a thin skin. It’s quick and easy, and makes the skin of your fruits or veggies practically fall right off! Talk about a time-saver. Here’s how it works:

How To Blanch Peaches For Quick And Easy Peeling

You’ll need:

• Large stockpot
• Slotted spoon
• Large bowl filled with ice water
• sharp paring knife

Directions:

Fill your pot about two-thirds of the way up with water, then bring it to a rolling boil on your stovetop.

Score an “X” on the bottom of each peach with your knife, cutting through the skin.

Carefully add a few peaches at a time to the boiling water, and let them boil for about 30 seconds.

Use your slotted spoon to scoop the peaches out of the boiling water and drop them into your big bowl of ice water. Let them rest for about 3 minutes or so, then use your fingers to slide the skins off the peaches.

Continue repeating the blanching process until all your peaches are peeled. It’s just that easy!

Once you have a big pile of peeled peaches, you can make all kinds of delicious peach treats—including peach jam! :-)

I wish I could tell you I had a jealously guarded family jam recipe to share with you, but I honestly just use the recipe on the pectin box. I’ve included it here anyway, because it’s easy to make and turns out certifiably tasty peach jam!

Easy Peach Jam

Recipe from Ball, makes 1 pint

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Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup peaches, peeled and finely chopped
3 tsp bottled lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp pectin
1 cup sugar

Directions:

Start by preparing and measuring out your peaches. You can pulse them in your blender for a smoother texture, or leave them in small chunks if you like your jam with a bit more fruit texture.

Add your peaches and the lemon juice to a pot and stir to combine. Then slowly add the pectin, and stir until everything is well incorporated.

Bring the fruit mixture to a hard boil on your stovetop. (You want the mixture to be boiling enough that stirring doesn’t interrupt the boil.)

Then add the sugar to the pot, and return to a hard boil. Remove the pot from heat, and skim the foam off the top. Pour the jam into a jar and let it cool for 30-60 minutes. Place the lid on the jar, and store whatever jam you don’t plan eat in the next week in your freezer.

What’s your favorite way to eat peaches?

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