How To Can Sliced Peaches

You can can sliced peaches at home with just a few simple steps and a water bath canner.
 
It’s one of the easiest fruits to preserve, and the result is jars of sweet, golden peaches you can enjoy all winter long.
 
If you’ve been wondering how to can sliced peaches without ending up with mushy fruit or floating jars, this guide walks you through the whole process.
 
In this post, we’ll cover how to can sliced peaches safely, the supplies you need, and the little tricks that make your jars turn out perfect every time.
 
Let’s get started.
 

How to Can Sliced Peaches: The Basic Process

Canning sliced peaches comes down to three main phases: preparing the fruit, packing the jars, and processing them in a boiling water bath.
 
Once you understand how to can sliced peaches step by step, you can repeat the process with any batch size.
 
Here’s what the process looks like from start to finish.
 

1. Pick and Prepare Your Peaches

The best peaches for canning are ripe but still firm.
 
Soft, overripe fruit breaks down during processing, so choose peaches that give slightly when pressed but aren’t mushy.
 
Free-stone varieties make slicing easier because the pit pops right out.
 
To peel them, drop each peach into boiling water for about 30 to 60 seconds, then plunge it into ice water.
 
The skins will slip right off, and then you can slice the peaches into halves or wedges.
 
Treat the slices with lemon juice or a commercial anti-browning solution to keep them from turning brown.
 

2. Make a Light Syrup

A light syrup helps canned sliced peaches hold their shape, flavor, and color.
 
For a light syrup, combine 2 cups of sugar with 4 cups of water and heat until the sugar dissolves.
 
If you’d rather skip the sugar, you can can sliced peaches in apple juice, white grape juice, or even plain water.
 
Just know that unsweetened jars tend to lose a bit of flavor and texture over time.
 

3. Pack the Jars and Add Syrup

Fill clean, hot jars with your peach slices, packing them fairly tightly but leaving about half an inch of headspace.
 
You can pack them raw or hot pack them by simmering the slices in syrup for a few minutes first.
 
Hot packing helps sliced peaches keep their color and reduces floating fruit.
 
Pour the hot syrup over the peaches, covering them completely, and use a knife or bubble remover to release trapped air.
 
Wipe the rims, add your lids, and screw on the bands until they’re fingertip tight.
 

Processing Your Jars of Sliced Peaches

Once your jars are packed, the next step in how to can sliced peaches is processing them in a boiling water bath.
 
This is what makes your canned sliced peaches shelf stable and safe to store.
 
Here’s how to do it right.
 

1. Use the Correct Processing Time

Processing times for sliced peaches depend on your altitude and jar size.
 
For pint jars, process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes at sea level, and for quart jars, 25 minutes.
 
Add 5 minutes for every 1,000 feet above sea level.
 
Always start your timer only once the water has come to a full rolling boil.
 

2. Keep Jars Covered by Water

The water in your canner should cover the jars by at least 1 to 2 inches throughout the entire process.
 
If the water drops below that level, add more boiling water to keep things safe.
 
Never pour cold water into a hot canner, since that can crack the jars.
 

3. Let Jars Cool Undisturbed

When the processing time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for about 5 minutes.
 
Then lift them out with a jar lifter and set them on a towel to cool for 12 to 24 hours.
 
You’ll hear the satisfying pop of lids sealing as they cool, which means your canned sliced peaches are on their way to the pantry.
 

Tips for Perfect Canned Sliced Peaches

Learning how to can sliced peaches takes a little practice, but these tips will help you nail it on your first try.
 

1. Prevent Floating Fruit

Floating peaches usually mean the fruit was packed too loosely or the syrup wasn’t hot enough.
 
Hot packing your slices and packing them snugly solves this problem in most cases.
 

2. Don’t Skip the Acid

Peaches are a low-acid fruit, so adding lemon juice or another acid source keeps them safe for water bath canning.
 
Use about 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per pint, or 2 tablespoons per quart.
 
Bottled lemon juice is more consistent in acidity than fresh, so it’s the safer choice.
 

3. Check Your Seals Before Storing

After your jars have cooled, press down on the center of each lid.
 
If it stays down and doesn’t flex, the jar is sealed and your canned sliced peaches are ready to store.
 
Any jars that didn’t seal should go straight into the fridge and be eaten within a few weeks.
 

So, How to Can Sliced Peaches?

You can can sliced peaches by peeling and slicing firm, ripe fruit, packing it into hot jars with light syrup, and processing the jars in a boiling water bath for the correct time.
 
It’s a straightforward process that rewards you with jars of sweet, summery peaches you can enjoy any time of year.
 
Once you know how to can sliced peaches, you’ll never look at a basket of fresh peaches the same way again.
 
Hope this post has helped you with exploring how to can sliced peaches and the little tricks that make each batch turn out perfectly.