Personally I prefer hot pack because there is less floating of fruit, time consuming but worth it in the long run. I also like to spice them up with whole cloves & cinnamin sticks in the syrup used for blanching.

I like hot pack too, because of the better "settling" and also because peeling hot peaches is such a breeze, then just pop them in the jars and you"re done! blanching also kills the enzymes that tell the fruit not to grow anymore, and I think in my mind that it must be a better product. Never done a side by side comparison. What about you?

I add a bit of ginger to my canned peaches and they are blanched to get skins off, and then destoned, sliced, and packed in jars. If it were just raw pack, the skins are not very nice once canned. In any case, peaches can get mushy in storage. Cling types tend to be a little firmer meat compared to freestones. Also canning when they are still slightly underripe is a good way to help keep firmness a little. Dont forget the ascorbic cacid!

I scald them quickly and peel, then raw pack.
I hate working with the hot peaches/syrup. Just me!

Deanna

You do get less floating of the peaches with a hot pack. USDA recommends a hot pack. Personally, we like a raw pack because they taste fresher to us, not as cooked. Either method is safe.
I always also add Fruit Fresh to the syrup when canning all fruits. It is just ascorbic acid and is safe to use. Keeps them really nice colored and fresh tasting.

My batch of apricot preserves made last summer are still nice and bright orange color. Adding ascorb to the jam also helped to keep the color. I used no sugar, but instead used Splenda and the great Pomona pectin.

When do you add cinnamon sticks are you putting them in the syrup or in the water when blanching?

When do you add fresh fruit to the syrup, during the heating of the syrup or after you fill the jar with syrup?

I am new to this as I have never done peaches or anything for that matter and so I don't know all there is to know about this. But it is looking like hot pack would be the best.

When I made a big batch of canned peaches, they just got a dip in boiling water and the into cold water. I peeled and sliced them, into a big bowl, added a bit of Splenda, and Ascorbic acid, then filled the jars. The peaches exuded a lot of juice, and didn't require anything added except the ascorbic acid. They were then capped and processed. I added a little bit of diced crystalized ginger to each jar too.

For a beginning canner I might recommend starting with the raw pack. There's plenty to coordinate and hot-pack can be pretty messy if you're also dealing with jars, lids, rings, and the boiling water bath at the same time.

You'll still find the flavor is far superior to anything you get in the store.

For the spice you can do it either way. You can put the spices in the cheesecloth bag and infuse the syrup then pull it out or you can put a stick (or half-stick) of cinnamon, whole allspice, a blade of mace, whatever you like in the jar.

However, again until you decide what you like, infusing the syrup might be preferable. That way you can taste and pull out the spices when the syrup is just where you want it to be. Spices sitting in the jar can change flavors or become bitter, especially if you overdo it.

Carol

Well, I was able to can the peaches today. It was a lot of work, more than I realized. You were right Carol, there is a lot to do when you are canning and than to add the hot pack, but I did it. I did have a hard time cutting up the peaches, not realizing they recommend freestone peaches. Live and learn. Now tomorrow tomatoes, should be fun. Thanks for all your help.

Congratulations on your first venture into canning. You are going to love those peaches next winter.

Once you get a few more batches under your belt you'll be addicted like so many of us!

Carol

As I mentioned previously, The freestone type peaches don't seem to hold up as well to canning as the cling type. The difficult part is to cut the meat way from the stones.

Add the fruit fresh to the syrup as you make it. It tells on the jar how much per cup of syrup.
I would add the spices to the syrup and remove for now.
Those homecanned peaches are soooo good !

I raw pack them just because I want to minimize the amount of cooking the peaches get. And it seems easier too. I would prefer less floating, but in the end, it's just an aesthetic. They are soooo good. I could eat them every day.

I did do the hot pack method and they came out really good. But I did my tomatoes raw and they were also just as good. I will probably try the peaches raw the next time just to see if there is any difference. Both my tomatoes and peaches did float but within a few days they both had dropped.

Mine were raw packed but only because peaches are such a soft fruit. It doesn't take much to turn them to mush.

bump

I'm bumping this up because it's peach season here. I'm starting with 25 lbs but plan to get more. I will be planting a peach tree this fall!
Was wondering if ya'll do peaches with just water and fruit fresh if the plan is to do cobblers and pie later or if you have a ready to use peach pie/cobbler recipe.
When I used to have a tree I always skinned and froze in water with the FF. This will be my first peach canning experience.

I use apple juice. Slice or dice the peaches, fill the jars with apple juice, then BWB. I personally prefer to can the peaches plain - since it gives me more options when it comes time to open the jars. I can add thickener to make a cobbler or a pie, or I can just eat the peaches plain. I have no idea what I will be in the mood for come next February!

My mom canned the best peaches ever. She always put one peach pit in every jar, for flavor, she said.

If peach pies and cobblers are the ultimate goal as they are for us, why not can it as peach pie filling? If you don't like using Clear Jel for some reason just can it without the Clear Jel and add your own thickener of choice as pie prep time.

On the other hand peaches canned in the standard light syrup recipe can be used later for just about anything.

But I do think I'd leave the pit out. Granted it can impart some additional flavor initially but with shelf time it can also turn quite bitter and turn the whole jar off-flavor. Not to mention that they are a potential source of contaminants and it is difficult for the heat to penetrate them during canning.

Dave