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Five Ways to Preserve
Peaches
Chutney, Pickles, Vinegar,
Jam
and Brandied Fruit
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Peach
Chutney
(makes 6 pints )
3 ½
pounds firm peaches, diced
1 ½ cups seedless golden raisins
1 large onion, minced
1 yellow pepper, diced
2 hot red peppers, diced (remove seeds)
½ cup crystallized ginger, chopped
½ cup pecans, very coarsely chopped
2 cups cider vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon mace
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| 1. Mix all
the ingredients except the nuts in a heavy
saucepan. 2.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
3. Turn heat to a simmer
and cook until the chutney is thick enough to
mound on a spoon.
4. Remove the mixture from
the heat and stir in the nuts.
5. Ladle into hot canning
jars leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal. Process in
a simmering hot water-bath for 10 minutes.
6. If you prefer, the
chutney may be portioned in suitable containers
and frozen.
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Southern
Pickled Peaches
(makes 6 pints )
4 quarts
small peaches
6 cinnamon sticks (about 3" pieces),
one for each jar
8 cups sugar (4 cups white and 4 cups
brown or all brown)
1 quart vinegar
Whole cloves
*Less sugar may be used for a more tart
pickle.
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| 1. Dip
freestone peaches into boiling water to loosen
skins. Clings must be peeled. 2. Stick each peach with 2 to 4
cloves.
3. Boil the sugar and
vinegar together for 2 minutes.
4. Put half the fruit into
syrup and boil gently until tender. Put remaining
half of fruit into syrup and boil until tender.
5. Pack the peaches and
cinnamon sticks into hot canning jars. Seal.
Process in a simmering hot water-bath for 10
minutes.
(Pickled peaches will last in the
refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks.)
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Peach
Vinegar
(makes 1 quart
)
1 pound
peaches
1 quart vinegar (at least 5 percent
acidity)
2 to 6 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
*Spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon,
allspice or herbs, such as mint, tarragon
or thyme are optional.
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| 1. Chop,
crush or grind the peaches. 2. Combine the fruit, vinegar, sugar
and spices or herbs in a saucepan (not aluminum)
and heat to the simmering point--about 170 to 180
F. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
3. Remove the pan from the
heat, cover it, and allow the vinegar to cool.
4. Transfer the
peach-vinegar mixture to a sanitized storage
container (not aluminum). Cover and store in a
cool, dark place for about 2 weeks.
5. Taste the vinegar and
when it reaches the intensity you desire, strain
it through a fine sieve or double thickness of
cheesecloth into hot, sanitized bottles.
(Peach vinegar may be stored at room
temperature for 3 to 4 months, but refrigerator
storage is recommended to retain its fresh flavor
and bright color.)
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Fresh Peach
Freezer Jam
(makes four 1
cup containers )
2 cups
peaches, peeled and thinly sliced.
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups sugar
1 pkg. (1 ¾ oz.) powdered pectin
¾ cup water
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| 1. Mix the
peaches and sugar thoroughly. Set aside for 10
minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Store powdered pectin and water
together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring
constantly.
3. Boil for 1 minute.
Remove pan from heat.
4. Stir the pectin mixture
into the peach mixture. Continue stirring 3
minutes. Pour in plastic or glass containers
leaving 1" headspace for expansion. Cover.
Let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
5. Store the jam in the
freezer.
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Brandied
Peaches
(makes 4 - 5
half-pints )
6 to 8
pounds firm peaches
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup water
1 ½ cups brandy
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| 1. Combine
sugar and water in a saucepan,bring to a boil,
and cook until sugar dissolves; keep the syrup
hot. 2. Dip the
peaches into scalding water for ½ to 1 minute to
loosen skin; immediately plunge into cold water.
Peel, halve, and remove pits and treatfruit to
prevent darkening.
3. Drain the peaches and
pack firmly into hot jars, cavity sides down.
Pour in about ¼ cup hot
sugar syrup. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of brandy
over fruit. Add enough syrup to fill the jars to
within ½" of top.
4. Seal. Process in a
simmering hot water-bath for 25 minutes.
Recipes from the
University of California Cooperative
Extension's Master Food Preserver Program
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