Instructions

1. Choose the peaches to can. Ideally, the peaches should not be mushy or overly ripe. The peach should be fresh, as though you were ready to eat it. Use a cling-free variety of peach so that the pit is easy to separate from the flesh of the fruit. Inspect the fruit for any decay, mold or insects. You will need about five peaches per quart jar of fruit.

2. Prepare the sugar solution for your peaches. Heat 6 cups of water in a large pot to boiling, Slowly add sugar a few tablespoons at a time and stir until it is dissolved. Use between 2 to 4 cups of sugar, depending on the heaviness of syrup you desire. Once you have the solution at the right sweetness, keep syrup warm, but do not allow to boil.

3. Sterilize the jars and lids by using the sterile cycle of your dishwasher, or by boiling in water for at least 10 minutes. After removing the lids from the boiling water, dip your peaches in the boiling water to help the peels slide off easily.

4. Peel your peaches and slice to the desired size. Remove all pits, and take care to cut out any brown spots that you find on the fruit. Sprinkle your cut up fruit with approximately 1/4 cup of lemon juice to prevent them from browning.

5. Place peaches into the syrupy solution and allow to cook for five minutes, stirring frequently to keep them from sticking together. Spoon the peaches into canning jars, leaving around an inch at the top of the jar. Run a butter knife or small rubber spatula carefully between the packed fruit and the jar to remove any air bubbles. You may need to tilt the jar slightly to reach the bottom. Press gently against the fruit but do not squash. Cover the fruit with the syrup solution, stopping around 1/2 inch from the rim of the jar.

6. Place the jars into the canner and cover them at least an inch deep in water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for at least 20 minutes. Do not allow the jars to boil longer than a half an hour or your fruit might become mushy. After boiling, remove the jars from the water with jar grabbers and place them on the counter top overnight about an inch apart. Check to see that the lids have sealed securely by pressing firmly in the center of the cap with your finger. If the jar makes a popping noise, it is not secure and should be discarded.