Nothing can beat eating a fresh peach plucked right from the tree; juicy and warm that hits you with all the flavors of summer. However, peach season only runs from May to September, which doesn’t give us much time to enjoy this fruit.
But hey, you can always slice up the peaches well ahead of time, and then freeze or can them to ensure their freshness for a long time.
The trouble is that once picked, peaches can go bad quickly, which is why you need to use a few household staples to keep the peaches from turning brown.
But first, you must learn what makes peaches go brown.
What Causes Peaches To Brown?
Peach can be eaten after washing it. But if you are slicing and freezing peaches or canning them, it is nearly impossible to prevent them from turning brown.
The browning process kicks because when you cut a peach, a group of enzymes called polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) are activated. These enzymes create highly reactive brown pigments called quinones that are vulnerable to oxidation that causes your bright and beautiful peach to turn brown.
Preparing Your Peaches For Canning
Start by peeling and cutting them.
You can peel them using a vegetable peeler, or you can simply immerse them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds and then transfer them into a bowl of ice water to help loosen off the skin. Then you can easily pull it off with your fingers.
Then cut the peaches in half and remove the pit, then slice them further into wedges.
Stopping The Peaches From Turning Brown
You can employ several methods to keep your peaches from browning.
The first method includes immersing the peaches in water that reduces the oxidation of peaches that trigger the color-changing reaction.
The second method is to drop the cut peaches into a bowl of cold water mixed with lemon juice. This combination of cold water and acidity will keep the peaches looking fresh while you can them. Or you can combine the peaches with acidic fruits like pineapple chunks or cut tangerines. The acidity in these fruits inactivates the PPO enzyme that starts the whole process.
The third method involves adding a food-quality acidic ingredient that will prevent browning, such as vinegar. But it is too strong-flavored, and it will be unavoidable to taste its flavor once the preserving process is finished.
Alternatively, you can also sprinkle Mrs. Wages® Fresh Fruit Preserver or Citric Acid on cut peaches to prevent browning.
In Conclusion
Now your peaches are all ready to be canned and enjoyed the year-round. You can simply eat them directly from the can and enjoy their sweet juicy flavor, or you can use them to make peach cobbler or delicious peach pies.
No matter how you like your peaches, just use the methods detailed above to ensure you can have them all year round.
