canning peaches?

[Maria Costanzo]

Hi all,

I'd like to can some peaches and would like them to be as close as possible in taste to fresh peaches when I eat them next winter - I don't like heavy syrups. I took the canning workshop at Cooperative Extension and learned that sugar is not an essential ingredient. Has anybody tried canning peaches with no added sugar?

[Krys Cail]

Well, yeah.... and I didn't like it, and went back to using some sugar. Have also used red wine, and pear juice, both of which are interesting.... but, have not ever had canned peaches taste like fresh ones-- they are different, but, good in their own way.

[Maria Costanzo]

Thanks Krys, that's very helpful! I'll try very light syrup.

[Katie Quinn-Jacobs]

The sugar keeps the fruit plump in water bath canning. I use a light syrup to maintain firmness in the fruit. Using fruit juice instead of sugar swaps glucose for fructose, both are simple sugars (monosaccharides) and break down in the body the same way.

Although they are much different than fresh, home canned peaches and pears have incredible flavor and texture. A real treat in the middle of winter when there isn't any local fresh fruit. Beats bananas or other long distance fruits from South America by a mile -- or four thousand miles now that I think of it.

I put up enough quarts of pears, peaches and applesauce to have one of each every week during the cold months. Canned fruit combined with dried fruits and leathers allows us to eat local, except for citrus from Florida, during that spell when the last apples are gone from the root cellar (about January) until the strawberries come again in June.