Pickled Unripe Peaches Food

PICKLED PEACHES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients and wash the peaches.
• Add the sugar, water, and vinegar to a large pot and heat on medium-high until the sugar is melted. Bring to a boil. While waiting, stick about six cloves into each peach.
• Once the liquid is boiling, place the peaches in the pot and cook for 20 minutes, turning often.
• Let the peaches and syrup cool for about 5 minutes. Next, spoon the whole peaches into jars. Divide up the cinnamon and ginger between the chosen jars.
• Pour syrup over the jarred peaches. Either seal the jars through basic canning practices or cool and seal the jars and place them in the fridge, where they will last for at least six months. For canning, it's best to wipe the rims of the jars first with a clean, dry cloth and then twist on the ring over the seal. Process the pickled peaches in a hot water bath for about 10 minutes to properly seal. Canned, they can last a few years if stored in a cool, dry place. Once jarred, the peaches are ready to eat within 24 hours, though longer pickling will deepen the flavors until the whole fruit is like eating a warming-spiced slice of Christmas.

PICKLED PEACHES

Steps:

• Pour sugar and vinegar into a large saucepan, and stir to dissolve sugar. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves, and bring to a boil. Cover and boil for about 5 minutes. Strain out the cloves and cinnamon sticks, or you can leave them in for a stronger flavor.
• Pack peaches into hot sterile 1 pint jars to within 1 inch of the rim. Fill each jar with syrup to within 1/2 inch from the top. Wipe rims with a clean dry cloth, and seal with new lids and screwbands. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

PICKLED PEACHES

Steps:

• Peel the peaches: I like to peel them by hand with a vegetable peeler, because it can be difficult to peel unripe peaches using the boiling water method. But if you prefer you can dip them in boiling water, plunge them in ice water, and try to slip the skins off. If the peaches are too large to fit through the mouth of the jar, cut them in half. As you peel the peaches, place them in a pot with a half gallon of water and 4 tablespoons white vinegar to keep them from darkening.
• Using a double layer of cheesecloth, make a fairly large spice bag with the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, peppercorns, chiles, and ginger.
• In a large stainless steel stock pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and the spice bag. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the spices have infused the liquid. Add the peaches and simmer for 5 minutes (you may not be able to fit all the peaches in the liquid at one time - this is ok - just put as many peaches in at a time as you can, you want the peaches to be completely covered by the syrup, simmer for 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to remove them to a bowl and move on to the next batch).
• Once you have simmered all the peaches, return them all to the syrup in the large stock pot. Cover the pot and let stand on the counter overnight.
• The next day, bring the peaches and syrup to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Wash your jars - you will need wide mouth quart jars for these pickles. There is no need to sterilize the jars as you will be processing the pickles for more than 10 minutes.
• Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon, and pack in the wide mouth quart-sized jars (if you cut them in half, pack the peaches cavity-side down in the jar). Leave 1" headspace. Ladle the hot syrup into the jars, leaving 1/2" headspace (the peaches should be covered by the syrup). Use a chopstick or other thin, non-metal utensil to run around the sides of the jar to make sure there are no air bubbles left in the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with damp paper towels to remove any syrup which got on the rims or the threads. Place the lids and the bands on the jars, just tightening the bands fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes, then remove and let sit, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours before checking seals. It is important to let them sit undisturbed for 12 hours because the sealing compound on the lids is still cooling and hardening, completing the seal. While the jars cool, you will hear a "plink" type sound from each jar - this is the jars completing the vacuum seal as the final air escapes the jar. After 12 hours have passed, remove the bands and check the lids - press down in the center of the lid. If you cannot push the lid down any further, the jar is sealed. If the lid "gives" a bit, and you can push it down, the jar did not seal. You could put the band back on the jar and reprocess it for another 20 minutes, but this will probably make the peaches too mushy, so I would just put it in the fridge and use it within 3 months.

NANA'S SOUTHERN PICKLED PEACHES

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, vinegar and water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Press one or two cloves into each peach, and place into the boiling syrup. Boil for 20 minutes, or until peaches are tender.
• Spoon peaches into sterile jars and top with liquid to 1/2 inch from the rim. Put one cinnamon stick into each jar. Wipe the rims with a clean dry cloth, and seal with lids and rings. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal, or consult times recommended by your local extension.

PICKLED PEACHES

Steps:

• Prepare peaches:
• Dissolve vitamin C powder in 6 cups water in a large bowl (to acidulate water).
• Cut a shallow X in bottom of each peach with a sharp paring knife and blanch in 4 batches in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling water 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel peaches, then halve lengthwise and pit. Add peaches to acidulated water and let stand 10 minutes, then drain well in a colander.
• Toss peaches with sugar in a 6-quart wide heavy pot and chill, covered, at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
• Sterilize jars and lids:
• Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put jars on rack in canner and add enough water to cover jars by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. Cover lids with water in a small saucepan and heat until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Keep jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
• Cook and can peaches:
• Add vinegar, spice, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup water to peaches (sugar will have dissolved and will have drawn out peach juices) and bring to a boil over moderate heat, skimming off foam. Reduce heat and simmer until peaches are barely tender, about 3 minutes.
• Remove jars and lids from water, reserving water in canner, and transfer to a clean kitchen towel, then divide peaches among jars using a slotted spoon. Return peach-cooking liquid to a boil, then pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. Run a thin knife between peaches and sides of jars to eliminate air bubbles.
• Seal and process jars:
• Wipe off rims of filled jars with a dampened kitchen towel, then firmly screw on lids with screw bands. Put sealed jars on rack in canner and, if necessary, add enough hot water to cover jars by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered. Boil jars 20 minutes, then transfer with tongs to a towel-lined surface to cool. Jars will seal as they cool (if you hear a ping, that signals that the vacuum formed at the top of the jar has made the lid concave).
• After jars have cooled 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to check that it's concave, then remove screw band and try to lift off lid with your fingertips. If you can't, the lid has a good seal. Store in a cool dry place up to 6 months. Promptly put any jars that haven't sealed in the refrigerator and use them first.