Adentures in Preserving Peaches: Summer 2013

Rained all day today. Got a lot of canning done, but absolutely no work done on the Sleepy Goat Inn. The Goats have been, for the most part, in the house all day with ventures out under the carport. Poor Kidlets. I hope there is much less rain tomorrow so they can do some foraging.

 Crystallized Ginger Peach Preserves Recipe (Pictured on the Right)

Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups finely diced peaches
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. Unsalted butter
5-1/2 cups sugar

Peel and pit peaches; finely chop or grind fruit. Measure exactly 4-1/2 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. pot. Stir in ginger.

Stir pectin into prepared fruit in pot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared sterilized jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Note: For stronger ginger flavor, increase crystallized ginger to 1/2 cup. That's what we did!

Servings Total: About 8 (1-cup) jars

Honey-Lavender Peaches (Obviously the one on the left)

Ingredients:

14 to 15 fresh ripe peaches
4 cups filtered water
1 3/4 cups organic raw honey
2/3 cup Riesling or other sweet white wine
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp dried lavender

1 fresh lemon 

Fill a large pot to about 2/3 full of water and bring it to a rapid, rolling boil over high heat. With a light hand, score an “X” into the fuzzy bottom of each peach and continue running your knife up the side of the fruit until the peach is scored (but not cut) into quarters. Carefully drop about 6-8 peaches, depending on size, into the water and boil for 60 – 90 seconds. Do the peaches in batches and keep the heat steady and high to prevent the water temperature from dropping. As soon as the peaches are blanched, remove them immediately from the boiling water and place into an ice water bath to stop the cooking and further loosen the skins.
When the peaches are fully cooled, slide the edge of a spoon or a dull butter knife (not serrated) under the skin at one of the edges and gently pull it away. The skin should just slip right off. Use a short and sharp paring knife to split the peach in half and remove the pit. Slice each fruit into 8-10 wedges. 

Using a vegetable peeler, cut 2 to 3 inches strips of peel from the  lemon. Be careful not to get any of the white portions.

Pack the peach slices and even portions of your lemon peel into your jars fairly tightly, but without pushing the fruit down and crushing it, until it comes up to 1/2″ from the top lip of the jar.

For syrup, in a large pot combine water, honey, wine, lavender, and salt.  Set the pot over medium heat and stir until the sugar and honey are dissolved.

Ladle hot syrup over the peaches, in the prepared sterilized jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 20  min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Servings Total: About 8 quart jars