Last updated on August 17th, 2015
PEACHES, I’ll admit, are not as easy to freeze as green beans or herbs. To preserve their color, texture, and mouth-watering juiciness, the fruits must be blanched, peeled, tossed with ascorbic acid, and then suspended in a sugar-syrup. Here’s my fully-illustrated freezing-routine that guarantees succulent success:
Start with ripe, ready-to-eat peaches. “Free-stone” peaches (commonly available in late summer), are a good choice, since the pits are easily removed. The pits of “cling-stone” peaches (these are available in early summer) can be difficult to work with, as their pits are firmly attached to the flesh.
Wash the peaches in cold water.
Making the Sugar Syrup. Combine 2 parts water to 1 part sugar.( My peck of fruit required 8 cups water, and 4 cups sugar.) Heat this mixture on the stove, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Then let the syrup cool to room temperature. I’m told that white grape juice is a healthier (if less flavorful) alternative to sugar syrup.
Blanching and Chilling. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil. Working in batches, 3-6 peaches at a time, drop the fruit into the boiling bath for exactly 60 seconds. Then grab a slotted spoon, and transfer the peaches to a big bowl of ice-cold water, and let chill for at least 60 seconds. You will save a lot of time and dropped peaches if your ice water is located beside the boiling pot.
Peeling. Once blanched and chilled, peaches are supposedly easy to peel. This has not been my experience. I find that if the fruit is set stem-end down, and the skin is scored at quarter intervals with a knife (as above), it can be peeled rather cleanly. Start peeling from the pointy bud-end, not the flat stem-end.
Pitting and Slicing. Slice the fruit in half, and remove the pit. Then slice the halves into 1/2-inch segments (or just leave in halves).
Tossing with Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). Scoop up the peach segments, lay them in a bowl, and gently toss with “Fruit Fresh,” a powdered ascorbic acid product available at most supermarkets. Otherwise, give the fruit slices a squeeze of lemon juice. The goal is to prevent browning.
Packing in Bags. Place 3 cups or so fruit per one-quart zip-lock bag. Ladle in enough sugar syrup to cover the fruit, then fold the bag at the liquid-level (to express air). Seal and freeze.
Packing in Tubs. Place 3-4 cups fruit in a plastic tub, add liquid to cover, leaving approximately one inch of head room. To keep fruit from floating to the top, and consequently being exposed to air, place a crumpled piece of waxed paper over fruit, as above. Then place seal (below) and freeze.
Processed this way, you can count on peaches to keep well for up to 12 months in the freezer. If you have any questions to ask, or have your own peach-freezing tips to share, by all means post them in the comments field below.
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Eric says
Kevin, you're a peach. Great tips!
Janis in Chicago says
That's pretty much the same way I freeze peaches, too. One tip is to wipe down all containers before placing them in the freezer. With all that sugar syrup around, the bags or tubs are inclined to stick together.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Janis – What a great tip! My containers were indeed very sticky yesterday. I used a warm, wet cloth to clean them off.
Janis in Chicago says
You can double bag them, too, when your hands are sugar-free!
sksweeps says
I have a lemon tree that has been in over production mode for several years now, so I always have extra lemons. I use a very large bowl filled with water and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of lemon juice. I use this when I'm slicing up apples to dehydrate to keep them from turning brown. I'll bet it would also work for peaches (cheaper, for me at least, than buying the commercial products. Plus, my lemons are organic so I know nothing else is getting into my apples, or whatever I'm drying/freezing.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
sksweeps – Yes, organic lemon juice is a superior substitute for powdered ascorbic acid. How lucky you are to have a productive lemon tree. Frankly, I'm jealous!
Cindy Sue says
took me by surprise, lol, i really didn’t know peaches could be frozen… passing this along to my big sis’ta, who puts up everything! imagine, me teaching big sis something, haha…
sandie says
I just wondered if the peaches lose their firm constancy is you go the freezer route. I have done the traditional route but it takes so much time to do with the water processing. Can someone comment on this because this method sure is a lot easier.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Sandie – My frozen peaches held their shape quite nicely. They were not mushy. And you are right — it is infinitely easier to freeze peaches than to can them.
Trudi Dido says
I want to come live nearby and be your garden/household helper! Or at least I think I do.. You write as though you are having the time of your life and its inspiring . Thanks Kevin!
Molly says
My mom used to both freeze and can peaches. Both were great. When she canned them, she always put a pit in the bottom of each jar saying that she thought they tasted better. She always got compliments, so I guess it worked.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Trudi – Your comment made me smile. Thank you.
Molly – I’ll wager the peach pit made the peaches above feel more “at home.” And who knows…maybe it did affect the taste of the canned fruit!
Debbie says
Another tip which I got from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving, for ascorbic acid treatment is to crush 6 tablets of vitamin C, 500 milligrams each, and dissolve in one gallon of water. It says to put the fruit in after peeling while preparing to process. I’m planning to try it today.
Karen says
I have been freezing blackberries, strawberries and apricots by just laying them on a baking sheet and freezing them and then bagging them. I used these in smoothies. I was going to do the same thing with peaches, cut them up and freeze on a baking sheet. Tell me if this is a completely wrong idea.
Lisa Kaufman in CO says
For years I’ve been freezing fruit the same way Karen describes on 7/7/13. For peaches, I wash and dry unblemished, ripened whole ones, freeze them, then double bag them. When ready to use peaches, I run them under water and that removes the skin quickly. I cut the peaches into quarters and take out the pit before putting the pieces into the “frozen” fruit bowel or the blender. The fruit is sweet and colorful; and also firm until completely thawed. Leaving it whole and with skin intact hopefully creates no bad effects. We’ve never had any for over two decades!
Lisa Kaufman in CO says
Oops! I meant “fruit bowl” not bowel!! This treatment is quick and easy and I can put up a box of peaches in no time!
Deb says
Hi Kevin,
Can you provide a more precise measure of ascorbic acid? Thanks!
Deb
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Deb – I use roughly 1 Tablespoon of ascorbic acid per peck of peaches, although I suspect some folks get by with less. The acid’s only goal is to preserve the color of the fruit. Have fun with your project!
Nelle says
Years back I found a recipe to freeze peaches and they were spectacular. Fresh peaches mid winter. But the recipes above indicate putting water into the container and then wax paper on top. I remember the was paper but not water. What happens if you just blanch, slice and freeze in plastic containers filling the empty space with wax paper. In other words… do we need to fill with water???
Tiffany says
I don’t freeze my peaches in sugar water. Here’s what I do. I slice them and place all the closely spaced but separate slices on a lined (either with plastic wrap or parchment paper) cookie sheet (or sheets, if I have lots of big peaches). I then place the cookie sheet (or sheets as the case may be) into my upright freezer (35 yrs old and still going) and freeze them for 1-2 hrs. I now have “individually” frozen peach slices. I place all the peach slices in a ZipLok bag (getting as much air out as is possible) seal the bag and place in my indoor refrigerator/freezer (My upright freezer is in the garage). The peach slices I slice/freeze this way never ever freeze into a clump once stored in the ZipLok bag. I can now use my individually frozen peach slices in my Green Smoothies or in a pie or cobbler or over ice cream (once thawed out). Works really well for me.
Ramona Welden says
You can also freeze whole one just put on a cookie sheet and freeze then put in bags. When you take out let set a couple of minutes and run under warm water and skin slips off ready to use. They do not darken
Martha says
I blanch, slip the skins off, slice, add a sprinkling of citric acid or True Lime or lemon juice, then pack in freezer containers. No sugar needed–they keep well and are delicious.
Bobbie says
Thanks everyone for your tips to freezing peaches. They have been so delicious this year (2016). I have been thinking I would like to try freezing some.