Discover How to Freeze Peaches So You Can Enjoy Them Year

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Peaches can be enjoyed in various ways—fresh, grilled, and frozen! These delectable fruits are loaded with natural antioxidants, such as flavonoids and polyphenols. They have the potential to reduce oxidative stress and promote cellular health. But what’s even more exciting is how sweet and flavorful peaches are. And when you have frozen peaches ready to go, you can enjoy perfectly ripe peaches anytime.

How should you freeze peaches to avoid problems like browning or mushiness? Read on to find out.

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When you’re picking peaches, look at the color right by the stem. A light yellow tone by the stem is a sign the fruit isn’t quite ready. But a rich golden color lets you know the peach is ripe for the picking. As for the body, the overall peach should have a yellow or golden hue. If it’s too orange it may be over ripe. If it’s too light, it might not be ripe enough. The trick here is to find the perfect balance between colors. And don’t be fooled by blushing peaches. Reddish blush doesn’t always mean ripeness; it occurs naturally due to sunlight.

Knowing what to pick is just as important as knowing what to avoid. Skip peaches with green spots, flat areas, and wrinkly skin. Wrinkly peaches may have been chilled after harvesting and dried out.

What does a good peach smell like? Ripe peaches usually have a sweet, floral scent. The better the smell, the tastier the fruit. If there isn’t any smell, there’s a good chance the peach isn’t ripe.

Do the squeeze test to be sure you have a good peach to freeze. Gently press the peach on the side or near the stem. Be very gentle, if you squeeze too hard you’ll bruise the peach. You just need to squeeze enough to determine how firm it is. A slight “give” means the peach is ready to eat. If there isn’t any “give”, it’s not ripe enough.

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If you pick peaches but aren’t ready to freeze them right away, refrigerate them to slow down the ripening. Fresh peaches have a short window of peak freshness, 3-5 days at best. If you choose not to refrigerate them, place peaches in an open bag and keep them separate from other fruits.

Sometimes it’s helpful to buy slightly unripe peaches. If you were buying for baking and snacking, you could buy a range of ripeness levels. That way you’ll have freshly ripe peaches throughout the week. You can always speed up the ripening process by placing them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

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After picking all of your peaches, make sure you wash them thoroughly. Fresh fruit can become contaminated in a number of ways. Non-organic fruit may have herbicide and pesticide residues. And all fruit faces contamination risks during sorting, packaging, and distribution. The best way to stay safe is by washing all fruit and vegetables, including soft, delicious peaches.

Here are the steps to wash peaches:

Avoid using a vegetable scrub brush on delicate peaches. Instead, use a soft cloth or even a wet paper towel to wipe away dirt.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can also try washing them with vinegar. If you want to do a vinegar wash, mix 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar with 1 cup water, gently swish peaches, and rinse well. A vinegar wash helps ensure you get all of the bacteria off the fruit. But there is a potential downside. Some believe a vinegar wash changes the taste of the peaches, while others love the process and don’t see any reason not to do it.

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The boiling water method is a tried-and-true technique for efficiently peeling peaches. Begin by having a pot of water at a rolling boil and a separate bowl filled with ice water ready nearby. With a sharp knife, make a small “X” on the bottom of each peach. Using a slotted spoon, carefully place the peaches into the pot of boiling water, and avoid overcrowding.

Only, allow the peaches to sit in the boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute. The goal is to loosen the skin without fully cooking the fruit. Once blanched, swiftly transfer the peaches into the bowl of ice water. The quick temperature change halts the cooking process and makes the peels easier to remove. You should be able to peel the peach with your hands. You might want to cut another small slit with the knife to get things started.

After peeling the peaches, use a sharp paring knife to pit them. Cut into the peach until the knife hits the pit. Slice around the peach, starting and ending at the stem, to create a full circle. Hold each half of the peach with your hands and gently twist them in opposite directions. The twisting motion is to separate the peach halves. One half will contain the pit, while the other will be pit-free.

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Once the peaches are pitted, it’s time to choose how you’ll be cutting them up. You can quarter the peaches by slicing each peach half into two equal quarters, resulting in four pieces per peach. From here you can leave things as they are, or customize your cut even further.

If you want snack-friendly cubes, slice or dice the quarters. These frozen cubes can be used to enhance simple treats like ice cream and yogurt to more elaborate creations like fruit salads. For canning, peach pies, and tarts, cut thin slices from the quarters. To make preserves and fruit salads, cut the quarters into smaller chunks or pieces.

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Use lemon juice to keep peaches from browning when freezing. Cut fruits and vegetables become brown because of a process called enzymic browning. To stop this browning, call on the help of acids, like lemon juice. The acidity of lemon juice reacts with the oxygen in the air, and the vitamin C in lemon juice further slows down the browning process by reducing the oxidation of the phenols.

For the best results, take a few minutes to make fresh lemon juice. All you need is ripe lemons and a juicer. Wash the lemons with water, slice them in half, and start juicing. Then you can dilute the fresh juice with water. You’ll want a few tablespoons of lemon juice for every pound of peaches you’re freezing.

Soak the peaches in the lemon juice for 3 to 5 minutes. This allows the lemon juice to create a protective layer against browning. After about 2 minutes, give the peaches a gentle stir to make sure each slice gets coated with the lemon juice mixture. After soaking, gently drain.

Consider adding a little bit of sugar to your lemon juice before soaking the peaches. Add ½ teaspoon of sugar for every 8-10 peaches that you’re freezing. The sugar releases juices from the peaches, which reduces air pockets during freezing. The result is more uniformly frozen peaches that have a good texture after thawing.

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Make sure those peaches stay separate while they freeze. Clear a place in your freezer so the baking sheet can sit without any peach squishing incidents. Check to see if there’s enough room for the baking sheet to sit nice and level in the freezer. The last thing you want is things sliding around and clumping together.

Take the baking sheet and cover it with parchment paper or non-stick paper. Lay out your peach slices, and make sure they don’t touch. Space prevents them from freezing together in a big clump.

Slide that baking sheet into the freezer, close the door, and be patient. Let the peaches freeze solid. Give them about 4 hours to freeze, or for fully firm peaches, wait up to 24 hours. Once frozen, gently lift them off the parchment paper using a spatula. Now it’s time to prepare the peaches for long-term storage.

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Once the peach slices are frozen and firm, store them in quality-grade freezer bags. Make sure to push out as much air as you can around the slices before sealing the bag tightly. Grab a permanent marker and add the date on the bag. Frozen peaches are good for around 6 months, after that, they might not taste as good.

Freezer bags are a top choice because they work so well. As long as you get bags made for the freezer they’ll be durable and leakproof. Plus, you can reseal them, so they’re nice for all kinds of fruit.

Along with freezer bags, there are a lot of other storage options:

Look for containers labeled “freezer-safe,” so they don’t break in the cold. And pick the right size for your needs. You don’t want an enormous container taking up room in your freezer for just a few frozen peaches. Finally, consider how easy the containers are to use, before making any choices.

Vacuum-sealed bags are awesome for long-term storage. They suck out the extra air, which keeps the fruit better for longer. But you might need a special machine for these bags. If you don’t want to deal with special machines, you’ll want a freezer bag or specialized jar. Freezer-safe jars are great for things like jams or purees. Plus, they usually come with a fill line, so you know exactly how much to put in.

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Thaw frozen peaches the same way you thaw meat or other frozen foods, by putting them in your fridge. Place the frozen fruit in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a lid. Turning the bag of frozen peaches over every now and then will help them thaw evenly. After about 6 to 8 hours the fruit should be ready to eat. The fridge thawing method takes the longest, but the long wait pays off. Fridge-thawed peaches tend to have the best texture and flavor.

Are you in a hurry and need your tasty peaches right away? You could try microwave defrosting, just be careful to not overcook the peaches. Overcooking makes the peaches flavorless and slimy. Using a microwave-safe dish with a lid, place peaches to defrost for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals and stirring every time, until fully thawed.

If you’re worried about mushiness, you could try steam thawing. This method involves putting frozen fruit in a steamer basket over boiling water. The pot should have enough water to create steam but not so much that it touches the bottom of the steamer basket.

Cover the pot with a lid, and let the steam gradually thaw the frozen fruit. The amount of time you steam depends on how many peaches you have. You’ll probably steam for about 5-10 minutes. Be careful though. Oversteaming can cause mushiness. Keep a close eye on things, checking on the texture of the peaches every minute.

Finally, another option is to thaw the peaches using a bowl of water. First, put the frozen peaches in a fully sealed bag, and make sure everything’s sealed up tight. Now, fill a bowl with cool water. Not too hot, not too cold. Submerge the sealed bag of peaches in the cool water. The water will gently warm and thaw each slice. Help the peaches thaw evenly by changing the water and turning the bag every 30 minutes.

If you have small fruit pieces, change the water and turn the bag every 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the texture to make sure the peaches aren’t becoming mushy. You want the peaches to soften but not mush up. Once they’re soft and thawed, you can enjoy using them for all sorts of yummy recipes or simply enjoy them as a snack.

What kind of peaches are you thinking of freezing? You have options like yellow, white, and donut peaches, and there’s really no wrong choice here. You can freeze any type of peach you like. And when you work with different peaches, their distinct flavors and textures can elevate the taste of your dishes.

Do you want frozen peaches for classic recipes like cobbler? Then you probably want juicy yellow peaches, they’re a popular choice for all sorts of recipes. You can enjoy them with both sweet and savory dishes. Then there are white peaches, a tad sweeter than their yellow counterparts due to their milder acidity. You can chop them into cubes and freeze them for a chill snack-sized treat.

Now, if you’re up for a peach with a tangy kick, check out babcock peaches. Their flavor balances out the sweetness of sugary desserts. These semi-freestone peaches have a zesty tartness that’s perfect for sweet desserts. Semi-freestone peaches represent a newer peach variety that combines the traits of clingstone (where the flesh clings to the pit) and freestone (where the pit is easily separated from the flesh) peaches.

Use your frozen peaches to make a fast and sweet peach cobbler with a crispy topping. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare! When you use frozen fruit you don’t have to hassle with peeling and slicing.

To make the topping, melt 3/4 cup of unsalted butter and mix it with 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

For the filling, combine 6 cups of thawed frozen sliced peaches, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread the peach mixture in it. Spoon dollops of the cobbler topping over the filling and press down gently. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of powdered sugar on top. Bake at 350°F for an hour, then check to see if you need additional time.

Frozen peaches are the perfect ingredient for making frozen yogurt. Start with a rich base of thick Greek yogurt. The thickness of Greek yogurt makes it a great base for frozen yogurt, creating a creamy texture. You can make it even creamier by adding a blended banana and a bit of heavy cream. For flavor, use a dash of vanilla extract and a few drizzles of honey. Mix these ingredients together until they’re super smooth. This will be your yummy yogurt base. Pop this yogurt mixture into the freezer for about an hour. This will make it a bit firmer and easier to work with.

Next, you’ll need a food processor or blender. Take your chosen frozen peaches and blend them until they’re in small chunks. Add this fruity goodness to your yogurt mixture in the food processor or blender. If you want your frozen yogurt to be extra creamy, you can toss in a bit of heavy cream or labneh (strained yogurt). Give it a few quick pulses until the fruit is all mixed in with the yogurt base.

Put everything back in the mixing bowl. Let it chill in the freezer for an extra 1-2 hours, depending on how you like it:

A touch of corn syrup and covering the surface of your yogurt mixture with parchment paper stops any unwanted ice crystals from forming. After letting things sit in the freezer to harden up, it’s time to dig in. Enjoy your frozen peach yogurt!

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