peaches peaches peaches

[Anonymous]

I have a peach tree. I don't live in the DC area. This tree has produced about 12-14 dozen peaches, and they are all ready this week at the same time. I have given away about 6 doz peaches to my neighbors. I do not have time to make jam this week as we are leaving for a 2 week vacation on Friday. What shoudl I do with all of them that is super quick and easy???

[Anonymous]

Freeze them and make jam later (I like to make jam in the early fall).

Spicy tomato peach jam is my favorite. It's so good on a grilled cheese with sharp cheddar. https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2011/09/spicy-tomato-peach-jam.html

Grilled peaches is the easiest dessert, and so delicious.

[Anonymous]

This song is now stuck in my head for the day.

[Anonymous]

Freeze them in slices and make jam when you have time. I did it last year and the jam was probably 90% as good as made with fresh peaches.

[Anonymous]

Halve them, use an ice-cream scoop to remove the flesh. Freeze the flesh; there will be plenty of juice to make it work. Freeze it in batches so you can turn some into jam, some into peach pie, etc.

And you can always give them to willing neighbors!

[Anonymous]

Op here. Do I have to peel them in order to freeze them? I am looking at close to 100 peaches and 1 night to deal with them all before vacation. I feel like to peel them I'd have to boil them to get hte skin off easily, and that just feels like a huge extra step.

[Anonymous]

well, canning is not SUPER quick but it also doesn't take all that long once you commit. 6 dozen peaches in quart jars shouldn't take more than 2 runs in a canner. FWIW I have never dared to pressure can stuff (my mom grew up doing this and won a state-level 4-H award for her pressure canning skills as a teen) but water bath canning is really pretty easy and the equipment is not expensive if you do not already own. You can knock this off in an evening. Give the family takeout for dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Do I have to peel them in order to freeze them? I am looking at close to 100 peaches and 1 night to deal with them all before vacation. I feel like to peel them I'd have to boil them to get hte skin off easily, and that just feels like a huge extra step.

No you don't have to peel them. Just slice, pit and freeze. If you don't want them browning a lemon bath will help.

Slice
Place in lemon water. Use a 1:4 ratio of lemon juice to water.
Dry
Freeze

[Anonymous]

Sell them at the farmer's market

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:well, canning is not SUPER quick but it also doesn't take all that long once you commit. 6 dozen peaches in quart jars shouldn't take more than 2 runs in a canner. FWIW I have never dared to pressure can stuff (my mom grew up doing this and won a state-level 4-H award for her pressure canning skills as a teen) but water bath canning is really pretty easy and the equipment is not expensive if you do not already own. You can knock this off in an evening. Give the family takeout for dinner.

You do not want to start this the night before vacation, especially if you've never canned before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Do I have to peel them in order to freeze them? I am looking at close to 100 peaches and 1 night to deal with them all before vacation. I feel like to peel them I'd have to boil them to get hte skin off easily, and that just feels like a huge extra step.

I am pretty sure that if you throw them in the freezer, skins and all, that when you thaw them the skins will fall off easily. I'd do that if you are afraid they will go to waste!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sell them at the farmer's market

Just bring out a card table and randomly set up shop? Great suggestion, i'm sure it will go over well.

[Anonymous]

Apple crisp but with peaches, just reduce the cooking time to about 25 minutes. This is my favorite recipe with vanilla ice cream of course:

https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=282167

[Anonymous]

If you want to skin the peaches before you freeze them, it wouldn't take that long to do it with the very simple boiling water method:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-peel-peaches/

If you can do it assembly line fashion, with one person doing the dipping and then one or two people getting the skins off and pitting the peach before putting the pieces/parts into freezer bags, it wouldn't take that long.

[Anonymous]

Is there a soup kitchen or church pantry that will take them? My parents used to work at a food pantry at their church and people would bring in boxes of citrus food for this reason. It was great to be able to give away fresh fruit.