How To Peel Peaches Easily

This incredibly easy and quick method for How To Peel Peaches will save you so much time and energy! Best of all, you don't even need a knife!

About 10 years ago when I made my first peach pie, I spent literally an hour peeling the peaches. Getting the skin of the peaches was about the most frustrating thing I'd experienced. “Why on earth would someone waste so much time to make this, no matter how delicious” I wondered, after peeling the last of them, the juices spilling over the sides of my cutting board.

It turns out that most experienced peach pie bakers don’t. I soon learned the art of peeling peaches, and life has never been the same. Trust me – if this is your first time using this method, you will be flabbergasted at how ridiculously simple it is. This is truly the easiest method for peeling a peach quickly. So, here we go.

How To Peel A Peach

The best way to peel peaches is to blanch them, which basically means boiling them for a short time in hot water. Doing this helps to separate the skin from the flesh of the fruit. To blanch peaches with this method, you'll need just a few things: A large pot, boiling water, and an ice bath.

The trick to blanching peaches to not keep them in the boiling water for too long, and to immediately transfer the blanched peaches to an ice bath to prevent them from cooking any longer. If you leave your peaches in boiling water for too long or skip the ice bath, they'll overcook and come out soft and mushy.

Here's the simple process for removing peach skin:

• Boil your water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make sure you have enough water in your pot to fully cover your peaches. You may want to blanch them in stages to ensure your peachers are able to be fully submerged.
• Blanch the peaches. Place the peaches in the boiling water for about 15-20 seconds (this is the blanching part), then remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon.
• Transfer the peaches to an ice bath. Immediately place the blanched peaches in a large bowl of ice-cold water to stop them from cooking through.
• Peel the skin. After a few minutes, remove the peaches from the ice bath and begin peeling the peaches. You can literally do this with your hands. If you find it difficult to get started, use a paring knife to score the peach skin, then peel the peach skin off from there.

Watch in wonder as the skin literally falls off the peach with the slightest nudge from your finger or knife. This is seriously the best and easiest way to peel peaches! After learning this easy method, you'll Never again have an excuse to not make a peach pie because "peeling the peaches is too hard".

And that's really all there is to it! This blanching method can also be used to peel other fruits - most notably tomatoes. Blanching is also often used for other vegetables before canning, to soften vegetables for cooking, or even to reduce the bitterness of certain vegetables.

How To Cut A Peach

Once your peaches have been peeled and are fully cooled, it's time to cut them.

1. Cut to the pit. Slice the fruit down the middle until you reach the pit.
2. Make a circle. Slowly rotate your knife, cutting around the peach until you've cut a circle completely around the pit.
3. Separate the peach halves. Halve the peach by twisting the two sides and gently and pulling the peach apart.
4. Remove the pit and slice! Remove the pit, then continue to slice the peach into wedges, or into pieces depending on how you wish to use the fruit.

How Long Can Peeled Peaches Be Stored?

Peeled peaches can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. While the peaches may keep for this long, cut fruit tends to start to turn brown after a few hours, a process called enzymatic browning. To prevent them from turning brown, add a bit of acidic juice, such as lemon or orange juice to the cut peaches.

Peeling the peaches ahead of time can be a nice time-savor when you know you're going to be using them soon in a pie or other peach recipe.

Can You Freeze Peeled Peaches?

Yes! Frozen peaches are great to use in baked goods, on top of cereal or oatmeal, or to toss into smoothies.

To freeze the peeled peaches:

1. Slice and drain peaches. Slice the peaches as directed above, toss with a bit of lemon juice, and drain in a colander until a good portion of the juices drained.
2. Freeze peach slices on a tray. Once the peaches have drained, arrange the peeled peach slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover the peach slices loosely with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer at least 3 hours, or overnight. (Don't leave your peaches in the freezer for too long during this phase or they will start to form ice crystals!)
3. Transfer to a freezer bag. Once peaches are fully frozen, remove the tray from the freezer, and place the individual slices into a freezer bag. Then place them back into the freezer for future use.

Freezing the peeled peach slices individually first will help to keep them from sticking together when you place them in the freezer bag. (Trust me on this - you don't want a frozen ball of peaches on your hands when you go to grab a few for your morning smoothie!

Do You Have To Peel Peaches For Pies And Cobblers?

Not necessarily. Most of the time the peach peel will melt into the filling. And, the skin has a good amount of fiber and can lend a nice color to your pies, cobblers, and crisps. However, some people don't like the sometimes stringy, papery texture that pops up from the skin from time to time. Experiment with both peeled and unpeeled peaches for your pies and cobblers to see what you prefer.

What To Do With Peeled Peaches?

There are loads of recipes you can make with peeled peaches!

• Peach cobbler
• Peach pie
• Peach chutney
• Add to salads
• Peach ice cream
• Peach cake or scones
• Peach Crisp
• Use with grilled pork or chicken
• Add them to a stirfry

So, now that you know How To Peel Peaches the easy way, I hope you'll give this method a try. If you do try it, please let me know what you think in the comments below!

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