HOW TO FREEZE FRESH PEACHES WITHOUT PEELING THEM

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WE LOVE HAVING A PEACH ORCHARD AND DEPEND ON IT’S SUMMER BOUNTY TO SUPPLY OUR FAMILY FOR THE YEAR. WE LIKE TO FREEZE FRESH PEACHES FOR FALL AND WINTER PIES, CRISP, COBBLERS, AND SMOOTHIES. THE EASIEST WAY TO PROCESS PEACHES IS TO FREEZE WITHOUT PEELING THEM.

Eating a freshly picked peach is one of my favorite memories of summer. I anticipate peach season and spend about one month each summer picking peaches morning, noon, and evening. Peaches wait for no one, so on our hot Texas afternoons you will find me making jam, freezing, fermenting. There is so little time to deal with these divine gems, so I know several short cuts.

Since the window of edibility is so short I usually freeze the peaches immediately. This gives me a ton of options for how to use them later, and this way I can wait until the weather cools off in the fall to spend time in the kitchen making jam.

FREEZE PEACHES WITHOUT PEELING FOR FANTASTIC PIES, COBBLERS, AND CRISPS!

I find it very convenient to freeze sliced peaches in a quart sized zip closure freezer bag. This size is much easier to deal with than a one gallon sized bag. Here is one of my big secrets!

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PEEL THE PEACHES! I know all the books say you must first blanch, then dip them in cold water so they will easily peel. By not peeling the peaches you will get extra peach flavor. However, you need to know the source of your peaches and be certain they are organic.

Step 1: Remove the peach seed, then slice the peach

Step 2: Add lemon juice to prevent browning.

Step 3: Fill a quart bag with the sliced peaches and lay the bags flat in the freezer. Please don’t forget to date each bag!

Here is a perfect recipe to use your quart-sized bag of frozen peach slices: PEACH HAND PIES

FROZEN PEACH HALVES FOR SMOOTHIES

Around our farm we drink lots of kefir and raw milk smoothies. For no-wait smoothies, it is best to freeze the peaches in halves so they aren’t stuck together. It is so convenient to have a zip-lock bag full of frozen peach halves so you can grab the amount you need for your smoothie. I like to use two peach halves per cup of raw milk or kefir for my smoothies.

Here is a recipe for kefir smoothies.

REMEMBER YOU DON’T HAVE TO PEEL PEACHES!

Step 1: Cut the peach in half then remove the seed.

Step 2: I line a cookie sheet with natural parchment then place each peach half on it (try to make sure the halves aren’t touching) then I place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the peach halves are frozen. After they are frozen I put them in a one gallon zip bag and store them in the freezer.

HOW DO YOU FREEZE PEACHES WITHOUT PEELING THEM WHEN YOU WANT TO USE THEM TO MAKE JAM LATER?

I find it so much easier to freeze the peaches immediately after picking, then make jam at a later date when the weather cools off.

Step 1: Remove the peach seed then slice the peach

Step 2: Add lemon juice to prevent browning.

Step 3: Fill a quart bag with the sliced peaches and lay the bags flat in the freezer. Please don’t forget to date each bag.

TIPS

The window of edibility is very short with ripe peaches. If you pick peaches soft and fully ripe, then you will most likely need to process the peaches the same day. You may also refrigerate them immediately after picking but make sure to check them daily.
Pick less ripe peaches and leave them at room temperature until desired ripeness.
Be certain of the source of your peaches. You should only consume unpeeled peaches if they are grown organically and you are sure they are not sprayed with chemicals.
I find it very convenient to immediately freeze peaches and make jam with them later when the weather is cooler and I have more time.
When defrosting frozen peaches, it is best to do so in the refrigerator. Once thawed the peaches will turn brown if not treated with lemon juice.
Lemon juice brightens peaches, and I always add a squeeze to all my peach recipes.