This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
My mom makes the most amazing fruit preserves. We enjoy her garden fruit all year long this way. This peach preserves recipe takes a couple days; a longer process than most of the peach preserve recipes I’ve seen online but its worth the wait. It’s not watery like most of the recipes that rush the process.
This isn’t speed dating. You’ll get to know your peaches over a couple days and and be rewarded with some mighty fine preserves. If you are thinking about Christmas already (as I am), you can make preserves now, slap a label on in December and give them away as gifts to neighbors, co-workers, nursing directors (wink, wink) – I guess this means I can’t eat all of them myself.
Ingredients for Peach Preserves:
11 lbs peaches, rinsed (about 8 lbs after peeling and pitting)
4 cups granulated sugar, or more added to taste
1/2 cup lemon juice (from 3-4 large lemons)
What you will need:
- 5-6 pint-sized jars with lids. I purchased them at Walmart.
- Large Stock Pot (20Qt+) with Rack (or purchase a canner)
- Jar lifter to safely transfer the jars
How to Make Peach Preserves / Peach Jam:
To blanch the peaches:
1. Fill 2/3 of a large soup pot with water. Bring to a boil. Add peaches for 30 -45 seconds, then remove with slotted spoon or this OXO strainer
2. Peel the skin (most of them peeled easily by hand, but there were a stubborn few that required a knife), cut the peaches into quarters and remove pits.
Cooking the Preserves:
1. Place all peeled peaches in a large soup pot and squeeze in lemon juice. Drizzle well with 2 cups sugar, toss and drizzle again with the remaining 1.5-2 cups so the sugar reaches all the peaches. Here’s where you need to use your judgement.
If your peaches are very sweet, you may only need 3 1/2 cups of sugar total. You can add more sugar to taste while its cooking, so don’t panic at this step. You’ll do great!
2. Let peaches sit at room temp with the sugar for about 30min -1 hour, or until sugar is dissolved.
3. Place the pot over the stove uncovered and bring to a light boil, stirring to prevent scorching. Make sure if you see a light boil to stir because the whole pot may not be boiling, just the center. If it stops boiling after you stir it, continue boiling.
Once the whole pot is at a light boil, simmer for 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Let the pot stand uncovered until it is just warm to the touch or reaches room temp.
4. As soon as it cools, repeat step 3. You will bring it to a light boil a total of 5 times. This is why it takes 2 days to make. It’s really easy though. Definitely not rocket science to bring a pot to a boil and give it a few stirs :D.
You can go to work and come home then return it to a boil; there’s no “set” time that you need to be reboiling it. If 2 days doesn’t work for you, by all means, take 3 days. Preserves have plenty of sugar so they won’t spoil at room temp if you leave it on the counter overnight. If you want the preserves to have an even thicker consistency, you can boil it 6 times if you wish.
(Note: the fifth time you boil, bring it to a boil over a little lower heat and stir a few extra times to prevent scorching. Also, it thickens more as it cools.)
5. The last time you bring it to a boil you will want to transfer it to sterilized jars while it’s boiling hot.
To sterilize the jars:
- To sterilize your clean jars: wash them and let them dry in the oven at 215 for about 20 min or until completely dry. Boil the lids 5 min.
2. Transfer your boiling hot preserves to the jars using a glass measuring cup and a funnel (least messy method) leaving about 1/2″ space.
3. Screw the lids on enough to keep a tight seal in place but don’t over-tighten them since air bubbles need to be able to escape.
4. Place packed cans into the canning pot and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and process 15 minutes. Remove from the pot with jar lifter and leave at room temperature undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You may hear a pop when the jars fully seal. After 24 hours, check that the seal has formed by pushing down on the center of the lid – it should not move at all. If the seal does not form, refrigerate preserves and enjoy within 3 months.
Tada!! You’ll make it and think “hey that wasn’t so bad.” Well, that’s what I thought the first time I made them.
Current Canning Guidelines:
Recipe updated in 2019 to reflect new canning standards. Previously we used the oven method. You can get up to date on the most recent canning guidelines here. It’s a great resource to answer frequently asked canning questions.
Country Peach Preserves
Ingredients
Peach Preserves Ingredients:
- 11 lbs peaches, rinsed
- 4 cups granulated sugar, or more to taste
- 1/2 cup lemon juice, from 3-4 large lemons
What you will need:
- 5-6 pint-sized jars with lids
Instructions
To blanch the peaches:
- Fill 2/3 of a large soup pot with water. Bring to a boil. Add peaches for 30 -45 seconds, then remove with slotted spoon and drain the pot. Remove peaches immediately to a large bowl of cold water.
- Peel the skin, cut the peaches into quarters and remove pits.
Cooking the Preserves:
- Place all peeled peaches in a large soup pot and squeeze in lemon juice. Drizzle well with 2 cups sugar, toss and drizzle again with the remaining 1.5-2 cups so the sugar reaches all the peaches. If peaches are very sweet, you may only need 3 1/2 cups of sugar total. Add more sugar to taste while its cooking.
- Let peaches sit at room temp with the sugar for about 30 min -1 hour, or until sugar is dissolved.
- Place the pot over the stove uncovered and bring to a light boil, stirring to prevent scorching. Once the whole pot is at a light boil, simmer for 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Let the pot stand uncovered until it is just warm to the touch or reaches room temp.
- As soon as it cools, repeat step 3. You will bring it to a light boil a total of 5 times. Preserves have plenty of sugar so they won't spoil at room temp if you leave it on the counter overnight. If you want the preserves to have an even thicker consistency, you can boil it 6 times if you wish. (Note: the fifth time you boil, bring it to a boil over a little lower heat and stir a few extra times to prevent scorching. Also, it thickens more as it cools.)
- The last time you bring it to a boil you will want to transfer it to sterilized jars while it's boiling hot.
To sterilize the jars: wash them and let them dry in the oven at 215 for about 20 min or until completely dry. Boil the lids 5 min.
- Transfer your boiling hot preserves to the jars using a glass measuring cup and a funnel (least messy method) leaving about 1/2″ space.
- Screw the lids on enough to keep a tight seal in place but don't over-tighten them since air bubbles need to be able to escape.
- Place packed cans into the canning pot and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and process 15 minutes. Remove from the pot with jar lifter and leave at room temperature undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You may hear a pop when the jars fully seal. After 24 hours, check that the seal has formed by pushing down on the center of the lid - it should not move at all. If the seal does not form, refrigerate preserves and enjoy within 3 months.
Filed Under
Signs of Spoiled Canned Food:
With any type of canning, we follow this advice: “When in doubt, throw it out”
Discard and do not eat or taste any canned food if you notice any of the following:
- the jar is leaking, bulging, or swollen
- the jar looks damaged, cracked, or abnormal
- the jar spurts foam or liquid upon opening
- the canned food is discolored, moldy, mushy, slimy, or smells bad
I have never canned anything before. But i highly recommend this recipe for beginners. It’s super easy and delicious.
I used 25 peaches, and 2 cups of sugar. (Aprox. halved the recipe). And filled 6 half pint jars.
I will absolutely be making this again and again. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Alondra! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I used frozen peaches, 4 pounds of peaches with 1 1/2 cups of white sugar. Worked out really well. Taste great. I sifted some ground ginger into the peaches after cooking them down and it tastes great.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Year two using this outstanding recipe. Last year I cooked it all in a calphalon stock pot. Did not realize it would darken the peaches.
This year, split it between two enameled cast iron pans – huge improvement in color.
You know the product is good when people return jars empty with a hopeful look on their face!
Hi, when I move the peaches from the boiling water during the blanching process. Can I place them in an ice bath?
Hello Willie, This is the process that works on our end however you can use the process that you’re comfortable with. You can try without the ice bath and please let us know and share with us how it goes.
I made two batches of peach preserves with this recipe back in August. Loved it! I do have a question. Is it normal for the preserves to be discolored over time? They have good seals, but they’ve lost that bright yellow color. Now they look pale and bland.
Btw…tried your spatchcock chicken….it’s the best!
Hi John! I’m so happy you’re enjoying our recipes! Following the instructions here, the fruit does not lose color or flavor. If you cook it for too long at too high of the preserves will get darker, however, it won’t really affect the flavor unless they get burn so I would watch for that being the main contributor to color loss.
Can you used frozen peaches? Any modifications?
I haven’t tried it that way but I think it’s worth experimenting with. Frozen peaches might make the preserves a little darker but it should still work fine.
Can you use frozen peaches for this recipe? I missed the in season fresh peaches. Any adjustments to the recipe?
Hi Susan, I haven’t tried it that way but I think it’s worth experimenting with. Frozen peaches might make the preserves a little darker but it should still work fine.
Do the peach preserves have to be refrigerated?
Hi June, there is no need to refrigerate them, because the sugar will keep them from spoiling. They have a shelf life of about a year and maybe longer if they are canned and tightly sealed. You can keep them in the pantry and refrigerate after opening
Could I use peaches that I have in the freezer already? How many cups would I use (they are already halved and pit removed)?
Hi Shan, I haven’t tried it that way but I think it’s worth experimenting. Frozen peaches might make the preserves a little darker but it should still work fine.
We love the flavor and I loved the ease of not having to get it all done in one day. I could work on it after work until I finished it. I’ll definitely make it again.
Thanks for your wonderful comment and feedback, Julie. We appreciate it!
Really easy recipe.
Word of warning:
If you’re using an electric stove don’t just turn off the burner and leave it sitting there but actually move the pot to a different burner to cool down,
I didn’t, & my peaches burned on the bottom.
I was able to salvage them by adding more lemon juice,
a little bit more sugar and taking all the burned bits out.
I also added cinnamon and they don’t taste burned at all!
Wow just WOW. How can you not try a recipe that has a 5 star rating with more than 720 reviews? This recipe deserves each and every star and then some. Peaches are my favorite fruit and this recipe make the preserves which peaches ask to be made into. Thanks for making this recipe available to us
Hi James, I’m so glad you chose to try this recipe! Thank you for your wonderful review and I hope you love all the other recipes that you will try.
I made this peach jam recipe and love it. So now I’ve got friends coming in from Niagara with another bushel of peaches. This was so easy to do. I would recommend using the 250 ml jars that way you can give out more to family and friends. The jam takes on very nice texture and great flavour. I did cut back on the sugar just a little over 3 cups. Thanks sooo much for posting this recipe. We love it.
How long will these last on the shelf. All jars have been sealed properly. Also once opened how long will that last.
You can enjoy this preserves within 3 months
Hi Natasha you said 3 months is that after it’s been open.
Hi Cheryl, if processed correctly, preserves will keep up to 2 years. Once they are opened, keep them in the refrigerator up to 3 months.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This is a lovely recipe and very easy.
(I was happy that it only called for four cups of sugar, lately it seems like I’ve only found recipes that call for five or more.
I’m going to be canning this,
And I’m wondering if it will set up enough without added pectin. Also, does adding pectin help preserve them? Or is that with the sugar does?
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Deanna! The idea of this recipe is a method to avoid adding pectin.
Love this recipe! I’ve used it several times successfully and applied the concept to other fruits as well. One idea to hurry up the process is to use ice to cool quicker between simmerings: I have set three canning rings inside a rimmed baking sheet, filled the bottom of the sheet with ice and water, and set the pot on top of the three rings. Occasionally stir the peaches. Add/replace more ice as necessary.
That is awesome, love your feedback! Thank you so much for sharing some tips with us, that is some helpful information.
When I put my jars in the canner, do I bring up the pressure or just boil without the lid?
Hi Patricia, It sounds like maybe you have a pressure canner. I don’t have one so I am not familiar with how they are used. I use the method I described – just putting the cans in the pot and covering with 1 to 2 inches of water. I boil without the lid since they are covered with water – they don’t need to be covered with the lid.
Look up water bath canning. Fruits with sugar are not pressure canned but water bathed. You want to always use the jar seals and rings when processing canned foods of any types. Hope this helps.
My preserves turned out perfectly, using this recipe. The only thing I see wrong with the recipe is “11 pounds of peaches” (Is that 11 lbs before or after dicing them?) with a yield of 5-6 half pint jars.
I removed the skins from my very large peaches -each weighed one pound more or less. I removed the skins and pits, chopped into medium-small pieces, weighed them on a gram scale. By the time I weighed out 4 pounds and put them in a 5 qt enameled Dutch oven, I decided that was plenty. Final yield was five half pint jars and one 10 ounce and one 12 jars.
Hi, it is 11 lbs of peaches before peeling and pitting. It should yield 5-6 pint jars, and not half-pint.
I don’t use a pressure cooker or canning pot, I just wash the jars good , turn my oven on 200 and lay the jars down wet, let them in about half hr. And proceed canning with the hot jars, works every time. My grandmother did it this way, no boiling jars! Take one jar out at a time!
Well, I must say…I never thought this would work but…IT WORKED OUT GREAT!!
I’ve used traditional recipes before & my grandmas Slow cooked preserve recipe have been okay but I’ve never achieved that sticky & thick texture with heavenly flavor until now!
I only did 3 times. I worked my gentle boil up SLOWLY, on med/low heat, similar to working with fudge. I used a digital thermometer each time to ensure at the end of 10 minutes of the simmer time I had reached between 220-225 for the right consistency. After my first 10 minute cook & then slow cool, I’d already achieved a much thickened syrupy mix. I still had bright peach slices at this time. However, after the subsequent (and necessary) cook/cool sessions, I ended up with a dark brown thick jam. Tasty but ugly!
After looking things online, I think the trick for me will be to try doing the 1st cook/cool then straining out the fruit. Then cooking only the syrup as described (cook/cool method) for the next 2 sessions & ending with adding in the bright cooked fruit to the hot thickened syrup at the end while it’s still boiling. Depending on thickness of the syrup I may do an additional cook/cool session to get that thick jammy texture I like (tighter than most store bought).
I hope to end up with a lighter color final product with juicy bigger pieces of peach that I can cut down if needed before jarring up!
Mine is in the fridge now & I’ve got some homemade yogurt waiting for the perfect topping!! Thanks so much!!
YOu’re welcome, Heather! Also, thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Hi Heather, mine turned out a brown colour too. I accidentally scorched it during the third boil, so I thought maybe that was why. I’ve been bringing it to a boil and simmering on pretty high heat so I wonder if lowering the heat like you did would make a difference.
Hi Heather,
Thank you for sharing. Mine turned out a little brown as well, however, not too brown and I always cooked on low heat so I had no scorching, so I wondered about that. The ones in the picture are very light and pretty. I followed the recipe exactly. Not sure what I could have done differently.
Instead of canning preserves can you freeze it once its cooled?
Hi Kim, that should work fine to freeze instead of canning.
I love your country peach preserve recipe. I’ve already adapted it adding allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy jam to use as filling for baking. Now I want to adapt again to make it hot by adding peppers. But I’m not sure when to add the heat, at the beginning of the cook or should I wait to reheat 5 or 6. What do you think?
Hi Irene, I honestly have never tested that so I can’t make a recommendation on that.
Hello! Do you use this as jam, or a dessert? I’m on the fourth boil and it looks great so far!
Thanks!
Hi Leanne, I use it as a jam, but it would be great as a topping for ice cream!
Planning to make this in the next day or two. How come it doesn’t need pectin?
Hi Aidan, varying fruits have varying amounts of pectin naturally so some you may not have to cook as many times. You might google the difference between different fruits before starting.