Blanching peaches is an easy way to remove their skins for slicing, baking and/or freezing. This is the best way to preserve as much of the fruit as possible, too. The blanching method takes just a few minutes and it's the easiest way to remove peach skin for using in your favorite peach recipes or for freezing peaches.
Try using blanched ripe peaches to make these great recipes: Peach Jam (without pectin) and Caramel Peach Upside Down Cake!
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Why you’ll love this method
- This is the perfect way to prepare whole peaches to freeze so you can enjoy them even after peach season is over
- Blanching is a super easy method for getting the most out of your juicy peaches. This is a great method and it takes just a few minutes
- Peeling peaches is tedious, especially if you have a lot of peaches. Peeling by hand with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler also tends to remove some of the fruit along with the fuzzy skin. This technique helps to produce skinless peaches while preserving as much of the fresh fruit as possible. Use peeled peach a peach crisp, peach galettes, peach cobbler or peach upside down cake!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Only one ingredient is necessary for this recipe: fresh peaches! Be sure you use ripe peaches rather than unripe, firm peaches.
This technique also works for other ripe fruit such as stone fruits, nectarines and plums. Try this blanching process with tomatoes, too.
Step-by-step instructions for how to remove peach skin by blanching
Step 1
The first step is to prepare an ice water bath by filling a large bowl with ice water and adding a handful of ice cubes to the bowl of cold water. Set aside
Step 2
Fill a medium or large pot with water so the water is about 4-6 inches deep. Place the large pot of water over high heat on the stove and bring to a boil.
Step 3
Using a spider tool or slotted spoon, gently lower peaches into the water. I recommend boiling 3-4 peaches at a time to avoid overcrowding. Depending on the size of the pot and the number of peaches you are blanching, you may need to work in batches. Alternatively, place the peaches in a large bowl and carefully pour the boiling water over top. Allow the peaches to sit in the hot water for 60 seconds then drain and transfer the peaches to the prepared ice bath.
Note: I do not find it necessary to score the bottom of each peach with a small paring knife prior to placing in the boiling water. The skin is easy enough to peel off. However, if you would prefer, at bottom of the peaches, the. opposite end from the stem end, use a sharp, small knife to score the skin. Cut through the skin but not through the flesh, cutting a cross shape in the bottom of each peach.
Step 4
Boil the peaches for 60 seconds. This is a quick cooking process that enables the skin to be easily pulled away from the fruit without actually cooking the peach flesh. Drain and immediately transfer the peaches to the prepared ice bath (large bowl of ice water).
Step 5
Once the hot peaches are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. The peel of the peach should remove very easily, leaving the fruit intact. Discard the peach skin. Cut the fruit into peach slices for baking or freeze the blanched peaches. Place peaches (sliced peaches or peach halves) in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze at least one hour. Transfer the frozen peaches to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and store in the freezer up to 6 months.
Pro Tips
- Use this method for other fruit with skin such as nectarines, plums and tomatoes
- Use ripe fruit that's still somewhat firm. Do not use completely hard or firm peaches that are underripe. And do not use peaches that are overripe or too soft
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FAQs
Ripe peaches need to be boiled for only 60 seconds. Remove them from the boiling water and place them in an ice bath. The peaches' skin should peel away from the flesh very easily.
Blanching is scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time. It is typically followed by quick cooling in very cold or ice water. Blanching stops enzyme actions which otherwise cause loss of flavor, color and texture. This method works really well for removing skin, preserving flavor and color and freezing certain foods.
If your peach skin will not peel away easily after blanching, they have not been boiled long enough.
Blanch them using this quick and easy method!
Yes. Always wash your fruit before consuming, using in a recipe or freezing.
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Ingredients
- Peaches ripe
Instructions
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water. Add a handful of ice cubes to water. Set aside
- Fill a medium or large pot with water so the water is about 4-6 inches deep. Place the pot over high heat on the stove and bring to a boil
- Using a spider tool or large spoon, gently lower the washed peaches* into the water. I recommend boiling 3-4 peaches at a time to avoid overcrowding. Depending on the size of the pot and the number of peaches you are blanching, you may need to work in batches. Alternatively, place the peaches in a large bowl and carefully pour the boiling water over top. Allow the peaches to sit in the hot water for 60 seconds then drain and transfer the peaches to the prepared ice bath.
- Boil the peaches for 60 seconds then drain and and transfer the peaches to the prepared ice bath
- Once the peaches are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. The peach skin should remove very easily, leaving the fruit intact. Discard the peach skin and slice or chop fruit as desired for baking or freezing
Video
Notes
- *I do not find it necessary to score the bottom of each peach with a small paring knife prior to placing in the boiling water. The skin is easy enough to peel off. However, if you would prefer, at bottom of the peaches, the. opposite end from the stem end, use a sharp, small knife to score the skin. Cut through the skin but not through the flesh, cutting a cross shape in the bottom of each peach
- After blanching, cut the fruit into slices for baking or freezing. Place peaches (sliced peaches or peach halves) in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze at least one hour. Transfer the frozen peaches to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and store in the freezer up to 6 months
