Just Peachy

Two thirds of my peaches ripened up this week. I think sliced peaches in canning jars are one of the prettiest things. I almost just want to line the top of my cupboards with them and use them for decoration. I did 15 quarts of sliced peaches. And I still have some quarts left over from last year, so I decided to branch out a little in the peach department.

Last year I canned this Peach BBQ Sauce as an experiment. And we loved it so much, that this year I decided to make twice as much. It's fabulous. I usually use it over a pork roast in the crock pot, to make pulled pork sandwiches. But I think it would be good on any meat.

Zesty Peach BBQ Sauce

6 cups pitted, peeled peaches (about 3 lbs, or 9 medium) 
1 cup seeded red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 cup purple onion (about 1 large)
3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic (about 14 cloves)
1 1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
8 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set aside.

2. Put peaches, bell pepper, and onion, in a blender or food processors and blend 'til smooth.

3. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens to the consistency of a thin commercial BBQ sauce, about 25 minutes.

4. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is finger tight.

5. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed. 

And after that, I still had some peaches left (and some more still on the tree). And I was in the mood to experiment with the exotic. :) I found this Sweet Hot Pickled Peach recipe that spoke directly to my little pregnant taste buds. And I'm glad, these are by far the best tasting thing I've ever canned in my life. They will be a future staple at my house from now on.

 Sweet Hot Pickled Peaches

Ingredients

6 pound small fresh peaches or apricots (about 18 peaches)

2 ½ cups water

2 ½ cups cider vinegar

4 cups granulated sugar

3 cups packed brown sugar

4 sticks cinnamon

2 piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and cut in strips

1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon mustard seed

8 whole cloves

1 small sweet onion, cut in wedges

1 medium red sweet pepper, seeded and cut in strips

Directions

1. To peel peaches (apricots may be used unpeeled), fill Dutch oven with water; bring to boiling. Carefully lower peaches, a few at a time, into boiling water; let stand 30 to 60 seconds. With slotted spoon transfer peaches to large bowl of ice water. When cool enough to handle, gently rub skin off peaches. Halve and pit any large peaches; set aside.
2. Drain water from Dutch oven. For pickling mixture, in same Dutch oven combine the 2-12 cups water, vinegar, sugars ,cinnamon, gingerroot, red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, mustard seeds, and cloves. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugars. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.
3. Add peaches, onion, and sweet pepper to pickling mixture; return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 5 minutes or just until tender, gently stirring once or twice. With slotted spoon divide peaches, onion, sweet pepper, and cinnamon evenly among four clean, hot 1-quart jars. (See Safe Storage, below.) Pour pickling mixture into jars; cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 3 weeks. Serve peaches with a slotted spoon and drizzle with a little of the juices.

From the Test Kitchen

Safe Storage:

Before filling the jars, wash them in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Pour boiling water in and over the jars and let them stand in the hot water until ready to fill. The pickled peaches are stored in canning jars, but are not processed as canned. Therefore, keep refrigerated and eat within 3 weeks. If giving as a gift, include storage instructions. Makes 18 servings.

Hot:

Hot: 2-inch piece fresh gingerroot

Hotter: 3-inch piece fresh gingerroot

Hottest: 4-inch piece fresh gingerroot

This recipe says to store them in the fridge, but I wanted to can them, so I searched online until I found a similar recipe with most all of the same ingredients, and it said to process for 25 minutes. So that's what I did.

This used up all my ripe peaches. I'm still waiting for the ones left on the tree to be ready...but don't worry, I have big plans for them too!