The Ratio You Should Know For The Best Canned Peaches
Canning peaches is relatively forgiving when it comes to the liquid you use. According to Cassie Johnston, recipe developer at Wholefully and Ball Canning Ambassador for three years, water, simple syrup, or fruit juice can all work. You could also use maple syrup or honey if you prefer, but she explained that it will muddle the color and texture of the fruit. "My favorite for preserving color, texture, and still keeping it relatively [low in sugar] is a light syrup made with a ratio of 2 cups granulated sugar to 5 cups water," she said to Food Republic in an exclusive interview. This is her favorite as she mentioned that it keeps the peaches firm while also preserving their bright, vibrant color.
Once canned, your peaches will retain their quality for at least a year if stored properly, although some have reported canned peaches being good far beyond that (as in, forever). According to Johnston, the more sugar you use in the canning liquid, the longer the peaches will last. "With heavy syrup (a ratio of 4 cups sugar to 5 cups water), you can go years without seeing any reduction in quality."
Depending on whether you use a light versus heavy syrup, the peaches can be used differently. For example, Johnston said that heavy syrup peaches are good for dessert, like making a quick three-ingredient cobbler. You could even throw them on the grill for an unexpected upgrade. On the flip side, peaches canned in a light syrup can be incredible as snacks or to enjoy for breakfast. Johnston said, "I love putting them on top of oatmeal in the winter for a little taste of summer!"
More tips for making the best canned peaches
When it comes to infusing additional flavorings into your canned peaches, Cassie Johnston explained that any dried herb or spice is safe to include. For example, you could add a vanilla bean pod to the simple syrup when it's simmering to infuse some of that rich and warm flavor to your peaches. This could work on its own or go particularly well with some of Johnston's recommendations — specifically warming spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. "Just remember that dried spices get more intense in the can when sitting on a shelf for months, so use a light hand when adding spices." Other add-ins that we think could work well with these warm spices are ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Johnston doesn't recommend liquid extracts, like vanilla or almond extract, unless you're following a tested recipe. This is because adding them can throw off the overall pH, compromising canning food safety. Generally speaking, the food you're canning should be at a 4.6 or below to be acidic enough to can on its own. Luckily, yellow peaches are about a 3.7, making them safe to can. White peaches, on the other hand, are closer to the danger zone, so you'll typically see recipes that use white peaches add something acidic, like lemon juice or citric acid, to bring them to a safe canning level.