how to peel a peach

How to peel a peach is easy when you know how. Some recipes call for peeled peaches – usually anything cooked such as peach pie, a crumble, jam and such. Peeling a peach is the same for peeling a tomato. If, like me, you’ve a glut of peaches and need to freeze them, you’re going to want to peel them first.

Firstly, put a large pot of water on to a rolling boil, leaving enough space to add 7 to 10 peaches at once. Start with ripe, unbruised peaches – preferably slip-stone peaches – the stone easily comes out when the peach is cut in half. You’re going to want to make a small, shallow X on the bottom (opposite to the stem) end of the peach.

Very carefully lower the peaches into the boiling water. If you have lots of peaches, do this in batches. Leave the peaches in the water for 30 seconds. Don’t wait for the water to come back to a boil. Have a bowl filled with cold water and ice at the ready.

Carefully remove the peaches using a large slotted spoon into the iced water. Let them sit for a few minutes. Start to peel the peaches where you made the X on the bottom of them. The skin at this stage will/should easily slip off. Discard to skins.

Transfer the peeled peaches to a plate or cutting board (I keep a cutting board for desserts and other sweet recipes). Repeat with any remaining peaches.

Peaches are beautiful with their skins removed – like a sunset mid summer. If you want these cut up. Use a small sharp knife and cut around the natural line in the peach. Twist the top and bottom opposite directions using a very gentle pressure. You should have a peach half in each hand now. Take the tip of the knife and flick the pit from the peach, or carefully remove it with your fingers, being careful not to damage the peach or your fingers on the sharp tip of the pit.

Then chop or slice the peaches according to the recipe you’re following. If, like me, you want to freeze them, then, you’re going to want to drizzle them with lemon juice so they don’t brown. Have some bags or storage containers at the ready. I freeze the peaches in halves, quarters, sliced and chopped and I write on the bag how many peaches are in each one – usually I freeze them in batches of four.

So that’s it, how to peel a peach. Yesterday I put 20 peaches into the freezer to enjoy later when this fragrant fruit isn’t available. For those peach lovers living in the US, have you heard or tried The Peach Truck? Every year for the last few, I have two orders a summer from them: beautiful Georgia peaches. I order a 25 pound box & I’ve never had one bad peach. I love peaches in baking but for me, standing at the kitchen sink eating a peach or two, not caring if the juices are dripping over my hand as they do, is the best way to enjoy them. Toodles, Lovoni xo