Home Canned Peach Pie Filling

I enjoy having family in low places; low meaning warm. I live at an elevation of about 5,850 feet. Our average low spring time temperatures are in the 40’s (average highs in the 60’s) with the record low being in the single digits. I have extended family that lives about 30 minutes to the south where the elevation is 2,860 feet with the average low spring time temperatures in the mid 50’s (average highs in the mid 80’s), and record lows around 20. Needless to say their growing season is much longer and ultimately more successful than mine. Here in Cedar City we had a miserably cold 2011 spring. Most of the fruit trees in town froze leaving us with a very limited supply of peaches. Gratefully, my low residing family members were willing to share their abundance of stone fruit. Not only that but they picked and delivered the peaches to my house!

My food storage room has a wealth of bottled peaches so I went looking for an alternative method of preservation. The consensus: peach pie filling.  Again I decided to combine a few different recipes to, hopefully, create the best pie possible.

The following process is sure to bring great results:

1-     1-  As with other canning endeavors; wash and prepare the bottles, lids and rings.

2-   2- Blanch the fruit by placing in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Move the fruit to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and to make it easy to handle.

3-   3-  Remove peelings and pit. Slice into ½ inch pieces.

4- To prevent the fruit from darkening spray with lemon juice (optional).

5-   5- Prepare the liquid for the filling. Combine water, sugar, Clear Jel, cinnamon, almond extract, and nutmeg in a large kettle.  Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.  Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute more, stirring constantly.  (I began making the liquid before I had finished slicing the peaches so it would be ready to add the peaches about the same time I was done slicing.)

6-   6- Carefully fold in peach slices and continue heating for 3 more minutes.

7-   7- Fill jars, leaving 1 inch head space.  Fasten lids and process immediately in a water bath according to the recommendations for your altitude.

Recipe

Altitude Guidelines

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