How To Can Peaches In Grape Juice

I learned how to can peaches in grape juice from my mother who learned it from her mother who learned it from… I don’t know who. Wherever this method originated from in my family (though I know it is not unique to my family) I love it. Canning peaches in grape juice results in a less overly sweet and more peachy flavored peaches.

Canning peaches is a family tradition for us. Every year around the week of our county fair it would be time to can up multiple bushels of peaches. Most of the time it was really fun canning them in assembly line fashion with my mom and sisters.

This year as I canned ours I got the opportunity to do it with on of my much younger sisters. It was so fun to be in the kitchen with a sister again putting up food for winter.

Why Should I Can Peaches Instead of Buying Them?

One reason to can them is to be able to have complete control of the ingredients in them. Another reason is to have the security of knowing that you have food put up for winter. In our rural area ever since COVID our stores will randomly be out of various items for weeks at a time sometimes.

The final reason for me at least is the fact that glass is the best material to store food in. Glass does not mess with your hormones or leech toxins into your system.

Where Should I Buy My Peaches To Can?

Anywhere you can get them for a good price.

Obviously organic is best but except for the peaches we grow ourselves all the ones we put up are conventionally grown. However we get them usually from a local orchard that uses as few chemicals as possible to grow them.

In the past I have bought them at a store, frequently if you watch carefully you can get them on a really good sale. Though they are not always as flavorful as local peaches.

How To Can Peaches In Grape Juice

Prep your supplies

To start any canning project you need to gather your canning supplies. Your water bath canner (this can be a stock pot with a towel folded up in the bottom of it). Jar lifter, head space measurer, jars, lids and rings. Along with these you need a clean towel or paper towels and white vinegar.

Prepare your peaches

Start a pan of water boiling for peeling your peaches. You want at least three inches of water before putting peaches in it. The goal is to have the whole peach in the water once all of the peaches are added (though peaches do float so you will have one spot that is not in the water.

Note** The water will get really nasty looking after you have run a bunch of batches of peaches through you can either empty it out and put in clean water or not worry about it.

Once the water has come to a rolling boil, add the peaches. Blanch them for about 1 minute then pull one out to check to see if they it is done. Carefully slide your finger on the skin of the peach it should wrinkle up a bit and the skin should feel loose. If it does not put it back in the boiling water for another minute. You will be able to tell by looking at them after you do it awhile.

Once peaches are done being blanched pull them out using a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice water. Continue blanching peaches until all of them are blanched.

After the peaches are cool to the touch start peeling them. To peel a peach you should hopefully be able to just gently rub the skin off. However it is not always this easy. Sometimes you will have to use a paring knife to help get the skin off.

Peel your peaches over the bowl that you will place them in to collect all of the juice from them. Slice them into a stock pot that you have poured some white grape juice into. Once all of the peaches are sliced into the stock pot pour white grape juice over them until they are submerged.

Canning peaches in grape juice

Start your water bath canner going with a few inches of water and your clean jars (add some water to each jar so that they don’t tip over). Start peaches heating on the stove on medium heat while you get the rest of the supplies ready.

Place your lids in a small heat proof bowl and have your rings, jar lifter towel/paper towel and white vinegar ready. Once your jars have simmered for 10 minutes pull one out and empty the very hot water onto your lids in the bowl. This will heat up the seals and help them to seal better.

Using your canning funnel put as many peaches as you can into each jar, then top off with the juice from the pan. Using your head space tool or thin spatula get any air bubbles out by gently sliding in down the inside of the jar. Fill to 1/2″ of head space.

Using the towel/paper towel dipped in white vinegar wipe of the top of the jar. Place your lid on and screw the ring on until finger tight. Carefully place back into your canner and repeat until all of your jars are full in the canner or you run out of peaches. For the rest of the jars empty the hot water from them into the canner.

Once all of your jars are back in the canner make sure there is 1-2″ of water above the jars. Add hot water to the canner if necessary. Bring to a boil and hold the boil for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts. After they are done processing turn off the stove.

Cleaning and storing the canned jars

If you have no more canning to do you can leave them in the canner overnight. Or after waiting 15 minutes you can carefully pull them out using the jar lifter and place them on a towel on a counter or on a wooden counter/cutting board.

Leave the jars undisturbed for 12-24 hours. After 12-24 hours, take rings off and check to make sure they sealed. Wash them off with some lukewarm water and dish soap. Dry, label and store them in a cool dry place. Use them within two years for best results.

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Heavy bottom stock pot

Water bath canning set

Pint canning jars