The Lowdown on How to Store Peaches
Whole peaches can be a very particular fruit when it comes to ripening, so knowing how to store peaches is important. You should start by keeping your peaches in a dry, room temperature area. The the real key to storing peaches is keeping them on their shoulder and preventing them from piling on each other. That’s right, peaches don’t get along well with one another, so try to limit how much they touch. If you do all that, you’ll have fully ripe, fresh peaches for about 1 to 3 days. And knowing how to store peaches will open up a world of peachy possibilities for you.
How to Keep Peaches Fresh
The window of time you have to enjoy your fresh peaches isn’t very long. So if you hit the farmer’s market on Sunday and want to make a peach cobbler on Thursday, you might be pushing the limit. That means you’ll need a way to get your peaches to last longer.
Once you have fully ripe peaches, you can extend their shelf life by storing them in the refrigerator.
To start, you can place your peaches in a bowl covered with wrap and they will ripen faster. If that’s what you’re after, Glad® Press’n Seal® can help you move the ripening along. Once ripe, the ideal way to keep peaches fresh is in a bag with large holes or, if they aren’t being kept in the refrigerator, in an open bag away from other fruits. After you cut up your peaches, wrapping them tightly and placing in the fridge is your best choice.
When you know how to store peaches properly, you could have them staying fresh for 3–5 days. But if you’re looking to keep them even longer, it’s how to freeze peaches that you’ll want to learn.
How to Freeze Peaches
If you want to stash peaches for a rainy day, you should know how to freeze peaches so they’ll stay fresh longer. Luckily, we have all the information on how to freeze peaches you’ll need, right here.
All you have to do is slice your fresh peaches, line them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and flash freeze them around 4 hours. Once done, remove the sliced peaches and put them into an air tight plastic bag, placing them in the deepest part of your freezer. Glad®FLEX'N SEAL™ bags are a perfect way to keep your fruit protected while frozen, which will allow them to stay fresh 2–3 months.
But that’s not the only method for how to freeze peaches. If you have want to make your peaches last even longer, follow these simple, step-by-step instructions:
- 1. To start, take a sharp knife and make a shallow “x” at the bottom of each peach.
- 2. Then, bring a pot of water to a boil.
- 3. Once boiling, blanch your peaches in water for 60 seconds and then plunge them into a bowl of ice water for 60 seconds.
- 4. After that, peel off the skins, halve and pit.
- 5. In a saucepan, make a thin syrup with 4 parts water and 2 parts sugar. Dissolve the sugar and let the syrup cool.
Once you’ve finished, coat the peaches and place them in plastic freezer bags like Glad®FLEX'N SEAL™. Stored in this way, your peaches can last anywhere from 10 to 12 months.
How to Thaw Peaches
After freezing peaches, what happens when it’s time to bust them out and get them ready for cooking?
One way to do this is by placing the frozen peaches into the refrigerator and allowing it to defrost. This will typically take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours and you’ll want to turn the bag over every so often for an even thaw.
If you need your peaches sooner, keep them in your Glad® FLEX'N SEAL™ bags. Submerge the bag in cool water, which will act as a natural heater. The plastic bags will help preserve the flavor and texture of your peach slices. Check the fruit and change the water every so often until the peaches reach the desired consistency. Keep in mind that the USDA recommends not having sliced peaches out in temperatures above 40°F for longer than 2 hours. Once they’re thawed, you’ll be all set to go to town with your peaches. And by town, we mean your kitchen counter.
