I first started canning as a newlywed when I found myself with a large, productive organic garden. As first time gardeners and poor college students, Kevin and I planted way too much produce that  two of us could consume. Soon I found it necessary to preserve summer’s bounty for the cold winter days. While I love utilizing the ancient practice of lactofermentation to preserve my food because it adds valuable nutrients and probiotics to the food, I admire the fact that canning can be stored at room temperature-no refrigeration necessary. 

One downside to many conventional caning recipes is the copious amounts of white sugar used. Sometimes the sugar content is necessary for proper preservation, but I’ve found that replacing with a little bit of honey to be a delicious and safe alternative. With prospering peach trees on our property, this simple recipe for honey canned peaches has served our family well. 

Ingredients

• Ripe peaches, about 2.5 pounds per quart

• 8 cups water

• 1 cup honey

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• cinnamon sticks (optional)

• sanitized quart jars, lids, and bands

Method

Begin by peeling the peaches. To do this the easy way, score an X in the bottom of each ripe peach and blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water. Immediately transfer the peaches to cold ice water to cool. Continue with the rest of the peaches. Once all of the peaches are blanched, arrange them on some clean kitchen towels. Peel the peaches.

Meanwhile, combine the water and honey in a saucepan and heat on medium high heat until the honey is dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat and allow the mixture to start to cool.

Remove the pits from the peaches and quarter them. Place the peach quarters in a quart size jar, along with a cinnamon stick, if using. Gently press the peaches down and leave about an inch of headspace. Cover the peaches with the honey mixture, leaving about 3/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rim of the quart jar clean with a damp rag and place a lid on the jar. Secure the band until just finger tight; do not tighten in the band too much!

Arrange the jars in a hot water bath canner. Use a canning rack or towels to keep the jars from cracking. Cover the jars by about a half inch to an inch of water and bring to a boil. Process the jars for 30 minutes. After the processing time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Allow the jars to sit for five minutes before using a jar lifter to take them out of the canner. Allow them to sit at room temperature to cool and allow the lids to properly seal. Once cool and sealed, wipe the jars with a damp rag and write the date on the jars. Store in a cool dry place.