There are lots of peaches during the summer.When you have fresh produce, you want to store it safely until you are ready to consume it.Depending on whether or not the peaches are ripe, you can either keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze them.By learning how to properly clean, prepare and store your peaches, you can give yourself a bigger window in which to enjoy them before they go bad.
Step 1: If you want your peaches to be ripe, you need to test them.
Look for a yellow or gold tint under the peach's blush.They should feel soft when squeezed gently.If you smell the peaches, they should have a sweet scent.Unripe peaches will be hard to eat.The proper storage method for ripe and un ripe peaches depends on how ripe the peach is.
Step 2: Put your peaches on the counter for a few days to help them grow.
It is possible to place them in sunlight, but keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get too hot.You can leave your peaches on the counter for a few days until you can grasp them.Un ripe peaches should not be stored in the fridge.In an undesirable way, this can change the consistency, coloring, and flavor of the peach.
Step 3: If you put your peaches in a brown paper bag, they will be ripening quicker.
You can pop a couple of peaches into a brown paper bag and leave them on the counter for a few days.You should check the peaches every day to make sure you don't miss the window of ripe fruit.If you have more than 2 peaches, you should use a brown paper bag.
Step 4: You can speed up the ripening of your peaches by placing a banana or apple near them.
If they are on the counter or in a brown paper bag, you can place a piece of fruit near the peaches to speed up the ripening process.Make sure you check your peaches every day.The process takes 1-2 days.Putting together apples, bananas, and peaches helps them get ripe faster because they emit a gas called ethylene gas, which makes them ripe quicker.
Step 5: You should store your peaches on the side where the stem is.
Place your peaches in a bag, a bowl, or on the counter to limit the amount of contact they have with a hard surface.They are less likely to fall off the counter if they have speach on their shoulders.
Step 6: The peaches shouldn't get bruised if there is space between them.
If they aren't pressed up against one another, they're less likely to get mushy.If you are going to stack them in a bowl, make sure they are not too deep as the weight will bruise the peaches on the bottom.If you can, put the peaches on the counter with a little space between them.If you are storing your peaches along with other fruits on the counter, avoid putting the peaches at the bottom.Keep them on the top if you have to stack them.
Step 7: Remove any dirt or debris from the peaches.
If you want to get rid of dirt, run the peaches under the water in your sink and run your hands over them a few times.You should not have to wash or scrub them.If you don't like the taste of peach, you can gently rub it off with your fingers.The flesh of the fruit can be damaged by a scrub brush.
Step 8: The peaches should be dry with a towel.
Don't squeeze or bruise the peaches while you are drying them.Rub the fruit with a dry towel until the peach fuzz is gone.The skin of the peach can be damaged when it gets cold in the fridge, so it's important to dry them before storing them.
Step 9: Place the peaches in a plastic bag in the fridge.
You can store your peaches in the fridge for up to 3 days if you want to eat them whole or use them for a recipe.If you put them into a bag, make sure not to put too many in a container because of the risk of injury.The cool temperature in your fridge slows the ripening process and gives you a few more days to enjoy your peaches.Every day, check your peaches.The cool temperature can cause dehydration and wrinkling of the fruit.
Step 10: Before refrigerating, you should slice your peaches.
You can cut your peach in half, quarters, or into slices with a clean kitchen knife and cutting board.Add the peach pit to your compost pile after you dispose of it.If you are going to be adding peaches to smoothie, shakes, or desserts, this is a good option.
Step 11: It's a good idea to coat sliced peaches with lemon juice.
Leave the peaches on the cutting board or transfer them to a small bowl after slicing them.You can thinly coat your peaches with lemon juice, either fresh or from the bottle.The lemon juice has ascorbic acid in it, which lowers the pH levels and can stop the oxidation process.
Step 12: For 1-2 days, store sliced peaches in an airtight container.
You can use either a glass or plastic container.Before you seal a bag, make sure to squeeze all the excess air out.Every day, check your peaches.They will go bad quicker than unpeeled peaches because they are already peeled and cut.If you don't use them right away, they will rot.They can either be thrown into a smoothie or put in the freezer.
Step 13: The peaches should be washed under water to remove dirt.
When you peel and cut the peach, you want to make sure there is no dirt in the flesh.If you want to get rid of any debris, simply run the peach under the water and brush your hands over it.If you rub it too hard, it could bruise the fruit.Since you will be peeling the peaches before they go into the freezer, don't worry about rubbing off the peach fuzz.
Step 14: If you want to peel the peaches, use a knife or a fruit peeler.
If you want to peel off the skin from the peach, hold it in your hand or place it on a cutting board.The peach skin can be thrown into a compost pile.If you have a lot of peaches to peel, try scoring the bottom of each peach, putting them into boiling water for 40 seconds, and then immediately transferring them to an ice bath.You should be able to peel off the skin with your fingers.
Step 15: The peaches can be sliced into half, quarters, or slices.
Use a clean kitchen knife and cutting board to slice the peaches, depending on what you want to use them for.Quartered or halved peaches are good for a lot of different baking recipes.When you cut into the peach, watch out for the pit.Either throw it away or put it in the compost pile.
Step 16: The peaches should be placed on a tray.
The peach slices should be arranged so they don't touch each other.Depending on how many peaches you are freezing, you may need to use more than one tray.The cold air will work faster to freeze the peaches if there is more space between them.
Step 17: The peaches should be frozen on the tray for a few hours.
Wait at least 4 hours before checking the peaches to see if they are frozen through.Allow the sliced peaches to freeze overnight to make sure they are done.When you squeeze it, it won't have juice.If you break a frozen peach slice in half, you will see small ice crystals and not a juicy interior.It would be hard to use unfrozen sliced peaches if you threw them into a freezer bag.
Step 18: The peaches will be transferred to the container.
It is possible to use a glass container with a tight lid, but make sure it is freezer safe first.Simply fill a gallon size freezer bag, squeeze the air out from it, and seal it.The peaches are less likely to get freezer burn if there is less exposure to the cold air.If you stick a straw into the freezer bag, you can suck the air out and seal it off.If you have a vacuum-sealer, use it.
Step 19: It's best to keep peaches in the freezer for a while.
You can keep your peaches fresh for up to 6 months with a fridge-freezer combo.peaches will be good for a year if you have a deep freezer.The peaches should be labeled on the outside of the container.When you first froze them, you should know how long they are good for.