Peeling a perfectly ripe peach can be a tricky task, but with this simple tutorial, you'll learn How to Peel Peaches the easy way!

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The Best Method to Easily Peel Peaches

If you've ever found yourself holding a very soft, perfectly ripe peach with the goal of peeling it, you already know the difficult task at hand. A ripe peach is already so delicate, the thought of squeezing it and ruining the flesh before you even get to use it for its intended purpose is a nightmare.

Except if you learn how to peel peaches easily while preserving that beautiful interior.

This article is a quick guide on how to peel in-season ripe peaches the simple way!

Cleaning the Peaches

Even though the peaches are going to get a dunk in a bath of boiling water (more on that below), it's still ideal to clean the peaches.

The best way to wash them is to fill up a very big bowl full of cold water. Add a few big glugs of distilled white vinegar. The exact solution is supposed to be 1 parts vinegar to 3 parts water, but I usually eyeball it. The acidity in the vinegar helps break down the dirt and any possible pesticides on the surface of the fruit. Either using your hands or a soft cloth, wipe away any visibile dirt on the surface, and let the peaches sit for a few minutes.

Pull them out of the water and into a colander, and rinse well.

After going through servsafe certification in culinary school I know how easy it is for bacteria and dirt to spread, even if the fruit is going to be peeled! So cleaning my produce is a step I always take.

Why Can't A Vegetable Peeler Be Used?

Well...it can. But you run the risk of mashing the fruit. Ripe peaches are so delicate, and if your goal is to have the fruit unbruised than using a vegetable peeler isn't the right tool for the job.

Also, a vegetable peeler ends up taking off flesh along with the skin, so you lose out on some of that peachy goodness.

I've defintely used a peeler when I'm completely rushed for time and maybe only have 1 or 2 peaches to peel, but it's a last resort, not a first choice.

Overview of Steps to Peel Peaches

The full directions are listed below, but here is a brief overview:

Boil a large pot of water
Clean and dry the peaches
Slice a very thin "x" on the bottom of the peach
Place the peaches in the water for about 30-60 seconds
Immediately transfer the peaches to an ice bath
Once cooled, transfer to a towel to dry
Peel!

What is Blanching?

The peaches need to be blanched to help loosen the skin! Blanching is a cooking technique that involves briefly submerging a food item in boiling water and then immersing it in ice water to halt the cooking process rapidly. In the case of our peaches, blanching is the key to getting the peels off easily.

This technique is the same one used to peel tomato skins or any other soft flesh fruit or vegetable that needs to get peeled or processed.

Tips for Successful Blanching

Blanching is pretty simple, but here are a few quick tips to ensure success:

Use a big pot and fill it halfway through. A big pot ensures there is a lot of water so the temperature has a better chance of staying consistent. And only filling it halfway up is so that there is room for the peaches to be added in
Make sure the water is at a rolling boil, which means lots of big bubbles. This ensures that water has a better chance at staying boiling once the peaches are added.
Speaking of adding peaches, don't add more than 2-3 at a time. Adding too many at once will lower the temperature of the water, causing the length of time needed to blanch the peaches to extend. And extending the time means more of the flesh will be cooked, instead of just the skin
Stick to 30-60 seconds. The longer the peach is in the water, the more the flesh is cooked through. Blanch it only long enough for you to see the skin becoming loose.

Can a Peach be Blanched Whole?

In short, yes. You can blanch the whole peach without premarking the "X" on the bottom of it. You might want to do this if you do not want any cut marks on your peach, for whatever reason.

But it is trickier to peel without the help of the "x". You have to have some break in the peel, which usually means you have to cut through the peel without cutting through the peach.

Handling Peeled Peaches

Ah, the trickiest part of this whole process: handling those slippery peaches as you are peeling them!

They are incredibly slippery and can easily escape right out of your hand. This is not ideal of course because they could fall and drop and get bruised, and also if you've got a knife in your hand it's a safety issue.

If you are really struggling, hold them with a clean, lint-free kitchen towel.

Looking for more information about cutting up peaches after they have been blanched? Check out this guide to Freezing Peaches, which goes into more detail on that.

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How to Peel Peaches

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Peeling a perfectly ripe peach can be a tricky task, but with this simple tutorial, you'll learn How to Peel Peaches the easy way!

Author: Kelli Avila
Prep Time: 00:15
Total Time: 15 minutes
Category: Tutorial
Method: Blanching

Ingredients

Fresh, ripe peaches
ice

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, set up an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and some cold water.
Prepare the peaches: slice an “x” with a sharp knife through the skin on the bottom of each peach.
When the water is boiling, carefully place in 2-3 peaches at a time into the pot. Blanch the peaches for about 30-60 seconds. In this time frame, there skin should visually start to losen.
Transfer the peaches with a slotted spoon to to the prepared ice bath.
Let the water return to a rolling boil before continuing to blanch any remaining peaches.
After about 5 minutes, remove the cooled peaches from the ice bath.
Gently slide the skin off the peach. It should come off easily in four pieces where the x was sliced. If it catches at all, just use a small knife to cut it off.
Use peaches immediately as desired.

Notes

Check out this guide on How to Freeze Peaches for more handling techniques (such as how to cut them!).

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