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    Everyday Pie ยป Recipes ยป Tutorials

    How to Peel Peaches

    Published: Jul 16, 2023 ยท Modified: Feb 28, 2024 by Kelli Avila ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท This blog generates income via ads ยท 2 Comments

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    How to Peel Peaches
    How to Peel Peaches

    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!

    Peeled peaches.

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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!

    Peaches,

    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.

    Slicing an X in a peach.
    A peach prepared for blanching.

    Overview of Steps to Peel Peaches

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

    1. Boil a large pot of water
    2. Clean and dry the peaches
    3. Slice a very thin "x" on the bottom of the peach
    4. Place the peaches in the water for about 30-60 seconds
    5. Immediately transfer the peaches to an ice bath
    6. Once cooled, transfer to a towel to dry
    7. Peel!
    Removing a blanched peach.
    Blanching a peach to peel the skin.
    Placing a blanched peach in an ice bath.
    Peaches in an ice bath with the skin falling off.

    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.

    Drying off the blanched peaches.
    Peeling peaches.
    Peeling peaches.
    A fully peeled 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.

    A fully peeled peach.

    More Technical Guides

    • How to Freeze Strawberries
    • How to Bake a Frozen Pie
    • How to Zest a Lemon and Other Citrus
    • How to Make (and Use) an Egg Wash
    • How to Blind Bake Pie Crust
    peeled peaches.

    I am so honored when you use a guide from my site! If you found this tutorial helpful, please leave a comment and a star rating with your experience! If you have any questions about it, feel free to comment here, too!

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    How to Peel Peaches

    Peeled peaches.
    Print Recipe

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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

    Instructions

    1. Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
    2. Meanwhile, set up an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and some cold water.
    3. Prepare the peaches: slice an “x” with a sharp knife through the skin on the bottom of each peach.
    4. 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. 
    5. Transfer the peaches with a slotted spoon to to the prepared ice bath.
    6. Let the water return to a rolling boil before continuing to blanch any remaining peaches.
    7. After about 5 minutes, remove the cooled peaches from the ice bath.
    8. 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.
    9. 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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    How to Peel Peaches

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    1. Tom willmore

      September 15, 2023 at 6:30 pm

      Blanching i can do, give me a tip for slicing after removing the skin. Cling or Freestone, clings especially are difficult.

      Reply
      • Kelli Avila

        September 16, 2023 at 9:56 am

        Hi Tom! Yes, I go into this in more detail on my How to Freeze Peaches post. Maybe I'll transfer over some of the material.

        Reply

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    Hi! I'm so glad you are here!

    I’m Kelli, pie lover, mom of two, and a former professional cook and baker turned recipe developer! I'm the creator of Everydaypie.com, a baking resource dedicated to sharing recipes for pie, pastry and more! Here you'll find detailed recipes, step-by-step photos and tons of tips to make you a better baker.

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