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Peach Butter

Photo Credit
Rimma Bondarenko/shutterstock
Yield
about 6 cups (3 pints)
Category
Fruit
Pickles and Preserves
Course
Side Dishes
Preparation Method
Boil
Sources
Yankee Magazine's Lost and Vintage Recipes
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Nothing captures the essence of late summer more than this sweet-tart peach butter. Easily made in a slow cooker, this will quickly become one of your go-to peach preservation techniques. The fresh peaches cook down to a silky brown purée—tasting only of sunshine and nectar.

You may be familiar with this recipe’s better-known cousin, apple butter, which is all well and good. But here’s the truth of the matter: peach butter may just be even better.

Ingredients
8 pounds fresh, ripe peaches
2-2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
4 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Instructions
  1. Using a sharp knife, score each peach with a shallow X shape on the bottom. Fill a large pot (at least 5 quarts) with water and bring to a boil over high heat. 
  2. Add peaches and boil until skins loosen, about 1 minute. Remove peaches from the water with a slotted spoon and run under cold water to stop cooking. The peaches should now slip easily out of their skins. Discard skins.
  3. Using a knife or your hands, break peaches up into large pieces and put them in a 6-quart slow cooker. 
  4. Add sugar, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and salt and stir. 
  5. Set heat to high and cover; cook until mixture is simmering, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Reduce heat to low and leave the lid slightly ajar. 
  6. Cook until peach butter is thick and mahogany-colored, 7 to 9 hours. 
  7. Pour into sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.
About The Author

Janet Selle

 

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Comments

Mary Rose (not verified)

2 years 3 months ago

I just finished making this tonight and wanted to add a couple things-first it makes 12 cups not 6! And when you are about 7 hours in, use a stick blender to break up the chunks of peaches. Otherwise, I followed directions and now have a lot of peach butter to give away!

Deeda C (not verified)

9 years 3 months ago

I have made peach butter many times throughout my life, and have always stored the jars in the pantry. Occasionally one will spoil, and I attribute that to my own carelessness ! ( Perhaps not wiping the rim well enough before processing . . . or what ever else my 'oops' was. ) Once you open the jar, refrigerate, like you would any other fruit butter.
I prefer peach butter to any other kind, though apricot is a close second ! It's a long slow process, but well worth the effort !
Good luck !

Maria iasimone (not verified)

11 years 2 months ago

How does peach butter get stored? Can it be shelved or must it be kept in refrigerator?i find it quite surprising that one usually doesn't see storing/shelving instructions following recipes.especially when it's fun to do,time consuming work,and a shame to see it all go to waste if stored improperly.