Peach season is upon and lemme tell you sumptin’ people… I LOOOOOOOOOVE fresh peaches! I’ve had this recipe for a century and make fresh peach pie filling every summer. Now you can either jar/can it when it’s done OR you can use it right away.
Trust me.. when it’s butt-crack cold outside (presuming you live in the a place where it gets butt-crack cold in the winter) nothing speaks ‘summer’ like a warm fresh peach pie.
Homemade Peach Pie filling
- Yield: 2 quarts or 7 quarts
Find more fantabulous recipes, tips and tricks at www.thekitchenwhisperer.net. Also, join our TKW Family on Facebook
Ingredients
For 2 quarts of Filling
- 7 cups sliced peaches
- 2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup ClearJel plus 2 tablespoon
- 1 1/2 cups cold water or peach juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 qt jars/lids/rings
For 7 quarts of Filling
- 6 qts of sliced peaches (about 7–8 pounds of peaches)
- 7 cups sugar
- 2 cups ClearJel plus 3 tablespoon
- 5 1/4 cups cold water or peach juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 7 qt jars/lids rings
- Plus an additional 1/4 cup lemon juice or Fruit-Fresh pectin
Instructions
- Make an ‘X’ in the bottom of each peach.
- Place into boiling water for 30-60 seconds
- Remove and place into ice cold water
- Remove skins
- Cut up the peaches
- To keep from turning brown mix in 1/4 cup lemon juice or Fruit-Fresh. Stir to coat.
- Combine the water, sugar, ClearJel and cinnamon in large pot.
- Stir and cook over medium high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
- Add the lemon juice and boil the sauce for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Add in the drained peach slices and cook for 3 minutes.
- Fill the jars within ¾”-1” from the top.
- Put the filled jars in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1” of water.
- Boil for 30 minutes.
Notes
ClearJel is not the same as SureJel – read THIS article that explains the difference and what will happen when you try to substitute one for the other.
My local stores do not carry ClearJel so I order it off of Amazon.
deb m says
Is it just me, or does the recipe appear to be coming up twice? I am seeing jars listed twice, two different amounts of sugar, two different amounts of peaches. Help!
TKWAdmin says
Hi Deb, no it wasn’t you. See there was a ‘bug’ in the software for iPad and iPhone printing. The fix to the code caused the format of the recipes to get mangled. It’s fixed now but there may be a few straggler recipes that I missed in correcting the format.
You did the best thing by commenting and asking. Thank you! It’s fixed now.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Mary says
Can a pressure cooker be used to can peach pie filling?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Mary,
Per the National Center for Home Food Preservation, the water bath is the only method for this. I’ve never tried it with a pressure cooker.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Tammy says
I live close to Lancaster PA, where there is a large Amish population. Most of the large grocery store chains carry Clearjel. I just bought a large bag last night.
TKWAdmin says
Hi Tammy! I’ve been to Lancaster many times. Gorgeous country!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Lilia says
Hi. The recipe looks great. 2 questions:
1. Could I make the following substitution: 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. [for the 2-Quarts of filling recipe/method]. I just like the extra flavour brown sugar brings.
2. I’d like to add some raspberries to this. [about 1 1/4 cups to the 7 cups of sliced peaches] Could I just add them, or would the recipe need to be adjusted?
Thanks.
TKWAdmin says
Lilia,
Yes you can use the brown sugar with this. I, too, love the flavor. Just watch so it doesn’t burn. When I make a peach berry filling I reduce the peaches from 7 cups to almost 6 cups and add in 1 1/4 cups raspberries/blueberries (fresh not frozen).
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Christina says
Could I use sure gel or the fruit pectin they sell for canning as a substitute? I have looked all over for clear jel and can’t find anyone who sells it. I have a bunch of peaches I need to use. Thanks for your help!
TKWAdmin says
Hi Christina,
Clearjel and Surejel are not the same things. Clearjel is a modifide cornstarch used for thickening in home canning much like regular cornstarch is used to thicken gravy. Surejel is fruit pectin that when combined with sugars and heat causes juices and crushed fruits to jel – much like gelatin (Jello). You cannot substitute one for the other. You also cannot substitute regular cornstarch for Clearjel either.
I actually had to buy mine through Amazon.
You could use Pomona’s Pectin powder but I haven’t tried that yet.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Janice says
I purchase my Clear Gel online at www.nuts.com
Do not ever use flour, corn starch or Sure Gel for pie filling. They can’t hold up to the extreme heat and timing for this type of canning and will break down.
Beth says
So do you need to pressure can this or can you use a water bath?
Thanks!
Beth
TKWAdmin says
Beth,
I use a water bath method. I fill the jars, put the seals and rings on and then lower them into the water (on the rack). Fill with at least 1″ of water above the jars and at medium heat (slow boil) for 30 minutes for quart jars. Pints I do 20 minutes.
Best Kitchen Wishes.
Audy says
I would like to use cornstarch. Have a way to do that?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Audy,
I don’t use cornstarch as that tends to make the filling way too watery and it also makes it cloudy, almost opaque. ClearJel is pectin based. Cornstarch on the other hand has the potential of overcooking (what happens to some custards when they get boiled past a certain point or reheated) and weeping or breaking the created bond of liquids. In addition, cornstarch has the tendency to impart other ‘off’ flavors.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Bubba says
Man this stuff is so so so good! Reminded me of Nana’s! Just made about 30 quarts of this using a bushel of peaches my neighbor gave me.
TKWAdmin says
Bubba,
That is awesome! I love fresh peaches and this is a great way to have them all year round!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
therese lussier says
When you make your pie in the winter when it’s butt-crack cold, how do you use the canned peaches? Simply pour in the pieshell?
Thanks
TKWAdmin says
Hi Therese,
Well since the peaches pie filling is already preserved, you would treat it just like you would if you bought canned pie filling. You’d put in your pie crust, fill it with the jar of peach filling and top it with another crust. Bake per your normal recipe (mine is bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 400F oven on the lower third of the oven then reduce the temp to 375 and cook for about 45-55 minutes).
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Charlotte says
Do you bake the pie in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or 45-55 minutes? I’m confused. Thanks!
TKWAdmin says
Charlotte,
Sorry it’s confusing. My recipe is as follows:
I fill the unbaked shell with filling, then top it with the 2nd crust. I then have the oven set to 400F on the lower third rack. I baked it at 400F for 10 minutes then without removing it from the oven, reduce the temperature to 375F and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Best Kitchen Wishes!