Can fresh peaches be frozen without peeling, just pitted? Mainly, is there any health hazard? Not concerned with looks, just quality. Thank you for anu help.

-- Bill Blough (recluse@wabash.net), August 07, 2000

Answers

Ya know Bill... I don't know! How would ya get the pit out without cutting the peach? Or are you not talking about freezing them whole? Skinning them really doesn't take a whole lot of time. Just dip in boiling water for 30 seconds or so and then into ice water. The skin slids right off. I'm not sure that there would be a health hazard if you wanted to leave them on as long as you scrubbed them good. Hmmm.. I'll be checking back to see what the answer is... enough of my rambling.

-- Misha (MishaaE@aol.com), August 09, 2000.

Well, you know this question has been on my mind since I read this a couple days ago. I had never thought of it before and I just canned and froze a couple bushels of peaches skins on. I like the way they taste better, and the nutrients are suppose to be in the skin of fruits and veggies-unless that is just a wives tale. Anyway, since you eat fresh peaches with skin, that should be about the same as frozen-just wash them. Today I looked in Ball blue book and under apricots it says that they can be canned peeled or unpeeled halves. I guess my thought is that with these two points in mind I would feel that it would be fine to freeze them with the peels on, but I dont know that for certain. Tami in WI

-- Tami Bowser (windridg@chorus.net), August 09, 2000.

Guess folks get tired of hearing how I have always done it, when I think they really want a book telling them, but all of my stone fruit, I freeze, wash, put into zip-lock and freeze. As they thaw they are very eaisly skinned, pitted and sliced for pies, jam or the like. I do 99% of all my canning during the winter when I have more time and don't have to can in the heat. My husband just commented when I put yet another batch of tomatoes in the freezer, "Why did I build that summer kitchen for you?" I told him it was for me to use in the fall! :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 10, 2000.

Bill, I found a wonderful freezing recipe for peaches...just wash the peaches and then slice them (skin and all) remove the pit and then dip them in orange juice concentrate and toss a little sugar into a freezer bag as you fill it up with the fruit...they taste wonderful and my 4kids love to eat them right out of the bag.... good eating to you... have a wonderful day...Jenean.

-- Jenean Miller (1Wrangler1@excite.com), August 10, 2000.

I have had (until I moved this summer) a most wonderful pair of peach trees. I have washed them, put them in the freezer whole, then taken them out of the freezer later to process. They do turn brown inside, but when making peach butter, it doesn't matter. It doesn't really matter a whole lot for us around the house anyway. I do try to process some in the heat of the summer to give as gifts and of course we want the all pretty! I have 6 children and other then a few weird looks the first year I tried it, they love it that way!! My little ones call them "peach cicles". All natural!

Cindy

-- Cindy Cluck (ldsmomof6@yahoo.com), August 13, 2000.