The Foolproof Method For Peeling Peaches By Hand
No frilly introductions are needed here — peaches are an undoubtedly iconic fruit. Emblematic of the American South (and Georgia especially), they are a cherished fruit (via Kennesaw State University), and for a good reason. Whether baked into a pie, served over ice cream, or eaten on its own, a juicy, sweet peach can feel as pure and brightening as sunshine. When ripe and sun-kissed, they are truly unbeatable. Peeling peaches, though, is not. For some, lightly fuzzy peach skin can be an annoyance (at best) or a pain (in the case of allergies). If trying to peel super-ripe peaches, the task is immensely arduous.
Whether using a peeler or a knife, peach peeling can be challenging because, in many instances, the flesh may peel away with the peel itself, turning your perfectly round and supple peach into a torn, distorted mess. While these fruits don't need to be peeled by any means, their skin can be a textural irritant in certain baked dishes. Read ahead for some general peach peeling tips, as well as some secrets that may make the whole undertaking much less taxing.
It's all about blanching
Kitchn notes a genius tip for peeling, which involves blanching the peaches for about 30 seconds, shocking them in ice water, and removing the peels with your hands. Yep, you read that right. Once blanched and shocked, the skin will literally fall right off. No mess, no misshapen peaches — just perfectly round, golden orbs, ready to be eaten or cooked with.
As noted by The Daily Meal, blanching is the process of cooking food in boiling water and then immediately cooling it in ice water to halt the cooking process. Applying this method to your fruit helps remove the skin easily without any struggle. Typically, one would then cook with the peaches (since they've already been lightly cooked in hot water), but if you want to eat them skinless, feel free!
The Peach Truck concurs that the blanch and shock approach is arguably the simplest manner of peeling peaches, especially if you need to peel a whole ton for a large-scale dessert that requires a bounty of this fancy fruit.
Blanching and shocking peaches
We could use some general tips when blanching peaches, so the first one is to use a large pot for the boiling water and a slotted spoon to make it easier to retrieve the fruits. Before blanching them, remember to score the bottom of your peaches (make a little X at the bottom of each fruit) for an easier peel, and don't cook for more than 40 seconds.
Finally, always shock the cooked fruits in frigid ice water. If you run into any issues with peeling, throw the peaches back into the boiling water for a bit longer to help loosen the skin further, and always try to peel near the bottom where you scored the X, as The Peach Truck explains.
In addition, Martha Stewart also concurs that this method may be the most seamless manner of peeling these fruits, so why not attempt this approach the next time you're whipping up a peach cobbler, peach ice cream, or peach salsa? We bet you'll be very happy with the outcome.