Recipe(tried): Peach Butter from the skins

Peach Butter

1. Use only sound, ripe peaches. If there is any blemishes cut them away. Wash and drain fruit.

2. Scald peaches; remove skins and pits, placing skins in a Dutch oven. A little lemon juice can be added to skins so they won't discolor (if cooking right away you don't need lemon juice).

3. If fruit is very juicy, and after you put the peelings in a Dutch Oven you see juice in the bottom, you don't have to add any water. If there isn't much juice in the bottom, you may add a little water (just a tiny bit because you have to cook the water off and it will take awhile to do so). Remember, as the skins are cooking more juice will come off the peelings.

4. Start your heat off on medium-high to get it hot fast. Turn down on low and simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer 45-60 minutes or until the peelings are soft and falling apart. When peelings are soft, press through a colander or a fine sieve until skins are dry and all pulp is off them (you will know, there will be no more pulp coming out of the sieve).

5. Put extracted pulp in Dutch Oven, add 1/2-cup sugar to each cup of pulp (peaches might be extra sweet so check for sweetness before adding the full amount of sugar. Add 1/4-tsp. salt to each gallon of peach butter. Stir well to mix. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly to prevent scorching and burning.

6. When the butter is thick and cooked down, test by pouring a small quantity on a cold plate. Keep cooking until no rim of liquid separates around the edge of the peach butter on the plate.

7. Stir in spices, if desired, for example: 1-2 tsp. of mixed ground spices to the gallon of peach butter. Use only fresh spices and just enough to give a delicate flavor without obscuring the natural fruit flavor (I NEVER put spices in peach butter, I'm a purist I want to just taste the peach flavor).

8. While the peach butter is hot, pour into sterilized jars, seal and process in a water bath immediately or put in tightly sealed containers and refrigerate or freeze. I have never frozen it, but some do.

Hope this answers all your questions if not just let me know and I'll try my best to answer them! ENJOY!