As the summer approaches, many of us enjoy snacking on ripe, juicy peaches. Though they are delicious raw, they can also be added to baked recipes and savory dishes. If you do intend to use them for cooking purposes, first you will need to peel and slice them.
There are many health benefits associated with the consumption of peaches. They are rich in minerals and vitamins and can also improve the health of your skin, along with the health of your heart and digestive system.
Furthermore, peaches also contain traces of iron and potassium. Aside from this, peaches also possess anti-inflammatory properties.
Below, we have identified two methods that you can use to cut your peach, providing you with the step by step details involved with each.
Table of Contents
Select Fresh, Ripe Peaches
First, you will need to select ripe and fresh peaches. They should have a pleasant, sweet smell and a slightly firm feel with a little give to them. Also, avoid peaches that appear bruised because this may be a sign that the peach has started to go off.
Freestone peaches vs clingstone peaches
There are two different types of peaches available; freestone peaches and clingstone peaches. Though they may both look the same, distinguishing between each type becomes easier once you have started to cut into it.
A freestone peach will fall directly from the pit. Once you have halved the peach, simply twisting each part of the peach with your hands will easily remove the pit. They are ideal for eating as they are, putting into cans, or even freezing them for future uses.
A clingstone peach refers to a peach with flesh that clings onto the pit. Whilst this type of peach is commonly eaten because they are difficult to prepare, they aren’t as much of a favorable choice for baking, cooking, or canning.
To remove the pit, you will need to cut into the peach and then use a knife or a spoon to prise the pit away from the flesh. It is unlikely that you will be able to do so, simply using your hands.
Method 1
Peel the Peach
You can either peel your peach whole or cut it up and then peel it. This method involves peeling the peach first. Use your hands or a knife to remove the skin. If you struggle to peel the peach by hand you can blanch it in some boiling water for approximately 45 seconds.
Once 45 have passed, put the peach into ice to stop it from cooking any further. Putting the peaches in water will soften the skin so that it is easier to peel.
Slicing a Peeled Peach
First, you will need to take a sharp paring knife. Position the peach over a bowl (to catch any juices) and cut the peach in half starting from the stem and cutting down to the pit.
Once you have made the first cut, you can then make a second cut parallel to this, working down towards the pit. Each slice can be cut to the desired thickness. Continue slicing the peach until the whole fruit has been cut into segments.
Next, you will need to remove and discard the pit. Typically, this tends to pop out but if it does not you can use a spoon to loosen and remove it.
Method 2
Slicing an Unpeeled Peach
To begin, you will need to use a sharp paring knife to cut into the peach until you feel the blade touch the pit. Keep the knife steadily positioned and continue to move the knife around the entire peach until the entire peach has been cut so that it appears halved.
Next, using both hands, you will need to twist each half of the peach in opposite directions until you can feel the pit loosen. If you have selected a ripe peach, this shouldn’t be too difficult to do.
Once you have felt the pit loosen, you can separate each half of the peach.
The pit should be easy to remove, in most instances it will simply pop out, however, those that are a little more stubborn may need to be removed using a knife or a spoon.
Now that you have a pit-free equally halved peach, you can begin to cut it into slices. Again, the thickness of the slices will be determined by your preference.
Continue to cut the peach in the same direction as the initial cut until it is all cut up into segments.
Peeling a Sliced Peach
Peeling an already sliced peach is a relatively straightforward task. Take the same paring knife that you use to cut the peach into slices and cut the peel off each of the segments.
If you have selected a ripe peach, you will often find that the skin comes off fairly easily and it is likely that you will be able to remove the majority of it using your hands. Peeled peach slices are a great addition to fruit salads, yogurt, ice cream, or baked pies.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, cutting peaches isn’t an overly challenging task and there are two different methods that can be followed to cut and peel your peach with ease. Some may prefer to slice the peach before peeling it, whilst others may choose to peel the peach and then slice it.
Regardless of the method that you choose, you are unlikely to experience any major difficulties when attempting to follow either one of the methods that we have mentioned above.
Freestone peaches are a lot easier to peel and eat in comparison to clingstone peaches. For this reason, if you are intending to add your cut peach to baking or cooking recipes we would recommend using this type of peach.
Those who are going to be consuming their cut-up peach as it is may wish to use a clingstone peach although you will need to be prepared to put more effort into preparing the peach and removing the pit.