Learn the technique how to perfectly slice a peach in half, why this doesn't work on all peaches. Become an expert in pitting peaches.
At the end get our recipe for Roasted Peach BBQ Sauce. Yum!
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In case you are just tuning in, welcome to our Person Peach Series. This summer I am receiving 7 boxes of peaches from Pearson Farm near Fort Valley, Georgia. Each box will contain a different variety of Prince peaches. Itโs a fantastic way to experience the different flavors, textures, and colors of the peach.
Nothing beats biting into a fresh peach and having the juice run down your face.
Sometimes you need to slice those peaches and forgo that experience. So what's the best way to do it? Let us show you how.
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๐ช Best Way to Slice
Here is what I like to do, especially if it's a freestone peach. This doesn't work nearly as well if the pit doesn't want to give up all the surrounding flesh. You find the crease in the peach. You grab your favorite pairing knife and run it along the crease (some people call it a suture). Set the knife down and simply twist the peach gently. This will separate the two halves. Then you just have to remove the pit and slice into sections.
This method is super fast and really makes prep work for a pie or cobbler go by really fast. It's kind of fun too.
RELATED - Do You Need to Peel a Peach for a Pie?
๐ฝ๏ธ Video
Watch a short video demonstration:
Now if your peach is a cling stone, then it's more like cutting into a mango. You know your not going to get all the fruit, unless you eat directly around the pit.
What you can do is make your cut off center. Do your best to visualize how big the pit is, and try to cut as close it has possible. Don't worry if you miss! Your slices may not be as pretty as with a freestone peach, but the peach will be none less the tastier.
If you are making a pie, cobbler, or any dessert that calls for peaches, once you have sliced the peach and half and removed the pit, then cut as equal as you can get slices with each half. The important part isn't the exact size, it's that the peaches are all roughly the same size. The pieces on the end will be smaller of course.
If you are using the peaches in a smoothie, then you just need to slice them up enough to fit and break down fast. You don't need to be perfect at all, just a rough slice will do.
Pearson Farm Farm - They have approximately 1800 acres of peaches. Wow can you imagine that. I need to visit one of these years to see it for myself. The 1800 acres works out to about 200,000 peach trees. That is certainly a lot of peaches. The oldest peach trees on their farm are 16 years old. From what I have read, peach tree last up to 20 years. In the older years the trees do not produce as well. Time for them to slow down and enjoy their retirement!
โ๏ธ July Prince Peach Review
Out of all the peaches I have received in this series so far, July Prince deserves it's place on the throne as the best. The flavor of this peach is divine. It's sweet, but not overly so, that it takes away from it's character. Some fruit can be so sweet, yet have no real flavor. I love a sweet peach but I need it to have some acidity or tartness to it. July Prince fits the bill.
Pearson Farm described July Prince as a "workhorse", meaning that the trees produce a heavy crop of peaches consistently. Some varieties of fruit can bear heavy one year, and then not so much the next year. July Prince is more consistent, thus more reliable for the farmer.
RELATED - Do You Need to Peel a Peach for a Pie?
๐ชจ Freestone
This peach is very user friendly in that the pit is easy to pop out. July Prince is a true freestone peach. I can remove the pit from the center of the peach without taking any flesh with it. The perks - you get more peach into your mouth. And they are easier to slice. Which leads us to this week's topic.
โจ๏ธ Roasted Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe
For this week single peach recipe I decided to go savory with a peach BBQ sauce. Peaches add sweetness and a ton of flavor. If you never go savory with your fruit, this is a good beginner option. Just give it a try over your ordinary BBQ sauce, especially if your sauce normally comes out of a bottle. Trust me this will be better than anything you bought at the store.
If you really want to up the flavor ante of your peach BBQ sauce, try roasting the peach first. This will caramelize the peach and bring out it's inner sweetness. You could do this on the grill to you if like. Next time you fire up your grill, put two halves of a peach on it (maybe a couple peaches), and you'll have them ready to make BBQ sauce or a number of tasty desserts.
Ingredients
- 1 peach pit removed
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder or chile powder
- a couple drops liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees
- Slice peach in half, removing the pit. You don't need to peel the peach.
- Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Set aside to cool.
- Place the peach in a food processor, puree to smooth, or if you like it chunky, give it a few pulses.
- Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
- Taste. Adjust if needed with more of any of the ingredients.
๐ More Peach Posts
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