Did you know that peaches could be peeled using a microwave oven? What? Don’t believe me? But, you surely must have heard about the boiling water technique! Well if you haven’t, then let me tell you there are many easy and fun ways to shave peaches.
Exfoliating fleshy fruits can be a little tricky because they can easily get bruised or damaged. If you don’t carefully peel off the skin, the flesh can come along with it. And that can be disastrous for some recipes.
So here are some creative ways to peel the peaches without using a knife. Now decorate your favorite smoothie, add in salads or pies to make delicious desserts with perfectly peeled peaches without any worry. All of the tools are already in your kitchen.
Peaches are the Perfect Fruit for Summer
Peaches are the refreshing summer delight that is used widely in making jams, pies, salads, cobblers, ice creams, lemonades, desserts, pudding etc. The list is endless. Moreover, its health benefits are long-lasting, and it will keep you healthy till old age.
Studies show that peaches help in treating breast cancer. They kill cancerous cells but the amazing thing is normal cells are not harmed in the process.
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How to Check if the Peach is Fully Ripened?
Just by using the general sense of touch, smell and vision, you can sense if the peach is fully ripened or not.
● Notice the Color of Peach
A ripened peach has a dark and deep color that is usually a combination of dark yellow and dark orange. Don’t pick the one having dark spots or bruises because those are overly ripened. Similarly, don’t pick one with green spots as they will need more time to get fully ripened.
● Feel the Sweet Aroma of Peach
The unique sweet smell of peach is a sign of a perfectly ripened peach. The more it smells sweet, the more it will have a sweet taste. And it eventually means that it is fully ripened.
● Look for the Shape of a Peach
The perfectly ripened peach is perfectly round. If it is not, it is damaged, bruised or over-ripened.
● Check how Firm it is
By squeezing the peach a bit, you will feel certain softness if it is ripening. If it is hard, then it needs more time to get ripened.
How to peel peaches?
It is totally fine to peel peaches with a knife. However, we don’t recommend doing so because If you peel these peaches with a knife, you will lose a lot of flesh with the skin. Also, the danger further increases if you don’t use the right knife.
1. By Boiling the Peaches
- Add 2 to 3 peaches to the pan filled with boiling water and boil them for a few seconds. (approximately 10-20 seconds)
- After that, check the skin, if it is starting to crack or slightly getting removed automatically, take them out of the water immediately using the spoon.
- Transfer them to the ice bath or extremely cold water to let them cool a bit so you can peel their skin off just by fingers easily. And Voila! You have done a tedious job in a matter of a few minutes.
2. By Hand Peeler
Pick the firm peach and use the peeler to peel it from top to bottom. Rotate and peel off the skin until all of it comes off. Just make sure that you apply just enough pressure that the fruit can bear.
3. By Blanching the Peaches
It is the finest way to peel peaches without bruising them.
For this, take the ripened peach and cut an X on the bottom by using a sharp knife. Make sure that you don’t cut the fruit too deeply. Then dip them into the boiling water for less than a minute (till you see the skin start to peel off automatically).
Then take the spoon and take them out into the cold water or icy water to cease the heating. Once it gets cool, use the paper towel to pat dry and then peel the skin off. It will easily come off without bruising the flesh.
4. In Microwave
It is similar to the stove method. You have to make the X mark on the peach and dip them into the bowl filled with water. Place them into the microwave for a few seconds to a minute, then peel off the skin from mark X.
Some Extra Tips and Tricks to Perfectly Conduct these Peeling Processes
Everyone can follow these steps to peel the peaches, to be honest. But what will make you apart is the expert quality work. So here are some tips for those who want to get the perfect results.
- Gather all the pots and utensils you need before starting the process
- It is better to add 2 to 3 peaches at the given time because more quantity of peaches can make the pot congested, and the peaches will not get boiled properly.
- Before pat drying the peaches, drain. You have to get water out of them as much as possible.
- Make the ice bath already prepared but don’t add ice to it until you see cracks on the skin of peaches in boiling them.
- Check for the ripeness of peaches carefully.
- You can freeze the peeled peaches as well to use them later. Always store them in a dry container in the refrigerator.
- If the peaches are not ripened enough to peel, leave them on the kitchen counter or in the paper bag. Remember not to store them in the fridge.
Final Words
In a nutshell, it is absolutely fine to have peaches with the skin. But in case you are making recipes that require perfectly peeled peaches, the above method will surely help you out. Once you master these techniques, you can easily prepare anything from the peaches you want.
Get a “peachful” delight at your morning breakfasts or weekend desserts, and enjoy!