CANNING: Whiskey Peach Brown Sugar Compote

• Whiskey Peach Compote Serving Ideas
• Whiskey Peach Brown Sugar Compote Ingredients
• How to Can Whiskey Peach Brown Sugar Compote
• Whiskey Peach Brown Sugar Compote

Since canning is once again, super hot (as in trendy, not just a sweat bath), I’m grateful for my stash of jars and lids as the “candemic” is in full swing and the latest trend in quarantine cuisine.

We’ve all mastered sourdough, or at least a passable no-knead bread, and what goes better with that than homemade preserves? Look… does this mean I’m finally cool?

No, but that’s okay, and also, it’s hot as hell’s furnace in my kitchen, because I’m putting up whisky peach brown sugar sauce with front yard farm peaches.

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This home-canned peach conserve goes great with vanilla ice cream, Edna Lewis’s pound cake, a light sprinkle of apocalypse, and a scoop of your whiskey peach preserves, which is how we just enjoyed it. I could have done without the dusting of apocalyptic dread, but that’s just baked into the terroir these days, ammirite?

Whiskey Peach Compote Serving Ideas

Try this spirited peach compote over butter pecan or even black walnut ice cream for a truly southern sundae. It’s also fantastic on pancakes or waffles, rolled up in a crepe or blintz with sweet farmer’s cheese or whipped cream.

It’s not just for the dessert table though! Try your whiskey peach sauce with a juicy brined pork chop, hot off the grill, or smoker. Or if you are a really lucky duck, with a smoked or pan-seared duck breast or chicken.

However you pair it, I think you’ll agree that this canning recipe is worth a few hours standing and stirring over your boiling cauldrons, my fellow kitchen witches.

Whiskey Peach Brown Sugar Compote Ingredients

Peaches:

Fresh, flavor-packed tree-ripened peaches are best, but you can also make this with frozen fruit, or even canned peaches in fruit juice. Use only yellow peaches for this if you are canning your sauce. White peaches are not acidic enough to safely can.

Sugar:

We’re using half brown sugar and half white sugar in this compote. For an even richer caramel flavor, you could increase the percentage of brown sugar, but I like the 50/50 blend to still let the bright peach flavor shine through.

Whiskey:

Use a decent quality spirit that you wouldn’t mind drinking, but not the top shelf stuff. Bourbon is particularly nice in this dessert sauce, but you could also use rye for a spicier flavor.

Seasoning:

We’re keeping this simple, again, to showcase the quality of our fresh peaches. A hint of coriander adds warmth and complexity, and the sea salt will round out the flavors and keep the sauce from being cloying.

 

New to canning and not sure what you’ll need to put up this preserve, or just want a refresher? Check out our basic guide to canning equipment! 

How to Can Whiskey Peach Brown Sugar Compote

Prepare the peaches before measuring:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and blanch the peaches for 10-30 seconds.
• Put the blanched peaches into a bowl of lemon water large enough to hold the peaches without overflowing (add several tablespoons of lemon juice or 2-3 teaspoons of citric acid). This will help keep the peaches from oxidizing and turning brown.
• When they are cool enough to handle, peel the peaches. The skins should slip off easily. If they don’t, you can return them to the boiling water pot or use a paring knife.
• Cut the peaches in half, remove the pits, and cut into large diced pieces. Measure out 6 cups of peaches, and return them to the lemon water bath while you measure other ingredients. Save and dry the pits to make noyaux, if you like, and the skins for fruit vinegar (or compost or discard).

Make the Dessert Sauce:

• Into a large, heavy-bottomed jam or sauce pot, add the brown and granulated sugar, whiskey, salt, and coriander. Drain the 6 cups of diced peaches and add them to the pot.
• Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir constantly until sugar has dissolved, then reduce heat and stir regularly.
• Let the sauce simmer at least 20 minutes, or until thickened. While the sauce is simmering, proceed with step one of the canning instructions.

Water-Bath Canning Instructions:

• Fill your water bath canner with water to a height that will cover your jars by several inches with room to boil vigorously. Wash your jars and lids with hot soapy water, rinse, and place the jars (but not the lids) in the canner as you bring the water up to a simmer.
• Protect your work surface- I like to use a baking sheet pan lined with an old kitchen towel. Remove your canning jars from the canner (carefully, with tongs or jar lifters, tilting them out of the hot water) just before filling and place them on the sheet pan or counter lined with a towel- this helps protect them from temperature shocks and also makes for easier clean-up!
• Using a jar funnel if you have one, ladle the hot peach sauce into the hot jars. Leave between ¼-½” of headspace at the top of the jars (¼” unless you are using reusable-style lids with gaskets like Weck or Tattler).
• Debubble the jars with a thin spatula, spoon, or debubbling tool, and wipe the tops of the jars with a clean paper towel or lint-free cloth that has been dipped in hot water or vinegar.
• Place the canning lids on the clean jar tops and screw down the rings- don’t overtighten, just snug. Using your jar lifter, tongs, or the canning jar rack, carefully place the hot filled jars in the hot canner.
• Make sure you have adequate water covering the jars (at least 2″ over the tops of the jars). Top up with water from a hot kettle if needed.
• Start the timer for your water bath after the water is at a rolling boil and all jars are in the canner. Process for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude if applicable) and then turn off the heat. Remove jars from the canner after 5 minutes, and place back on the towel-covered sheet pan or counter (put down a fresh towel if you spilled while filling the jars).

Cool & Store your Peach Compote:

• Leave jars to cool slowly in a draft-free place. Do not touch rings until the jars are completely cool and sealed and do not stack jars.
• After jars are cooled and seals are set (I leave them overnight or up to 24 hours), check that all jars are sealed, carefully wash jars, label them, and remove rings before storing.
• Sealed jars with metal lids will not flex when the seal is pressed, and the lid has a firm vacuum seal with the jar.
• Any jars that did not seal can be reprocessed the same day with new lids (check the jar tops again for chips and the ring for dents), or immediately refrigerated and used first.

Related Recipes:

• Bourbon Brown Sugar Peach Jam (water-bath canning recipe)
• Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Free (and a Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce Canning Recipe)
• Cinnamon or Spiced Summer Peaches (Easy Raw-Pack Water-Bath Recipe)
• Southern Fried Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Salad with Peaches & Pecans
• Easy Eggnog Pound Cake
• Salted Caramel & Coriander Spiced Pear Butter (water-bath canning recipe)
• Homemade Spiced Apple Butter (water-bath canning recipe)