Southern Pickled Peaches
These Pickled Peaches are soaked in a tangy-sweet brine of apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and warm spices, and are ready just 15 minutes before a long chill in the fridge!
Servings: 2 16-ounce jars
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe but firm peaches
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut the peaches into wedges and divide between two 16-ounce jars. Add one cinnamon stick to each jar.3 medium ripe but firm peaches, 2 cinnamon sticks
- Add the vinegar, brown sugar, water, cloves, peppercorns, ginger, and salt to a saucepan.1 cup apple cider vinegar, ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Strain the hot brine through a strainer into a heat-safe bowl, discarding the cloves and peppercorns. Remove from the heat and pour the vanilla through the strainer into the bowl, stirring to combine.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the hot brine over the peaches, dividing evenly between the jars.
- Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm peaches so they don't become too soft.
- Peaches can be peeled or left unpeeled.
- I strain out the whole spices and pour the vanilla over them so it picks up all those amazing aromatic oils on the way through. It's the ol' Pioneer way of keeping the brine from overcooking the spices and turning bitter!
- Keep refrigerated and use within 1 week.