Peach is a juicy fruit that you can enjoy in many ways. From eating it as a snack to fruit salads to desserts like Kaiserschmarrn, throwing a little peach into the mix always adds sweetness without making you experience a sugar crash later.
Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, peach has plenty of benefits. Many eat peaches regularly for the anti-inflammatory antioxidants it has for healthier skin.
Despite the benefits and favorable taste, working with a peach can get annoying, especially if you don’t cut it the right way. Cutting, peeling, and pitting a peach is not the same as other round fruits. There is a technique that goes into cutting a peach before turning it into cubes or wedges. This article will show the best ways to peel, pit, and cut a peach step-by-step.
Table of contents
Prepare the peach
Before cutting a peach, prepare it by washing it thoroughly. Due to the structure of the outer skin, dirt can get stuck. Use your hands or a brush with light pressure to eliminate any dirt residue on the outer skin. After cleaning, dry the peach with a paper towel.
You will need a paring knife to cut a peach, but a regular chef’s knife also does the job well.
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A step-by-step guide to cutting a peach
Cutting a peach doesn’t consist of a single task. It’s not like cutting a potato where you dive right in. There are multiple steps to cut a peach into wedges or cubes, and that either starts with peeling or pitting the peach.
How to peel?
Peeling a peach is either going to be easy or hard. That mostly depends on the ripeness of the fruit. If it’s not completely ripened yet, you will have an easier time peeling. You can use any Swiss peeler to peel off the skin of a peach.
With softened peaches, you may find it hard using a peeler or even a sharp knife. As previously explained in our cutting a tomato article, you can blanch the peach to remove the skin. Here is how to blanch a peach for easy peeling.
- Make an X cut at the bottom of the peach. Make sure not to go too deep. Cutting only the skin is more than enough.
- Bring a large enough pot of water to a boil.
- Lower the peaches into the boiling water and let them sit for about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the peaches immediately to a bowl of ice water.
- After the peaches are cooled down, you can peel the skin effortlessly with your hands.
Whether you peel the skin or not, the way you’re going to pit the peach is the same. Here is how.
How to pit
Before you get started, there is one thing to keep in mind about the type of peach you’re going to cut.
There are two varieties of peach pits. They’re either freestone or clingstone. As the name clarifies, clingstone pits cling onto the fruit, making it harder to remove.
On the other hand, the freestone peaches are much easier to work with, and the pit will come right off. Because freestone peaches are easier to deal with, the majority of the stores sell this variety. Mostly, companies use clingstone peaches for canned products, and they are harder to come by at most local stores.
Here is how to pit a peach regardless of the variety and the skin peeled off or not.
- Remove the stem piece on the top if it’s still attached.
- Cut from the top and when the knife’s edge hits the pit, follow all the way through by circling the fruit.
- Twist the peach.
- Use your fingers to take out to pit easily.
With clingstone peaches, the pit may not come off that easily. Instead of attempting to remove it with your fingers once halved, try the following.
- Halve the peach.
- Place the half with the pit on the cutting board and cut it in the center.
- Open up the peach, and you’ll have a quarter slice.
- Remove the pit with your fingers. If it’s stubborn, do the same cut on the quarter piece for easier removal.
How to slice
The easiest way to cut a peach is by slicing it. When using a peach for food recipes, this is the most often way you’re going to cut it. Simply take the peach, and with the flat side on the board, start slicing.
Wedge cut
If you’re going to eat peaches on the go, turn them into wedges to toss them in a bowl. Take the halved peach and cut it in the center. Make another cut in the middle, and you will have excellent wedges.
Though these are the most straightforward ways to cut a peach, some recipes call for cube cuts.
How to cut a peach into cubes
Cube cuts are an easy way to turn a whole peach into smaller pieces to later use in dessert recipes or a fruit salad if you like them smaller. You can also use cubed peaches to mix with yogurt for a healthy snack. Here is how to cut a peach into cubes.
- Place the flat side of the peach on the cutting board.
- Cut the peach in the middle horizontally.
- Make regular slices and turn the peach 90 degrees.
- Slice the peach for the last time to get cubed cuts.
Bonus: How to cut peaches for cobbler
If you don’t like round fruits toppings on your cobbler, you can mix it up a little by cutting them differently. Instead of slim wedge cuts, transform the peaches into wedges and halve them. This will leave you with more little pieces of peaches that aren’t too small and won’t disappear into the cobbler.
How to pick a good peach at the store?
In most cases, the peach you buy at the stores will be ripe, ready to eat. You can never be sure though, here is how to differentiate between a ripe and unripe peach.
A ripe peach will be a little soft and have a sweet smell. The color will also be dark yellow. An unripe peach is the opposite of these. Reconsider buying a peach if it’s green, tough, and doesn’t smell sweet as it’s not ready yet, though you can ripen it at home.
How to store peaches?
Store peaches in your refrigerator normally after taking them out of the grocery bag. If they’re cut, and you want to use them later, we have a few tips for you. Because peaches turn brown after cutting and this discoloring happens quickly, drip a little lemon juice over the parts without skin and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
Store the peaches for up to three to four days in the refrigerator. Make sure to refrigerate cut peaches as soon as possible as they won’t last long on the countertop at room temperature.
Now that you know how to pit and cut a peach, it’s time to put those knife skills to the test. You will always have an easier time cutting any fresh ingredient with a sharp knife. Visit our collection to find the knife that accommodates everything you’re preparing.
FAQs
Can you cut a peach the night before?
Cutting a peach the night before to prep them for a recipe is perfectly fine as long as stored properly. Follow the storing method above to prevent them from discoloration and going bad in the fridge.
How to ripen peaches fast?
There are a few ways to fasten the ripening process. Leaving peaches in a brown bag with the top loosely rolled is a well-known way to ripen any fruit. Another method that you can follow is to leave them in rice, completely covered. As for how long to keep them, this depends on how ripened they are when starting. Check how matured the peaches got in twelve-hour periods, and they should be ready in about one to two days.
Are peach pits poisonous?
Peach pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous. Don’t eat the peach pits and feed them to dogs, chickens, squirrels, or any other animal. However, if someone accidentally swallows a pit, it’s likely that it won’t cause any harm, but consider a visit to the doctor.
How to cut peaches for a baby?
Babies love to chew on foods, especially juicy fruits. Although they are a bit acidic, they have one of the lowest acid content out of all the fruits. Give your baby a halved peach without the pit. You can peel the skin, but it will help the baby grip it comfortably. Additionally, you can cut a peach into small cubes to feed to your baby.
What fruits can I cut the same way as a peach?
You can cut most stone fruits the same way as a peach. These include mango, apricot, nectarines, plums, and many more. Working with these similar fruits will get easier once you master peeling, pitting, and cutting a peach.
