Gluten Free Peach Pie Filling

When the farmers market, the U-pick farm or your own peach trees are loaded down and you need to do something with all that yummy fruit, make some of this pie filling to put away in your pantry.

Use it for pie, turnovers, sauce for ice cream, topping for pancakes or waffles or just eat it out of the jar. Best of all, you made it!

For seven quarts of filling ( one canner load ):

6 quarts of peaches, peeled and sliced
5 cups granulated sugar
2 to 3 cups water
2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup bottled lemon juice
1 pkg powdered pectin

Make sure you only prepare enough peaches for each canner load otherwise they will turn brown on you.

Peel and slice your peaches 1/4" thick. Place the peach slices in a large bowl and pour the lemon juice over them. Sprinkle 3 cups of the sugar over the peach slices and allow to sit on the counter for 30 minutes to bring out the juice.

Drain the juice into a large bowl and enough of the 2 to 3 cups of water to equal 6 cups of liquid total. Leave the peaches in their own bowl for now. 

In a large stockpot, place the rest of the sugar, spices, and the water-juice combination. Stir together. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute then add the powdered pectin and stir in well.  Add the peaches and simmer until thick. Turn off the heat.

Fill quart jars leaving 1/2" headspace ( that glass ring around the top edge is 1/2" from the top of the jar). Place on rings and lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 35 minutes at sea level. Add five minutes more for elevations up to 3000 ft and 10 minutes more for elevations to 5000 feet.

When the time is up, carefully remove from the canner and allow to cool on the counter overnight. Check the seals, clean the jars, label and date and put away.

Makes 7 quarts enough for 7 pies.

*Note: When you open your jar of pie filling, check to make sure it is thick enough for you. If not, take a tablespoon of cornstarch along with 4 tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly. Place the pie filling in a saucepan, add the cornstarch slurry and heat up to thicken.