It’s day three of Peach Week 2018! Monday, I shared a tiny batch of Peach Cardamom Jam. Yesterday was all about the Peach Walnut Conserve! Today, we’re moving on to chutney.
I’ve been making versions of this chutney for more than eight years now. I originally devised it using tomatoes and have since made it with plums, pears, and now, peaches. It’s got a seriously assertive flavor, thanks to a healthy dose of vinegar and all those spices.
Often I will tell you that it doesn’t matter how you cut your fruit, but when it comes to this preserve, I advise you to be thoughtful with your cuts so that they are of mostly uniform size. It helps the chutney cook evenly and makes for a really beautiful finished product.
If you follow me on Instagram, you might have spotted this photo, in which I called this my Indian spiced peach chutney. I’ve decided to let that title go, because this preserve is an invention built on things I’ve read and experienced. It has no right to claim any kind of authenticity.
This blog post was written in partnership with the good people at the Washington State Stone Fruit Growers as part of my role as official Canbassador. They sent me 18 pounds of peaches and asked me to preserve them. I’ll be posting peach recipes all week long, so check back tomorrow for the next installment. For more about Washington State Fruit, follow them on social media!
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Peach Chutney with Toasted Whole Spices
Ingredients
- 3 pounds peaches pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath canner and sufficient jars.
- In a medium, non-reactive pot, combine the prepared peaches, sugar, vinegar, raisins, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a dry skillet, combine the spices and toast over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. They are finished when the mustard seeds begin to pop.
- Add the toasted spices to the peaches and stir to combine. Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring regularly, until the liquid reduces, the peaches darken and soften, and the total volume has reduced by at least one-third.
- When you feel that the chutney is done, remove the pan from the heat.
- Funnel the finished chutney into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
- When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
Had plans last night to make peach chutney from a previous recipe that was on your site. Then I got on and so this and switched over to this recipe. Turned out fantastic! Can’t wait to share it with friends and family. BTW, I am Indian and it does taste very close to the chutneys we make.
I am so happy to hear that it worked out for you! And thank you!
Does if matter if you use black mustard seeds instead of yellow ?
Nope. They have a slightly stronger flavor, but it will be okay.
Can the recipe be 1/2 safely?
Yes.
What a great combination of spices. Wow. I used peaches and nectarines, and golden raisins and dried cranberries. So delicious.
I had all these peaches and I want to try something different. I found your recipe and it was so easy to make. I did make some changes. Instead of the 1-1/2 cups sugar, I used 1 cup of raw honey and 125 gm block of panela. I used 1 cup of chopped dates instead of the raisins – too many people hate raisins I also make my own ground hot peppers and I added only 1/4 tsp which still gives it a bit of a bite but lots of flavour. Thanks for the great recipe. It will be one I do next season.
What is the yield of this recipe? It looks amazing!
This recipe yields three pints (if anyone is wondering)
I’m looking forward to trying this – quick question – can. I sub in balsamic vinegar for red wine?
I wouldn’t do it. Balsamic is more acidic and intensely flavored than red wine vinegar.
Can you please share details on how to adapt this recipe to use e.g. plums, pears, apples or a mix, instead of peaches? I’d like to make sure I keep the proportions of acidic ingredients the same, so as to maintain safe levels of acid. Thank you.
You would simply swap in the same amount of plums, apples, or pears for the peaches. I’d peel the apples or pears, but would leave the skins on the plums. And that would be it.
Hi Marisa! I’m wondering if this would still be safe to can if I left out the raisins. I’m thinking so because there’s a ton of vinegar and sugar still but I’d like to double check!
It’s totally fine to leave out the raisins! They do bring some sweetness and texture, but even without them, it should be good.