Peach Salsa

It has been like a cannery around here.  Seriously.  Yesterday I canned another batch of peach barbecue sauce because we love it so much.  I put some in the fridge because my husband was like, "don't can it all- leave some out for now!"  I could not agree more.

I also canned this peach salsa.  I had canned it last year as well and it is nearly gone.  We discovered that we REALLY like it on rice.  Delicious.  Also, great on fish tacos! So I had to make this and yes, I doubled it because we like it that much.

The day before that I made some more of my dill relish that we blew through this past winter.  Here is a pic of my daughter turning the old fashioned grinder that I have.

Before I started canning all these I organized my canning shelf to get ready for the onslaught that is summer harvest.
 

Peach Salsa
Adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.  Yield 8 pints.

12 cups chopped pitted peeled peaches
1 cup white vinegar
2 1/2 cups chopped red onion
2 large jalapeño peppers*, finely chopped. (for a mild heat with a hint of burn, remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeños prior to chopping)
2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely
1 cup loosely packed, finely chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons liquid honey
4 clove of garlic, finely chopped
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Scald the peaches for one minute and peel.  Measure after you have chopped them and pitted them. ( Just to give you a rough idea, I used a little over half a peck for a double recipe).

Place vinegar in the pot first then the peaches.  The vinegar will help the peaches from turning brown too fast. Add everything else to the pot. Once everything is in, bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened (about 5-10 minutes).

Have ready previously prepared, washed and sterilized canning jars. Ladle the hot salsa mixture in, leaving a quarter inch head space. Wipe the jar rims and tighten the hot lids on to fingertip tightness.

Place the jars in a boiling water bath canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes.

After processing, remove jars from the canner with the jar lifter and set them on a folded dish towel on the counter to cool.

*I recommend chopping up your jalapeños one by one and adding them.  Check the heat.  It will give you some indication of how hot it will be, but of course it isn't going to be through and through  your salsa yet.  I love heat and my jalapeños were super big,  I took off the ribs and seeds and ended up using only two in the whole recipe.  Plenty hot.  Not to mention you will add cayenne too.  Keep in mind you do not have to add the cayenne if you don't want a lot of heat.