Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: Bernardin
Safety reviewed: 09/18/2026
Processing details
Altitude adjustment: Use the exact altitude-adjusted schedule in the tested recipe card.
Source & provenance
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Safety classification
Tested recipe. Documented by Bernardin.
Processing details
- Method: Boiling-water
canning ; hot pack - Jar size: 500 ml jars
- Headspace: Pack peaches to 3/4 inch (2 cm); cover with syrup to 1/2 inch (1 cm).
- Processing: 20 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m); follow Bernardin’s altitude guidance above that elevation.
Tested/documented source
Bernardin: Ginger Bourbon Peaches — Bernardin. The primary source and WPRM card remain authoritative.
Preparation timeline
- Prepare the canner, jars, lids, produce, and measured ingredients.
- Cook the complete tested mixture and hot-pack it exactly as directed.
- Process for elevation, wait 5 minutes, then cool upright and undisturbed for 24 hours.
Equipment
- Boiling-water canner with rack
- 500 ml jars with compatible lids and bands
- Large nonreactive preserving pot
- Jar lifter, funnel, and nonmetallic bubble/headspace tool
Visual method guide
- Prepare ingredients uniformly.
- Cook to the source’s stated stage.
- Hot-pack and maintain Pack peaches to 3/4 inch (2 cm); cover with syrup to 1/2 inch (1 cm)..
- Process with jars covered by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of boiling water.
Safety essentials
Keep the tested peach, water, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and bourbon proportions, and preserve both documented fill levels.
Do not enlarge jar size or shorten processing time. Refrigerate any unsealed jar.
About this recipe
Peach halves hot-packed in a ginger-and-spice syrup containing measured bourbon.
Before you begin
Read the complete recipe card and source, measure every ingredient, confirm your elevation, and prepare one tested batch at a time.
Altitude-adjusted processing
20 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m); use Bernardin’s documented adjustment above that elevation.
Maintain a full rolling boil throughout processing.
Ginger Bourbon Peaches — Bernardin
Ingredients
- 1- 4 qt (4 L) basket peaches, 17 to 20 medium
- 8 inches (20 cm) cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp (25 ml) finely chopped gingerroot
- 1 tsp (5 ml) whole cloves
- 1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) bourbon
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
Directions
- Place 5 clean 500 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner. Cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Keep jars hot until ready to use. Preheating Bernardin® lids is not advised.
- The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed.
- Preheating can lead to less vacuum being achieved during water bath canning, and to buckle failures during pressure canning. Blanch, peel, halve and pit peaches.
- As peaches are peeled, place in a colour protection solution made of 4 tbsp (60 ml) Fruit-Fresh® dissolved in 8 cups (2000 ml) water, if desired. Set aside. Break cinnamon stick into pieces and tie with gingerroot and cloves in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.
- Place spice bag in a large stainless steel saucepan with sugar and water. Bring to a boil; boil 5 minutes to make syrup. Drain peaches and add to syrup. Return to a boil; boil 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in bourbon, discard spice bag.
- Pack hot peaches snugly in overlapping layers into a hot jar to within 3/4 inch (2 cm) of top rim. Add hot syrup to cover peaches to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top of jar (headspace).
- Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more peaches and hot syrup. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.
- Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining peaches and hot syrup. When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time.
- At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process -boil filled jars - 20 minutes.* When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.
- After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place.
- For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.
- Processing: At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process -boil filled jars - 20 minutes - 20 minutes.
- Altitude-adjusted processing table: At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process -boil filled jars - 20 minutes
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
Questions or results?
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Share your results how it turned out.Serving suggestions
Serve or use this preserve according to its sweet, savory, and spiced flavor profile.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a larger jar?
No. Use only the jar sizes documented by Bernardin.
Can I change the formula?
Do not alter the tested formulation for shelf-stable storage.
Recipe context
Peach halves hot-packed in a ginger-and-spice syrup containing measured bourbon. It is not interchangeable with an unprocessed refrigerator preparation.
Troubleshooting
Seal failure: Refrigerate the jar; do not store it at room temperature.
Spoilage signs: Discard the product without tasting.
Source and provenance
Primary source: Bernardin. Editorial organization changes only; tested directions remain in the WPRM card.