Prep your peaches. Peel and halve them. Remove seeds and throw them away.
Add all your peaches to a large stock pot. Add you lemon juice as well. Cover and cook on medium low, occasionally using the potato masher to break up the fruit. Cook for about 15 minutes or until everything has softened.*You can also use a juicer if you want. Transfer the peaches into a blender. You will have to do this in batches. Blend until smooth and pour the peach juice through a strainer into a large bowl or large pitcher. This will help reduce the amount of pulp. You can keep all the pulp if you desire. We like a smooth velvety fresh peach juice.
Once you are done blending and straining the peaches, wash out your pan and repeat straining them one more time, pouring them back into the stock pot.
Add the sugar to the juice and taste for sweetness. If you think you need more sugar you can add that here. I don’t ever think we need more.
Cook the juice on medium low for another 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
At this point you can add it to mason jars and store in the fridge. Drunk within a week.
If you want to preserve the peach nectar, pour the juice into hot, sterilized quart jars. You can also use pints.
Clean the rims well and screw on the lid.
Process the quart jars for 25 minutes in a water bath canner or a steamer canner. Pints can be processed at 20 minutes.
When the time is done, turn the stove off and let them slowly cool down. Take the lid off and let them continue to cool.
Once they are just warm, you can move the bottled peach nectar to a cooling rack to cool all the way.
You can now store this peach nectar for up to two years! However ours never lasts that long n.
I like to put one in the fridge before drinking. You can also pour it over ice. Combine it with sparkling water or sprite and you have an amazing drink! Use for cocktails, mocktails, or as a yummy breakfast drink.