Fruits
Many fruits are available locally or regionally, but aren’t widely available. In this book we have used the most common fruits, but don’t let this limit your pantry. Local harvests can be used in place of the suggestions in the recipes below.
Fruit can be canned without sugar, but the fruit’s color may be faded. Use boiling water in place of the syrup during the packing procedure. Some artificial sweeteners may be used. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations for use and quantity recommendations.
Sugar Syrup
Very light syrup: 1/2 cup sugar per quart of water
Light syrup: 1 cup sugar per quart of water
Medium syrup: 1 3/4 cups sugar per quart of water
Heavy syrup: 2 3/4 cups of sugar per quart of water
Very heavy syrup: 4 cups sugar per cup of water
Bring water to a boil, add sugar, return to a boil, stir frequently until sugar is dissolved. Keep syrup hot, but do not allow it to boil down during processing. Fruit juice may be substituted for all or part of the water.
1. Apple Sauce
Mix different varieties together for better flavor.
- 20 large apples
- 4 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
Method
- Wash apples; quarter, core; remove any bruises or other blemishes.
- If working in bigger batches, drop apples into lemon water, see section on acidifying fruit.
- When all apples have been prepared, drain if needed and place in large cooking pot.
- Add the four cups of water and cook over medium high heat until apples are soft.
- Press through a colander to remove peels.
- Return to the pan and add the two and a half cups of sugar.
- Bring mixture to a boil until sugar has thoroughly dissolved.
- Pack into hot jars while boiling hot, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Wipe jar rim.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in a boiling water bath: both pints and quarts for 25 minutes.
2. Berries
Want the best homemade berry pie in the middle of winter? Can your berries this summer!
All berries except cranberries and strawberries may be processed this way.
- Wash berries, picking out any green or blemished ones.
- Pack into jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.
- Pour boiling syrup into the jars to within 1 1/2 inch of the top.
- Wipe jar rim.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in a boiling water bath:
- Pints – 15 minutes; quarts – 20 minutes.
3. Cherries
Both sweet and sour cherries may be processed this way.
- Wash, stem, and pit, if desired, cherries, picking through the fruit and discarding stems and damaged fruits.
- Pack into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head room.
- Pour in boiling syrup to within 1 1/2 inch of the top.
- Wipe jar rim.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in a boiling water bath: pints and quarts – 20 minutes.
4. Home Made Cranberry Sauce
Be ready for the holidays! Serve your own cranberries preserved in this delicious sauce.
- 4 cups cranberries
- Water
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 Tbsp baking soda
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Method
- Pick through berries, removing stems and under-ripe berries; rinse, drain and place in a large cooking pot.
- Cover with water, cook over medium high heat until they start to boil.
- Watch the berries for when they start to pop.
- Remove from heat and set in sink.
- Pour in baking soda; skim off nasty foam as it rises.
- After all the foam has been removed, dump into strainer and rinse well. This step may be repeated if necessary.
- Wash the pot.
- Return berries to clean pot, add enough water to cover the berries; add sugar and lemon juice.
- Cook until the berries are as mushy as is your preference.
- Pack into hot jars while boiling hot, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: both pints and quarts for 10 minutes.
5. Peaches
Select ripe but still firm fruits for the best results.
To easily slip peaches’ peels, drop a few at a time into a pot of boiling water for one minute.Remove with a slotted spoon, peel. Halve the peaches & remove the pit. Drop into cool water that has been acidulated. Continue until your whole batch has been completed.
Raw pack: you may raw pack the halves as is into jars, or slice them before packing them into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Pour boiling syrup into the jar to within 1 1/2 inch of the top.
- Work out any bubbles with a spatula or handle of a wooden spoon.
- Wipe jar rim.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints – 20 minutes; quarts – 25 minutes.
Hot pack: boil halves or slices in medium syrup.
- Pack in jars leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Fill to within 1/2 inch of the top with additional boiling syrup.
- Work out any bubbles as above
- Wipe jar rim,
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints – 20 minutes; quarts – 25 minutes.
6. Pears
Avoid bruised fruits if you will only halve them, for the best visual appeal.
Peel, halve or quarter, and core pears. If it will take a while to prepare batch, drop into an acidulated water bath. Slice if desired.
Raw pack: if pears are ripe enough to be quite soft, they may be packed raw into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Fill the jars to within 1 1/2 inch of the top with sugar syrup.
- Work out any bubbles with a spatula or handle of a wooden spoon.
- Wipe jar rim.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints – 25 minutes; quarts – 30 minutes.
Hot pack:
- Boil 3-5 minutes in a light to medium syrup.
- Pack in to the jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.
- Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to each quart, 1/2 teaspoon to each pint.
- Fill with syrup, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Work out any bubbles with a spatula or handle of a wooden spoon.
- Wipe jar rim.
- Screw on lids and rings
- Process in a boiling water bath: pints 25 minutes; quarts – 30 minutes.
7. Home Made Fruit Cocktail
The one-time staple of packed lunches and gelatin salads has fallen a bit out of favor.
By making it yourself you can control the amount of sugar, and cherries! Canned in pints, this amount is perfect for two servings. Or check your favorite gelatin salad recipe and can in appropriate size jars specific to that purpose.
Cherries, cranberries, peaches, pears, nectarines, and pineapple in the ratios you desire for the end product. Any fruit except oranges and bananas may be used.
- Wash fruit, peel, core, seed or pit as needed, if using pineapple, remove eyes.
- Dice larger fruits; cherries and berries may be left whole, or halved if desired.
- Acidulate any fruit that might discolor while these preparations are made.
Raw pack: into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Pour desired strength of boiling syrup over fruit to within 1 1/2 inch of jar top.
- Wipe jar rims.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints – 25 minutes; quarts – 30 minutes.
8. Plums
How about a good old-fashioned plum pudding for next year’s winter holidays?
Select plums that are ripe, but not yet soft. Wash fruit; pick out any bruised or damaged fruits. Prick skin with a large needle or skewer, this prevents bursting during processing.
Raw pack: into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.
- Pour boiling syrup over fruit to within 1 1/2 inch of jar top.
- Wipe jar rims.
- Screw on lids and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints – 20 minutes; quarts – 25 minutes.
9. Rhubarb
This tart fruit is the perfect counterbalance to strawberries in early summer pies, or makes a fantastic topping for toast, biscuits, or ice cream on its own.
If leaves are still attached, cut off and dispose of them. Rhubarb leaves are inedible. Wash stems; cut away any damaged areas. Cut into 1 inch lengths.
Raw pack: tightly to within 1/2 inch of top.
- Fill with boiling syrup to within 1 1/2 inch of top of jar.
- Screw on lid and rings tightly.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints and quarts both 15 minutes.
10. Strawberries
- 1 cup sugar
- Approximately two pounds strawberries
- 1/2 cup strawberry juice
Method
- Wash berries.
- Sort through berries, removing bruised, damaged and ones that are too soft, setting them aside.
- Remove stems, bruises, and damage from poor quality berries.
- Crush and heat these berries through to obtain juice.
- Drain juice from berries using a sieve.
- Return to pan.
- Add sugar to juice and bring to boiling for three minutes.
- Set aside to cool.
- Stem berries to be canned; placing them in a large, non-reactive bowl or pot.
- Set aside until juice has cooled to about room temperature.
- When juice has cooled sufficiently, pour juice over berries, cover, and set aside for 3-5 hours.
- After this time, pack into jars to within 1/2 inch of top.
- Make sure to divide juice evenly among the jars.
- Screw on lid and rings.
- Process in boiling water bath: pints and quarts both 15 minutes.