Canning & Preserving For Dummies, 2nd Edition
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Smell the fruit. Ripe fruit has a rich, full fruit aroma. A peach should smell like a peach; an apple should smell like an apple. The fragrance should be strong enough to entice you to devour the fruit on the spot.
Always use fruit picked directly from the bush or tree. Fruit collected from the ground (referred to as dropped fruit or ground fruit) is an indication that the fruit is overripe. Don't use it for canning.
Cutting and peeling: Necessary or not?
When you can fruit, should you leave the skin on or take it off? Depends on the recipe. Sometimes leaving the skin on your fruit is optional. Other times, the peel must be removed. Always follow your recipe for specific guidelines.
Similarly, you may wonder whether cutting your fruit is necessary. The answer here depends on the fruit. The fruit you select dictates using it whole or cutting it into pieces. For example, fitting whole apples into a canning jar is difficult, but peeled apples cut into slices easily pack into a jar. You leave small fruit, like berries, whole.
Deterring discoloration
There's probably nothing more unattractive than a piece of perfectly ripe cut fruit that's oxidized or discolored, dark or brown. Discoloration primarily occurs in apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and pears but may occur in other fruits.
You can protect your fruit from oxidation by slicing it directly into one of the following antioxidant solutions, a liquid to keep your fruit from darkening:
An ascorbic acid or citric solution: Make a solution with 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice in 1 cup of cold water, or use a commercial product, like Ever-Fresh or Fruit-Fresh, available in most supermarkets. When using one of these products, follow the instructions on the container.
Ascorbic acid or citric acid is simply vitamin C. It doesn't change the fruit flavor. It's sold in powder form and is usually found in drugstores.
Vinegar, salt, and water: Make this solution with 2 tablespoons of vinegar (5 percent acidity), 2 tablespoons of salt (pickling or kosher), and 1 gallon of cold water. Don't leave your fruit in this solution longer than 20 minutes because the solution extracts nutrients from your fruit and changes its flavor.
After its dip in your antioxidant solution, you just rinse and drain your fruit before packing it into your prepared jars.
Raw pack and hot pack
Raw pack and hot pack refer to two methods of getting the product into the jars. Generally, both methods can be used for either water-bath canning (covered in Chapter 4) or pressure canning (covered in Chapter 9). Whether you use one or the other is determined by the texture of the food and its tendency (or not) to not fall apart from a lot of cooking. Whether you raw-pack or hot-pack also affects the processing times of the foods. Always refer to your recipe for guidance.
Raw pack: A raw pack is the preferred method for fruits that become delicate after cooking, such as peaches and nectarines. This method is what it says: packing raw fruit into hot jars.
Hot pack: Hot packing heats your fruit in a hot liquid before packing it into your prepared jars. The advantages of hot packing over raw packing include fitting more fruit into the jars because the fruit's softer and more pliable, using fewer jars because you can fit more fruit into the jars, and spending less time waiting for the water in your kettle to boil because the filled jars are hot in the middle.
With a few exceptions, most fresh fruits may be packed raw or hot. Always start with clean, ripe fruit and follow your recipe instructions.
Lining your jars with liquid
You always add liquid when canning fresh fruit. Your options are boiling water, sugar syrup, or fruit juice. Determining which liquid you use is up to you, but consider the final use for your canned fruit. For instance, if you're using your canned berries in a fruit cobbler, boiling water may be the better choice because you'll add sugar to the cobbler. If you'll be eating your canned fruit out of the jar, use a sugar syrup or fruit juice.
After adding the hot liquid to your filled jars, you release any trapped air bubbles in the jar. If the headspace drops after releasing the air bubbles, add more liquid to maintain the proper headspace (refer to Chapter 3 for information about headspace). If the fruit level drops, you need to add fruit.
Sugar syrups
Sugar syrup is simply a mixture of sugar and water. It adds flavor to your canned fruit, preserves its color, and produces a smooth, firm texture. Other sweeteners, such as honey, may be added in addition to or without the sugar.
Use these guidelines for making your sugar-syrup choice:
Super-light syrup: This syrup adds the least amount of calories. The sweetness level is the closest to the natural sugar level in most fruits.
Extra-light syrup: Use this syrup for a sweet fruit, such as figs.
Light syrup: This is best with sweet apples and berries.
Medium syrup: This syrup complements tart apples, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and pears.
Heavy syrup: Use this with sour fruit, such as grapefruit.
Sugar syrup recipe alternatives
Although syrup of sugar and water is the most common liquid used when canning fresh fruit, you may use honey in place of or in addition to granulated sugar. Use a mild-flavored honey that won't detract from the natural flavor of your fruit. Here are some suggestions:
Combine the syrup ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring the syrup to dissolve the sugar and/or the honey. After the liquid boils, keep it hot or refrigerate it up to two days. If you refrigerate your syrup, reheat it to a boil before adding it to your filled jars.
Remember: Honey and canned goods made with honey should never be fed to children under 1 year of age due to the danger of infant botulism.
Table 5-1 offers you five concentrations of sugar syrup. Allow 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid for each filled pint jar and 1 1/2 cups of liquid for each filled quart jar of fruit. Bring your syrup ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over high heat; stir to dissolve the sugar.
Always prepare your hot liquid before you prepare your fruit. The liquid should be waiting for you; you shouldn't be waiting for your liquid to boil.
Water or fruit juice
Packing fresh fruit in boiling water or fruit juice produces fruit with a soft texture. Two good choices for fruit juices are unsweetened pineapple juice or white grape juice. Use water you like to drink, without minerals and not the sparkling variety.
Always use the hot-pack method (see the section "Raw pack and hot pack" earlier in this chapter) when using water or unsweetened fruit juice for your canning liquid.
Fresh Fruit Canning Guidelines
The following sections list foods that are commonly grown in home gardens. The quantity guide for each fruit fills a 1-quart jar. If you're using pint jars, cut the quantity in half.
The recipes in the following sections use the water-bath canning method. For detailed instructions on water-bath canning, filling and processing your jars, and releasing air bubbles, refer to the step-by-step guidelines in Chapter 4. And for a more extensive list of fruits, refer to the Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving, Second Revised Edition, by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Apples
Choose apples suitable for eating or making pies. Prep is easy: Just peel and core the apples and then cut them into slices or quarters. To prevent discoloration, treat the fruit with an antioxidant (refer to "Deterring discoloration," earlier in this chapter).
Canned Apples
Canned apples are wonderful for apple crisp, breads, and other recipes calling for slices or chunks of fruit. Use any crisp, tart apple that ripens in the fall. Summer-ripened apples tend to be softer and won't hold up well to canning. Try making them with a light sugar syrup for a fresh-tasting treat.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 pints or 4 quarts
12 pounds apples
Sugar syrup, light
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according
to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Wash, core, and peel your apples; then slice them into 1/4-inch pieces or cut them into even chunks. Meanwhile, bring the sugar syrup to a boil.
3 Pack apples firmly into hot jars and pour boiling hot sugar syrup over the apples, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
4 Process the filled jars in a water-bath canner for 20 minutes for pints and quarts from the point of boiling.
5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (see Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks.
Vary It! For a sweeter canned apple, try a medium syrup instead.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 137 (From fat 4); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 36g (Dietary fiber 3g); Protein 0g.
Apple Pie Filling
Get a quick start to your piemaking by creating apple pie filling ahead of time. To thicken this filling to just the right consistency, add a tablespoon of flour to the filled pie before adding the top crust.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 25 minutes
Yield: 6 pints
6 pounds apples
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 Peel and slice or cube the apples. Place the apples and the other ingredients into a heavy pan. Allow the mixture to stand about 30 minutes or until it becomes juicy.
2 While the apples are standing, prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
3 Cook the apple mixture over medium heat until the apples are softened, about 7 minutes.
4 Ladle the pie filling into the pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
5 Process the filled jars in a water-bath canner for 25 minutes from the point of boiling.
6 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (see Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks.
Vary It! Substitute or add to the spices listed to create the pie your family likes.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 121 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 31g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 0g.
Applesauce
A true family favorite, you can use this sauce in breads and cakes. It is a smooth, sweet version with a pretty rose color that results from cooking the apples in their skins. For a richer flavor, use a variety of apples.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Processing time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 quarts
10 pounds apples, cut in half
21/2 cups sugar
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Cut the apples in half (don't peel or core them) and place them in a 12-quart pot. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot and to keep the apples from scorching. Cook the apples over medium heat until they're soft, about 20 minutes. Press the softened apples through a food mill or sieve to remove the skins and seeds.
3 Return the apple purée to the pot and add the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often to prevent scorching.
4 Ladle the hot applesauce into your prepared jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
5 Process the filled jars in a water-bath canner for 20 minutes from the point of boiling.
6 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (see Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks.
Vary It! Try adding cinnamon and cloves for a spicy version.
Tip: To help prevent scorching, use a stovetop heat diffuser under the pot.
Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 129 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 34g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 0g.
Apricots, nectarines, and peaches
Peaches are a wonderful fruit, and by canning them yourself you can save a lot of money. Use a light syrup so that you can enjoy the full flavor of the peach. Trust us: Home-canned peaches are much nicer than the heavy sweetness you find in store-canned varieties.
Nectarines and apricots are just as tasty as peaches and have the benefit of not needing to be peeled, making them even easier to can. For a quick guide to peeling fruit, see Figure 5-1.
Apricots make a sunny-flavored addition to the winter meals. They make a great substitute for apples in an apple crisp recipe, too — you'll love the results!
Canned Apricots, Nectarines, and Peaches
Consider this recipe a three-for: You follow the same steps and cooking times for all three of these luscious fruits. The only difference is in the prep step: Whereas you have to peel peaches, you leave the peel on apricots and nectarines.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 25 minutes; quarts, 30 minutes
Yield: 8 pints or 4 quarts
10 pounds apricots or 10 pounds nectarines or 12 pounds peaches
Sugar syrup, light
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Wash your fruit. To prepare peaches, peel them; then cut them in half and remove the pits (see Figure 5-1). To prepare nectarines or apricots, simply cut them in half and remove the pits. Meanwhile, bring the sugar syrup to a boil.
3 Pack the fruit firmly into hot jars and pour boiling hot sugar syrup over fruit, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil (refer to Chapter 3). Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
4 Process the filled jars in a water-bath canner for 25 minutes (pints) or 30 minutes (quarts) from the point of boiling.
5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (see Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven't sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks.
Vary It! To make a sweeter canned fruit, use a medium syrup.
Tip: To make peaches easy to peel, blanch them to loosen the skin: Dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then dip them in cold water.
Per 1/2-cup serving apricots: Calories 118 (From fat 5); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 2mg; Carbohydrates 29g (Dietary fiber 3g); Protein 2g.
Per 1/2-cup serving nectarines: Calories 118 (From fat 5); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 29g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 1g.
Per 1/2-cup serving peaches: Calories 88 (From fat 1); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 4mg; Carbohydrates 23g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 1g.
Figure 5-1: Peeling soft-skinned fruit and tomatoes.
Berries (except strawberries)
Canned berries have so many uses! You can use them to make smoothies or pies a
nd as a sweet addition to your oatmeal. If your pantry is like ours, your berries will be the first things used up,
For canning, you want perfect, not soft or mushy, berries. Leave them whole. Wash and drain the berries (handling them as little as possible); remove any stems or hulls.
Strawberries don't can well. During the processing, they turn mushy and lose their taste and red color. They do, however, freeze very well. See Chapter 13 for complete instructions.
Depending on the type of berry, you'll use either the raw or hot pack method:
Raw pack: Raw packing is best for soft berries, like blackberries, boysenberries, and raspberries.
Hot pack: Use this method for firmer berries, such as blueberries, cranberries, and huckleberries.
Canned Raspberries
With soft berries, like raspberries, boysenberries, and blackberries, you don't have to cook the berries before canning. Simply place them in your canning jars and pour hot syrup over them. This recipe explains how to can raspberries, but you can use it to can any other soft berry the same way.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Processing time: Pints, 15 minutes; quarts, 20 minutes
Yield: 8 pints or 4 quarts
12 pounds raspberries
Sugar syrup, light
1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
2 Wash the berries gently in cold water to firm them and remove any stems or hulls. Meanwhile, bring the sugar syrup to a boil.