Fruit (2003)

When you can fruit, use fully ripened, but firm fruit. Fruit should have the maximum characteristic flavor and sugar, yet not be so ripe that it disintegrates when you pack and sterilize it in jars. Underripe fruit is not as sweet as fully ripened and natural flavor is not developed.

Can fruit before it loses its freshness and good flavor. If you must hold fruit, keep it in a cool, airy place, or in the refrigerator. If you buy fruits to can, try to buy them from a nearby garden or orchard.

Pick over small fruits such as cherries, plums and berries carefully. Discard any overripe, bruised or sour fruit. For the best quality canned product, use only perfect fruits. Sort them by size and ripeness; they will heat through more evenly this way. Wash all fruit thoroughly, whether or not you are going to peel it. Dirt contains bacteria that is hard to kill. Wash small amounts at a time under running water or through several changes of water. Lift fruit out of the water each time so dirt that has been washed off will not settle back on the fruit. Do not let fruits soak; they may lose flavor and food value. Handle them gently to avoid bruising.

Peel fresh fruits such as peaches, pears and apples before canning. Blanching makes peeling peaches easier. To prevent them from turning dark after peeling, place in a solution of commercial ascorbic and citric acid. Follow the manufacturer's directions. You may also add ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to light-colored fruits when you can them. Use tablet or crystalline forms, which are available at most drugstores. Food at the top of the jar tends to darken if you do not cover it with liquid. You will need from one-half to one and one-half cups of liquid or syrup per quart.

For cold or raw pack: Pack raw, cold fruits tightly into jars, because fruits will shrink during processing. Cover with boiling hot syrup, juice or water.

For hot pack: Heat fruits in syrup, water or juice before packing. Process the filled jars of fruit in the boiling water bath canner. The timing varies based on the different types of fruits.

You may also can unsweetened fruit. Can fully ripe (but not soft-ripe) fruit in its own juice, extracted juice or in water. You do not need sugar to prevent spoilage. Process unsweetened fruit in a boiling water bath canner the same way you process sweetened.

For exact process times and for more information on this topic, contact your local extension office.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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