Preparation of Fruits for Home Canning

Apricots: Peel or leave unpeeled; halve and pit.

Berries (Except Strawberries): Wash, hull, sort over, using smaller and imperfect ones for juice.  Cold-pack or precook if the berries are the kind which tend to float.  To precook, sprinkle 1 to 2 cups of sugar over each quart of berries, depending upon their sweetness;  let stand awhile to draw out the juice.  Place in the kettle, bring to a boil, stirring to a boil, stirring gently;  boil gently 3 minutes.  Pack and process.

Cherries: Wash, stem, pit or not according to use intended.  Cold-pack unpitted cherries.  Precook pitted ones —add sugar to taste; bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes; pack and process.

Figs: Wash and drain.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of soda over each 3 quarts of figs; add 2 quarts of boiling water and let stand 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Add 1 quart of medium or thick sirip; bring to a boil and boil gently for 1 hour.  Pack and process.

Grapes: Same as berries.

Peaches: Peel; halve and remove seeds.  Pack immediately, placing halves overlapping in layers, or pack whole if desired.  Or precook in sirup before packing and processing.  The precooked peaches have a richer flavor.  Cook 1 to 2 cracked peach pits with each quart of sirup for added flavor.  Fro grenadine peaches pour 1 cup of hot grenadine sirup over each quart of peaches, then fill the jar with sugar sirup.

Pears: Peel; halve and cor; precook 4 to 6 minutes in sirup before packing.

Pineapple: Peel and remove eyes; cut into slices, dices, spears or shreds.  Cold-pack or precook in sirup before packing and processing.

Plums: Wash and drain.  Prick each skin to prevent bursting.  Pack whole.  Cold-pack or bring to a boil in sirup before packing and processing.

Rhubarb: Wash or trim; cut into 1-inch lengths.  Cold-pack or precook in sirup before packing, or bake before packing if desired.

Strawberries: Wash and stem.  To each quart of berries add 1 cup of sugar.  Let stand for 2 hours.  Bring to  a boil and boil gently for 5 minutes.  Cover and let stand overnight in the sirup.  The next day reheat to boiling, fill jars, seal and process.

Canning Fruits – An Approximate Guide For Pounds Per Quart

This is only an approximate guide given to the amount of fresh fruit necessary to produce the amount of canned fruit desired.

To yield 1 quart of canned fruit use:

Apricots — 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds

Cherries — 1 1/2 pounds

Peaches — 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds

Pears — 2 to 2 1/4 pounds

Pineapple — 2 medium

Plums — 1 to 2 pounds

Rhubarb — 1 1/2 pounds

Strawberries — 3 to 3 1/2 pounds