Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Canning Your Fruits and Vegetables


Canning is a great way to preserve the fruits and vegetables you have harvested, and enjoy them year round.  Here's how to do it:

1. Peel the fruit.  (Tomato and peach skin can be removed by placing the fruit in boiling water for 30-60 seconds.  The skin will crack.  Remove the fruit and place in cool water.  Once cool enough to handle, slip the skin off.)

2.  Remove the cores, pits, or damaged parts.  Tomatoes can be canned whole.

3. Slice fruit to preferred size.

4.  Place fruit in a pot with water and turn on high heat.

5.  Add sugar to fruit:  approximately one cup per quart of fruit.

6.  If desired, add seasonings.

7.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer for twenty minutes.

8.  Prepare jars.  Use clean, sanitary jars.

9.  Turn off heat and fill jars to about a half inch from teh top.

10.  Place lids on each one and screw on a band, tightening snugly.

11.  Process the filled jars by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.  Boil the jars with water level a half inch above the tops of the jar.  This kills any remaining microorganisms.  (Process times are listed below these instructions, or follow your recipe.) Start timing when water comes to full boil."

12.  Remove jars carefully and place on a dish towel to cool.

13.  Jar lids should snap down and make a "pop" sound.  When the lids are pressed, they should not pop up.  If the jar is not properly sealed, refrigerate.

14.  Dry the jar lids to prevent rusting.

15.  Store in a cool, dry place.



Process times for jars:

Quart:  Apples:  20 minutes,  Apricots:  25 minutes,  Berries:  15 minutes,  Cherries:  20 minutes,  Peaches:  25 minutes, Pears:  25 minutes, Tomatoes:  45 minutes.

Pint:  Apples:  20 minutes,  Apricots:  20 minutes,  Berries:  15 minutes,  Cherries:  15 minutes,  Peaches:  20 minutes,  Pears:  20 minutes,  Tomatoes:  40 minutes.


  

18 comments:

  1. So you still call it canning when it's in jars? What do I know, a mere man?!
    Continuing my new experiment of naming the music I am listening to while posting or commenting - right now it's: Jackson Browne's 'The Pretender'.
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s fabulous Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Yes. Even when jars are used, it's called canning.

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  2. I think I'll leave the canning to the experts.

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  3. I have never canned before but must admit I have kinda wanted to make my own jam :)

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    1. I've made homemade blueberry and strawberry jam. It was delicious.

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  4. I leave the canning to my in-laws. My mother-in-law does a great picante sauce - not too hot, not too bland, just right

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    1. Never tried making my own picante sauce. Sounds good, though.

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  5. I've made jelly but never canned fruit. My mother used to do it all the time. We'd have hundreds of jars on the shelf at any given moment.

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    1. Then I guess you could enjoy the fruit all year.

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  6. I want to start canning salsa, stewed tomatoes, and juice in the next week or so. Our local farmer's market has everything I need.

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  7. Hi Sherry - I've been chasing around trying to find your Garden blog ... fighting in circles. So I'll comment here ... we used to bottle as kids ... and the bottles were standard fare come winter and jolly useful they were too ... home grown food all the year round ... I think if I had a family I'd do a lot of it .. I've made odd pots of things over the year ...

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. Ha ha .. this is it - I still chased around - but went to my Feedly too ..
      I hate Google+ - it's so difficult to find anything .. still I'm here again now! Happy weekend .. Hilary

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    2. Glad you were able to find it! It's good to have home-grown food all year round.

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