Summer and fall are the seasons of abundance. Fruits and vegetables abound in backyard gardens, farmer’s markets and stores.
Sometimes, like when your own garden is peaking, and the farmer’s markets are replete with everything from avocados to zucchini, that abundance can be overwhelming. Then it’s time to preserve, freeze and can, so you can seize Mother Nature’s gifts while they are at their best. Don’t throw out that entire container of strawberries because a few molded. Savor and secure the ones that survived by freezing them, or turning them into a jam.
It’s the healthy, and greener, thing to do.
Save the taste of summer with simple canning and freezing methods (Photo: Oleg Kozlov/Dreamstime.com)
Here are a few ideas, assembled from many sources and countless hours in the kitchen, that will help you capture that summer spigot of fruit (we’ll deal with veggies next time) by properly canning, freezing or drying your favorite produce .
Freezing
Most berries can be stemmed and frozen whole or sliced on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Once they are frozen, transfer them to containers. Zipper-locking bags are nice because you can “suck” out the air and then seal them. Just zip the bag almost closed and insert a straw into the hole to suck out the air. Or just suck it out. Air in frozen food leads to ice crystals and diminished quality food. Freeze quickly so that bacteria do not have a chance to grow.
Blueberries can be frozen or turned into a freezer jam (Photo: Ron Chronister / Dreamstime.com)
Fruits that are frozen will be soft when thawed, but the nutrition and taste will be largely preserved for enjoyment after berry season. Use frozen fruit in smoothies, salads, and sauces. Freezing them individually allows you to grab a few from your freezer bag without having to use the whole batch. If you only use a partial sack of fruit, remember to suck out the air when you put it back in the freezer.
Some fruits, the hard berries like blueberries and cranberries, can be frozen on a cookie sheet without even washing. Wash them when you thaw them. You can just scoop out what you need and reseal the bag. Great convenience for adding to other dishes or muffins.
Another even simpler option for that extra fruit is to make “freezer jam”. Follow the directions found on the pectin box that you get at the grocery store. Pectin is used to make fruit gel into jams and jellies. Box directions will include “freezer jam” recipes so you can just freeze your jam in a glass or plastic container. No processing is necessary, but pay attention to shelf life. These jams must be refrigerated upon opening. Fill the jars or containers following instructions on jars or pectin boxes. You need some room for expansion and as little as possible for spoilage and crystal formation. Great taste, looks, and easy small batches make this a favorite type of preservation for the first timer.
Drying
Blend almost any fruit with a dab of your favorite sweetener (or not) and pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Slowly dry in your oven on the very lowest temperature. (For details see the Washington University extension service, which recommends drying fruit leathers at 140 degrees.) Or you can dry the fruit leather on a cookie sheet with a cheesecloth or screen cover at room temperature. Where you live will determine the best method. In arid areas, room temperature drying is fast enough that mold will not be a problem. If you are living in a humid area, you may be better off to put your leather in the oven to dry it. There are also commercially available dehydrators with heat sources and fans that work well. Children love fruit leathers, they make a light, wholesome snack..
Recipes for fruit leathers abound. University extension websites carry good advice on how to dry leathers. The safety issues are also addressed on some of these sites. You want to dry at a high enough temperature to retard bacterial growth but not bake the fruit.
This also is an effective way of avoiding the food dyes that are typically used in manufactured dried fruits; which some studies have found to exacerbate hyperactivity in kids. Other studies, with mice, suggest that food dyes are carcinogenic.
Canning
Fruits can particularly well because the heat keeps the flavor full- bodied by stopping enzyme action and killing bacteria that could cause spoilage. Whether or not you sweeten is a matter of preference. Sweeteners tend to retard food spoilage, so many people like to can in sugar syrups. (No self-respecting bacteria likes to live in a sugar syrup!)You can also can in honey, raw sugar or fruit-juice-based syrups. This will change the taste of the natural fruit, but can be quite pleasant. Apple juice and white grape juice are examples of natural syrups that can be used for canning fruits.
The Ball Blue Book is a good guide for home canners.
Fruits for canning should always be processed. They must be blanched to kill bacteria and also to stop enzyme action in the plant cells. Get a good simple book on canning how-tos. The Ball Blue Book of Preserving, put out by the company that makes canning jars, lids and seals, is a seminal, short guide, filled with the details you need to know. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving covers even more ground.
Another option for learning the protocols is to find an experienced canner and shadow them through some actual canning. It is fun and the best way to learn.
Open kettle canning is also known as water-bath canning. It uses boiling water to process the jars of prepared food in syrup. Pressure canning requires an actual pressure canner and will ensure complete elimination of bacteria that can be dangerous. This method is a must for veggies, but fruits are commonly done by water bath.
You will need directions for using a pressure canner or an open-kettle canner for use in your climate and altitude. When canning, the amount of time and pressure involved is paramount. If you deviate from recommended safety guidelines you chance spoilage and bacterial contamination. Your county will have an extension agent’s office. Call them and ask about classes and information about canning before you tackle this option. They will be able to tell you about any altitude adjustments needed for your area.
Fruits can be turned into canned preserves or jellies even easier. You can sweeten or not as you prefer. Cook the fruit per your recipe and seal in jars or freezer containers for use later. Small batches are easy to manage and allow for less time spent in the kitchen. You can get tested and true recipes in the box of pectin from the grocery store. Pectin is the plant substance found in the cell walls of some fruits that allows jelly and jam to “set up”. Some fruits will gel without added pectin and some berries resist even added pectin. But the flavor and color are great even if you end up with syrup rather than jam. Try it on pancakes!
Once you become proficient in the techniques, experiment with mixed fruits. Develop your own family’s favorite blend. Try using apple juice or white grape juice instead of water to cook your fruit down. Add apple juice to those stubborn berries like elderberry to help them gel. Apples have a tremendous amount of pectin in them. It should help with gelling problems too.
You can can jams and jellies in an open kettle because of the high acid and sugar content in them. But be sure to follow the directions from your county extension agent for times. Altitude can be a real issue for successful canning.
Fruits also can be pickled, another form of canning that preserves using salts and high acid vinegars to deter bacterial growth and preserve nutrition. Canned apple rings and watermelon rind pickles are examples of this type. Recipes can be found in almost any cookbook and online.
Each of these processes have been used for centuries. Knowledge of what causes food to spoil has led to more information on safety in preserving food. Techniques for preservation are more consumer friendly than what your grandmothers had to deal with and can actually be fun and rewarding.
Check out these sources for more information:
- Back to Basics: Traditional Kitchen Wisdom: Techniques and Recipes for Living A Simpler, More Sustainable Life
, Andrea Chesman, Editor, (2010) Quintet Publishing Limited, London
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Preserving Food
, Karen K. Brees, PhD., (2009) Penguin Group,Inc.
- Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1930-2000 Limited Edition)
, Meredith Books, Des Moines, IA
- The websites Simply Recipes and the Washington State University extension service also have helpful information
Tags: canning fruit, drying fruits, fruit preserves, summer fruits
