86. SWEET SOFT FRUITS.--The sweet fruits included in Group 1
--blackberries, huckleberries, elderberries, ripe gooseberries,
mulberries, raspberries, and sweet cherries-may be canned in exactly the
same way, so that the same general directions will apply to all. Prepare
the different kinds of berries, which should be as fresh as possible, by
looking them over carefully and removing the poor ones, and then
washing them. To wash them, pour them into a colander and dip it up and
down in a large pan of clean, cold water. The less handling such fruits
receive, the more perfect will they remain for canning. Prepare sweet
cherries, which should be procured with the stems on if possible, by
first washing them and then stemming them. They may be pitted, or
seeded, or they may be left whole, depending on personal preference.
Cherries that are not pitted will keep their shape and have a good
appearance, but they are not so convenient for eating as those which
have been pitted.
87. After the fruit has been prepared in the manner just explained, pack
it closely into the hot, clean jars, using a spoon for this purpose and
turning each jar as the fruit is poured into it. Press the berries or
the cherries down carefully, so that 2 quarts of them will fill a
1-quart jar. Then proceed to make the sirup. As these fruits are the
sweetest, they require less sugar than any other. If such fruit after it
is canned is to be used for pie making, sirup No. 1 or 2 will be
suitable, but if it is to be used for sauce, No. 3 sirup may be used.
When the mixed sugar and water is boiling rapidly, pour it over the
fruit packed into the jars. Then place the rubbers, adjust the jar tops,
and proceed to sterilize and cook the cans of fruit. Boil these in the
water bath for 15 minutes, or cook them in the pressure cooker for 8
minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 4 minutes at a pressure of
10 pounds.
88. SOUR SOFT FRUITS.--Of the sour fruits, STRAWBERRIES, GRAPES, and
CURRANTS require about the same quantity of sugar, that contained in
sirup No. 3, 4, or 5 usually being sufficient. Otherwise, the canning
process, including the length of time for processing, does not differ
materially from that just given for sweet soft fruits.
In the case of strawberries, those which are of medium size and rather
dark in color are best for canning; in fact, very large, light-colored
strawberries will shrink more than any other kind. The berries are
washed in the same way as other berries, but they should not be allowed
to stand in water for any length of time, because this will tend to make
them soft and mushy. Strawberries must be stemmed after they are washed,
and for this purpose a strawberry huller should be utilized. Such a
device, which is shown in Fig. 1, permits the stems to be removed
without crushing the berries and soiling the fingers.
In preparing currants for canning, the procedure is the same as for the
fruits already mentioned; and the same thing is true of grapes that are
not to be seeded. If the seeds are to be removed, however, the procedure
up to getting the cans of fruit ready for processing is different, as is
here pointed out. After washing the grapes, squeeze the pulp from the
skins and then cook it in a kettle for a sufficient length of time to
make it soft. Remove the seeds by forcing the pulp through a sieve. Then
add as much sugar as would be used for making the required sirup, and
cook until the sugar is dissolved. With this done, add the sweetened,
seedless pulp to the grape skins and fill the jars with this mixture.
Then continue the canning process as for the other fruits of this group.
89. The procedure in canning APRICOTS and PEACHES, the other two sour
soft fruits, differs slightly from that required for strawberries,
grapes, and currants. So that the skins of both of these fruits may be
easily removed, they must be scalded, which is an operation that
corresponds to blanching in vegetable canning.
For canning purposes, only firm, fresh apricots and peaches that are not
overripe should be selected. Also, in the case of peaches, care should
be taken to see that they are of the _freestone_ variety, as such
peaches may be split easily. _Clingstone peaches_ should not be chosen
unless the fruit is to be canned whole or unless an implement for
removing the seeds, or stones like that shown in Fig. 2, is at hand.
Proceed with the canning of either apricots or peaches by first scalding
them. To do this, put the fruit in boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes,
depending on its ripeness. Next, cold-dip it quickly, remove the skins,
and, if desired, cut each one in half and remove the seed, or stone.
When thus prepared, pack the fruit into hot jars as tightly as possible,
pour sirup No. 3, 4, or 5 over them, filling each jar, adjust the rubber
and jar top, and proceed as directed for the cold-pack method. In the
water bath, boil the cans of fruit for 15 minutes; in the pressure
cooker, cook them for 10 minutes at a 5-pound pressure or for 6 minutes
at a 10-pound pressure.
90. VERY SOUR SOFT FRUITS.--Some of the fruits of the third subdivision
of Group 1, namely, SOUR CHERRIES, CRANBERRIES, and GREEN GOOSEBERRIES,
may be prepared and canned in the same way as those included in the
first subdivision. The cherries may be left whole or they may be seeded,
as preferred, and all the fruit must, of course, be fresh. For these
very sour fruits, sirups Nos. 4, 5, and 6 are required, and the
processing time is 15 minutes in the water bath and 10 minutes at a
5-pound pressure or 5 minutes at a 10-pound pressure in the
pressure cooker.
91. PLUMS for canning should be fresh and firm, but not overripe. This
fruit may be canned with the skins on, but some varieties permit the
skins to be removed after scalding, and this may be done if desired.
Prepare the plums for canning by washing them, and, if the skins are to
be left on, by piercing each one in several places with a fork to
prevent the skins from cracking. Then scald the plums for about 1-1/2
minutes, cold-dip them quickly, and pack them closely into the hot jars.
Pour sirup No. 4, 5, or 6 over the fruit in the jars, using sirup No. 6
if they are very sour, adjust the rubbers and the covers, and proceed
according to the canning method selected. In the water bath, cook for 15
minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook for 10 minutes at a pressure of 5
pounds or for 6 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds.
92. RHUBARB for canning should be selected when it is most tender. The
variety having red stems is the most attractive after it is canned. Only
the heavy stems, which should be cut from the leaves, may be canned. Cut
these stems into inch lengths, blanch them 1 to 3 minutes in boiling
water, and cold-dip them quickly. Then pack these pieces into the jars.
If the rhubarb is being canned for sauce, fill each jar with sirup No. 5
or 6; if it is being canned for pie, use sirup No. 1, 2, or 3. Next,
adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. In the
water bath, cook for 15 minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook for 10
minutes at a 5-pound pressure or for 6 minutes at a 10-pound pressure.