CANNING, FREEZING, STORING GARDEN PRODUCE TEXT

been sealed. The paper should loosely fill the headspace area. Do not use aluminum foil since acid in the fruit can cause the foil to pit (form holes), and tiny pieces of foil may drop into the food. _Anti-darkening._ Many fruits darken during freezing, particularly if not kept under liquid. Darkening occurs when the fruit is exposed to air. Since a small amount of air is in the liquid as well as the tissues of fruit, some darkening can occur even when the fruit is submerged in liquid. To help retard darkening during freezer storage, add ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to the fruit during preparation. Ascorbic acid is available in several forms from drug stores, some freezer locker plants, and some grocery stores that sell freezing supplies. Crystalline ascorbic acid is easier to dissolve in liquid than powder or tablet forms. The amount of ascorbic acid to use is given in the directions for those fruits where use of ascorbic acid is beneficial. Ascorbic acid mixtures containing sugar, and sometimes citric acid, also are available. Follow the manufacturer's directions for use of these products. In preparing vegetables, wash a small quantity of the vegetable gently in several changes of cold water. Lift the vegetable out of the water each time so all dirt will settle to the bottom of the sink or pan. Shell, husk, or peel and trim. Some vegetables such as lima beans, corn on the cob, and asparagus require sorting for size, since blanching times depend on size of the pieces. Blanch the vegetable (this is not necessary for green peppers and mature onions). Most vegetables are blanched by heating them in boiling water. A blancher consisting of a tall kettle, basket, and cover is convenient to use and can be purchased at most department or farm supply stores. However, any large pan which can be fitted with a wire or perforated metal basket and covered is suitable. To insure adequate blanching, immerse a basket containing a small amount of the vegetable (1 pound) into a large amount of boiling water (at least 1 gallon). Start timing once the vegetable has been immersed and the kettle is covered. Blanching time will vary with the vegetable and the size of the pieces, so follow the recommended blanching times for each vegetable. Cool the vegetable by immersion in a large quantity of cold or iced water. Rapid cooling is necessary to stop the food from cooking. Cool the vegetable for about the same length of time as it was heated. Once cooled, do not leave the vegetable standing in water, as loss of flavor and food value can occur. Drain the cooled vegetable thoroughly before packaging. Other methods of blanching and cooling are recommended for some vegetables. For example, mushrooms are heated by sauteing, tomatoes by simmering in their own juice. These foods are cooled by setting the pan of food in cold or iced water to speed cooling. Freezing and Storing After packing and sealing containers, label them with the name of the food, type of pack (for fruits), and date of freezing. Freeze food soon after packing, placing a few packages at a time in the freezer as you have them ready. Freeze food at 0°F or below. Do not load the freezer with more food than can be frozen in 24 hours. Usually 2 to 3 pounds of food per cubic foot of freezer capacity can be frozen at a time. Place packages on freezing coils or plates or in fast-freeze section of freezer, leaving a space between each package. Loading the freezer in this manner enables the food to be frozen quickly. Freezing foods too slowly can result in loss of quality. Once food has frozen, stack containers. Keep freezer surfaces relatively free from frost to insure maximum operating efficiency of your freezer. Fruits and vegetables stored at 0° F or below will maintain high quality for 8 to 12 months. Unsweetened fruit loses quality more rapidly than sweetened fruit. Keeping food longer than the recommended time will not make it unsafe to eat, but some quality loss can occur. Thawing Home-frozen fruits and vegetables are convenient and easy to use since most of their preparation is done before freezing. Thaw frozen fruit in the refrigerator, or at room temperature in a pan of cool water. Leave fruit in the unopened freezer container. A pint package of fruit frozen in sirup will take about 6 to 8 hours to thaw in the refrigerator, or ½ to 1 hour in a pan of cool water. Fruit in sugar packs takes less time. Unsweetened packs need more time than sirup packs. For best eating quality, serve fruit with a few ice crystals remaining. Cook most frozen vegetables without thawing first. (Corn on the cob and leafy vegetables require partial thawing to insure even cooking.) Add the vegetable to boiling salted water. Use 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart of vegetable with these exceptions: Use 2 cups of water for lima beans; water-to-cover for corn on the cob. Cover the saucepan during cooking. Cook the vegetable only until tender. Avoid overcooking. Consult timetable in freezing directions for recommended times for cooking home-frozen vegetables. How to Freeze Strawberries[11] 1. Select strawberries: Choose firm, ripe red berries with a slightly tart flavor Allow about 1½ quarts fresh strawberries for each quart to be frozen 2. Prepare strawberries: Wash berries in cold water; drain well Remove hulls 3. Pack into rigid freezer containers: To pack in sirup-- Prepare ahead of time a 50 percent sirup by dissolving 4¾ cups sugar in 4 cups of water; this will make 6½ cups sirup Add about ½ cup sirup to each container Put berries into prepared containers To pack in sugar-- Add ¾ cup sugar to each quart berries Mix gently until sugar is dissolved and juice is drawn from berries Pack strawberries with juice in containers To pack unsweetened-- Put berries into containers For better color, cover with cold water containing 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid per quart of water For all packs-- Press fruit gently down in each container; add liquid (sirup, juice, or water) to cover fruit, unless fruit is packed dry, unsweetened Leave recommended amount of headspace (See earlier reference) Put a small piece of crumpled waxed paper on top of berries to keep them down in liquid Wipe all liquid from top and sides of containers Seal tightly with lid Label with name of fruit, type of pack, and date of freezing 4. Freeze strawberries: Immediately after packaging, place berries in freezer set at 0° F or below; leave space around each container for faster freezing Do not freeze more than 1 quart of berries per cubic foot of freezer capacity at a time Stack containers of berries once frozen; store at 0° or below How to Freeze Green Peas[12] 1. Select green peas: Choose bright-green, plump, firm pods with sweet, tender peas (do not use immature or tough peas) Allow 4 to 5 pounds fresh peas for each quart to be frozen 2. Prepare green peas: Shell peas Wash shelled peas in cold water; drain 3. Blanch green peas: Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large kettle Put peas (1 pound) in blanching basket Lower basket into boiling water Cover kettle and heat peas 1½ minutes Chill peas promptly in cold or iced water 1½ minutes Drain cooled peas 4. Pack green peas: Pack drained, blanched peas in freezer containers (See reference on containers in early part of chapter) Leave ½-inch headspace between peas and closure Seal containers tightly Label each package with name of vegetable and date 5. Freeze green peas: Immediately after packaging, place peas in freezer set at 0° F or below; leave space around each container for faster freezing Do not freeze more than 2 to 3 quarts of peas per cubic foot of freezer capacity at a time Stack packages of peas once frozen; store at 0° F or below For Further Reading: _Home Freezing of Fruits and Vegetables_, U.S. Department of Agriculture H&G Bul. No. 10, on sale by Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. 75¢. Jellies, Jams, Marmalades, Preserves _by Catharine C. Sigman and Kirby Hayes_[13] Changing fruit into a variety of products such as jellies, jams, marmalades, and preserves can be most rewarding. These products serve as a good way to use fruit that is not completely suitable for canning or freezing, while adding variety and economy to the home food preservation plan. Jams, jellies, and preserves are similar in that they are preserved using sugar, and all are jellied or partially jellied. Each differs from the other due to the fruit used, ratio of ingredients, and methods of preparation. Jelly is made using fruit juice. It is clear and firm enough to hold its shape when removed from the jar. Jam is made from crushed or macerated fruit. Less firm than jelly, it spreads more easily. Conserves are jams made from a mixture of fruits including citrus. Sometimes nuts and raisins are added. Preserves are whole fruits or large pieces of fruit in a sirup that varies in thickness. Marmalades are usually made from pulpy fruits, with skin and pulp suspended in a clear, jellied liquid. For citrus marmalades, the peel is sliced very thin. Butters are made by cooking fruit pulp with sugar to a thick consistency which spreads easily. Jellied fruit products need a balanced ratio of fruit, acid, pectin, and sugar for best results. Fruit provides the characteristic color and flavor, and furnishes at least part of the pectin and acid that combines with added sugar to give the desired gel. Full flavored fruits are needed to offset the dilution of flavor by the large proportion of sugar used. Pectin is the actual jellifying substance and is found in many fruits in adequate quantity. If pectin is lacking, apple juice extract or commercial pectin may be used. All fruits have more pectin when underripe. Commercial pectin is available in both liquid and powder forms. It is essential to follow the manufacturer's instructions or tested recipes as in U.S. Department of Agriculture publications. These preparations generally bring higher yields plus the advantages of being able to use fully ripe fruit, with a shorter cook time and more uniform results. Acid content varies among fruits and is higher in underripe fruits. Acid is needed both for gel formation and for flavor. When fruits are low in acid, lemon juice or citric acid may be used. Commercial pectins also have added acid. Either beet or cane sugar in fruit products acts as a preserving agent, helps in forming the gel, and enhances the finished product's flavor. In preserves, sugar aids in firming the fruit or fruit pieces. Sweeteners such as brown sugar, sorghum and molasses are not recommended since their flavor overpowers the fruit flavor and their sweetness varies. Other than artificial sweeteners, suitable sugar replacements are light corn sirup and light, mild honey. Neither can substitute fully for sugar on a one-to-one basis. For best results use a tested recipe, but if one is not available replace about ¼ to ½ of the sugar with corn sirup or honey. Longer boiling (for recipes without pectin) may be required since additional moisture is being added. Fruits for jellied products without added pectin must be hard ripe and full flavored, or in a proportion of ¾ fully ripe and ¼ underripe, in order to provide the needed pectin. If liquid or powdered pectin is used, fully ripe fruit is best. After sorting to remove overripe or undesirable fruit, wash in cold running water or several changes of cold water. Prepare fruit according to the specific recipe, discarding any spoiled or bruised portions. Only the amount needed should be prepared to prevent quality loss. Jam and Jelly Equipment Water bath canner Jelly thermometer Timer Widemouth funnel Large, flat-bottomed kettle (8-10 qt.) Measures Measuring cup and spoons Food chopper or masher Long-handled spoon Colander Ladle Jar lifter Jelly bag and cheesecloth Jelmeter Canning jars and fittings Extraction In jelly making, juice is extracted either by crushing, by limited heating using small amounts of water, or by longer cooking with measured amounts of water. Heating aids in pectin extraction for those recipes not using added pectin. The prepared fruit is put in a damp jelly bag or several thicknesses of damp cheesecloth, tied, and hung to drip. The clearest juice will be free run, but yields increase if the bag is pressed or twisted. Re-straining this juice is recommended. Do not squeeze or press. Jams, jellies, and preserves can be made with added pectin or without it, depending on the fruit. Fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, and peaches generally need added pectin. Apples, crabapples, currants, plums, grapes, and quinces--if not overripe--contain enough pectin and acid for good gel strength. Pectin content can be checked visually by mixing 1 tablespoon of cool cooked fruit juice and 1 tablespoon of denatured alcohol and mixing. Fruit high in pectin will form a jellylike mass while fruit low in pectin will show little clumping. Caution: Do not taste; the mixture is poisonous. Pectin may also be tested using a jelmeter. This graduated glass tube measures the rate of fruit juice flow through the tube, giving a rough estimate of the amount of pectin present. Jellied fruit products made without added pectin require less sugar per fruit unit and need longer boiling to reach the end point. The yield of finished product is less than that with added pectin. Pectin added to fruit, either in powder or liquid form, must be used in recipes designating the type. Powdered pectin is mixed with the unheated fruit juice or unheated crushed fruit. Liquid pectin is added to the boiling fruit juice or fruit and sugar mixture. The boiling time of 1 minute for both types is used and must be accurately timed. Regardless of type, or whether pectin is used, you must follow directions closely, taking accurate measurements. When It's Done One of the largest concerns when making jelly without added pectin is to know when it is done, or judging the end point. Two of the most frequently used methods for testing doneness of jelly without added pectin are the temperature test and the spoon or sheet test. The temperature test is the most scientific method and probably the most dependable. Before cooking jelly, take the temperature of boiling water with a jelly or candy thermometer. Cook the jelly mixture to a temperature 8° F higher than the boiling point of water. If cooked to this point, the jelly mixture should form a satisfactory gel. Cook other jellied mixtures to a temperature 9° higher than the boiling point of water. To get an accurate reading, place the thermometer in a vertical position with the bulb completely covered by the jelly mixture but not touching the bottom of the kettle. Stir jam, preserve, conserve, and marmalade mixtures before taking the temperature. Read the thermometer at eye level. To test the jellying point by the spoon or sheet test, dip a cool metal spoon into the boiling jelly mixture and lift the spoon so the sirup runs off the side. When the sirup no longer runs off the spoon in a steady stream, but two drops form together and sheet off the spoon, the jelly should be done. [Illustration: Pouring hot jelly mixture into canning jars.] Once the jellying point is reached, quickly pour jelly into sterilized containers. When sealing jelly with lids, use only standard canning jars and new lids. Pour the boiling hot jelly mixture into sterilized hot jars, leaving 1/8 inch head space. Wipe the jar rims clean, place hot metal lids on jars with the sealing compound next to the glass, screw the metal bands down firmly, and stand the jars upright to cool. The paraffin seal is recommended only for jelly. Pour the boiling hot jelly mixture into sterilized hot containers, leaving ½ inch head space. Cover hot jelly with hot paraffin to make a single thin layer 1/8 inch thick. Paraffin should touch all sides of the container. Prick air bubbles in the paraffin. Heat processing of jams, preserves, conserves, and marmalades is recommended, especially in warm or humid climates. Place filled jars on a rack in a water bath canner or other large container filled with hot water. The water should be an inch or two over the tops of the jars. Cover canner. Bring the water to a rolling boil and boil gently for five minutes. Remove the products from the canner immediately when the processing time is up. Place the containers on a rack or folded cloth away from drafts to cool. Let jellied products stand overnight to avoid breaking the gel. Remove screw bands, and label the containers with the name of the product and the date. Store in a cool, dry place. Jellied products have a much better flavor and color if stored only for a short time. If It Doesn't Gel What if the jelly doesn't gel? Try using it as a topping for pancakes or ice cream, or try recooking the mixture. To remake jelly without added pectin, heat the jelly to boiling and boil for a few minutes until the jellying point is reached. Remove the jelly from the heat, skim, pour into hot, sterilized containers and seal. How to Prevent Problems With Jellied Products Problem Cause Prevention Formation of Excess sugar Test fruit juice with jelmeter for crystals proper proportions of sugar Undissolved sugar Wipe side of pan free of crystals sticking to sides with damp cloth before filling of kettle jars Tartrate crystals Make grape jelly stock, and let in grape juice tartrate crystals settle out before making jelly. Then strain through two thicknesses of cheesecloth to remove crystals Mixture cooked too Cook at a rapid boil. Remove from slowly or too long heat immediately when jellying point is reached Syneresis or Excess acid in Maintain proper acidity of juice "weeping" juice makes pectin unstable Storage place too Store in a cool, dark and dry place warm or storage temperature fluctuated Paraffin seal too Seal jelly with a single thin layer thick of paraffin 1/8 inch thick. Prick air bubbles in paraffin Too soft Overcooking fruit Avoid overcooking as this lowers to extract juice the jellying capacity of pectin Incorrect Follow recommended instructions proportions of sugar and juice Undercooking Cook rapidly to jellying point causing insufficient concentration Insufficient acid Avoid using fruit that is overripe. Lemon juice is sometimes added if fruit is acid deficient Making too large a Use only 4 to 6 cups of juice in batch at one time each batch of jelly Too stiff or Overcooking Cook jelly mixture to a temperature tough 8° F higher than the boiling