Hidden Places

~Post by Devon~

A quick little list of basics for specific fruits and vegetables and canning and freezing.

Syrup: If you choose to can or freeze fruits with syrup, select the syrup that best suits the fruit and your taste. Generally, heavier syrups are used with sour fruits and lighter syrups are recommended for mild-flavored fruits. To prepare the syrup place the specified amounts of sugar and water in a large saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Skim off foam, if necessary. Use the syrup hot for canned fruits and chilled for frozen fruits. Allow 1/2 to 2/3 cup syrup for each 2 cups of fruit.

Very Thin Syrup: Use 1 cup sugar and 4 cups water to yield 4 cups syrup.

Thin Syrup: Use 1 2/3 cups sugar and 4 cups water to yield 4 1/4 cups syrup.

Medium Syrup: Use 2 2/3 cups sugar and 4 cups water to yield 4 2/3 cups syrup.

Heavy Syrup: Use 4 cups sugar and 4 cups water to yield 5 3/4 cups syrup.

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Canning and Freezing Fruits:
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Apples: Allow 21/2 to 3 pounds per quart. Select varieties that are crisp, not mealy, in texture Peel and core; halve, quarter, or slice. Dip into ascorbic-acid color-keeper solution; drain.

Boiling-water Canning, hot pack: Simmer in syrup for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fill jars with fruit and syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints and quarts for 20 minutes.

Freezing:Use a syrup, sugar, or dry pack, leaving the recommended head space.

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Apricots: Allow 2 to 2-1/2 pounds per quart. If desired, peel as for peaches, below. Prepare as for peaches.

Boiling-Water Canning, raw pack: See peaches, below

Boiling_Water Canning, hot pack: See peaches, below

Freezing: Peel as for peaches, below. Use a syrup, sugar, or water pack, leaving the recommended head space.

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Berries: Allow 3/4 to 1 pound per pint. Can or freeze blackberries, blueberries, currants, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, loganberries, mulberries, and raspberries. Freeze (do not can) boysenberries and strawberries.

Boiling-Water Canning, raw pack: Fill jars with blackberries, loganberries, mulberries, or raspberries. Shake down gently. Add boiling syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 15 minutes and quarts for 20 minutes.

Boiling-Water Canning, hot pack: Simmer blueberries, currants, elderberries, gooseberries, and huckleberries in water for 30 seconds; drain. Fill jars with berries and hot syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints and quarts for 15 minutes.

Freezing: Slice strawberries, if desired. Use a syrup, sugar, or dry pack, leaving the recommended headspace.

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Cherries: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per quart. If desired, treat with ascorbic-acid color-keeper solution; drain. If unpitted, prick skin on opposite sides to prevent splitting.

Boiling-Water Canning, raw pack: Fill jars, shaking down gently. Add boiling syrup or water, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints and quarts for 25 minutes.

Boiling-Water Canning, hot pack: Add cherries to hot syrup; bring to boiling. Fill jars with fruit and syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 15 minutes and quarts for 20 minutes.

Freezing: Use a syrup, sugar, or dry pack, leaving the recommended headspace.

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Melons: Allow about 4 pounds per quart for honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon.

Freezing: Use a syrup, sugar, or dry pack, leaving the recommended headspace.

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Nectarines, Peaches: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per quart. To peel peaches, immerse in boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds or until skins start to crack; remove and plunge into cold water. (Peeling nectarines is not necessary.) Halve and pit. If desired, slice. Treat with ascorbic-acid color-keeper solution; drain.

Boiling-Water Canning, raw pack; Fill jars, placing cut sides down. Add boiling syrup or water, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 25 minutes and quarts for 30 minutes. (Note: the hot-pack method generally results in a better product.)

Boiling-Water Canning, hot pack; Add fruit to hot syrup; bring to boiling. Fill jars with fruit (placing cut sides down) and syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.

Freezing: Use a syrup, sugar, or dry pack, leaving the recommended headspace.

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Pears: Allow 2 pounds per quart. Peel, halve, and core. Treat with ascorbic-acid color-keeper solution; drain.

Boiling-Water Canning, hot pack: Simmer fruit in syrup for 5 minutes. Fill jars with fruit and syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.

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Plums: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per quart. Prick skin on two sides. Freestone varieties may be halved and pitted.

Boiling-Water Canning, raw pack: Pack firmly into jars. Add boiling syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.

Boiling-Water Canning, hot pack: Simmer in water or syrup for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Fill jars with fruit and cooking liquid or syrup, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.

Freezing: Halve and pit. Treat with ascorbic-acid color-keeper solution; drain well. Use a syrup pack, leaving the recommended headspace.

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Rhubarb: Allow 1-1/2 pounds per quart. Discard leaves and woody ends. Cut into 1-2- to 1-inch pieces.
Boiling-Water Canning, hot pack: In a saucepan sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over each 4 cups fruit; mix well. Let stand until juice appears. Bring slowly to boiling, stirring gently. Fill jars with hot fruit and juice, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints and quarts for 15 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch for 1 minute; cool quickly and drain. Use a syrup or dry pack, leaving the recommended headspace. Or use a sugar back of 1/2 cup sugar to 3 cups fruit.

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Canning and freezing Vegetables:
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Asparagus: Allow 2-1/2 to 4-1/2 pounds per quart. Wash; scrape off scales. Break off woody bases where spears snap easily. Wash again. Sort by thickness. Leave whole or cut into 1- inch lengths.

Freezing: Blanch small spears for 2 minutes, medium for 3 minutes, and large for 4 minutes. Cool quickly. Fill containers; shake down, leaving no headspace.

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Beans, green snap, wax, or Italian: Allow 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 pounds per quart. Wash; remove ends and strings. Leave whole or cut into 1- inch pieces.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Pack tightly in jars; add boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack: Boil 5 minutes. Loosely fill jars with beans and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch for 3 minutes; cook quickly. Fill containers; shake down, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Beans, lima or butter: Allow 3 to 5 pounds unshelled beans per quart. Wash, shell, rinse, drain, and sort beans by size.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Fill jars with beans; do not shake down. Add
boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace for pints, 1-1/4-inch for large beans in quarts, and 1-1/2-inch for small beans in quarts. Process pints for 40 minutes and quarts for 50 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack: Cover beans with boiling water; return to boiling. Boil 3 minutes. Fill jars loosely with beans and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 40 minutes andquarts for 50 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch small beans for 2 minutes, medium beans for 3 minutes, and large beans for 4 minutes; cool quickly. Fill containers loosely, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cut to fit containers.

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Broccoli: Allow about 1 pound per pint. Remove outer leaves and tough parts of stalks. Immerse in solution of 1 teaspoon salt per 1 cup
water for 30 minutes to remove insects; rinse and drain. Cut lengthwise into spears.
Freezing: Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water or 5 minutes over steam; cook
quickly. Package, leaving no headspace.

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Carrots: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per quart. Rinse, trim, peel, and rinse again. Leave tiny ones whole. Slice or dice 1- to 1-1/2- inch diameter carrots. (Larger carrots may be too fibrous.)

Pressure Canning, hot pack: Simmer 5 minutes. Fill jars with carrots and
cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 25 minutes and
quarts for 30 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch tiny whole carrots for 5 minutes and cut-up carrots for 2 minutes; cook quickly. Pack closely into containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Cauliflower: Allow 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per pint. Wash; remove leaves and woody stems. Break into 1-inch pieces.

Freezing: Blanch for 3 minutes; cook quickly. Package, leaving no headspace.

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Corn, cream-style: Allow 2 to 3 pounds per pint. Remove husks. Scrub
with a vegetable brush to remove silks. Wash and drain.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Cover ears with boiling water; return to boil
and boil 4 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut off just the kernel tips, then
scrape corn cob with a dull knife. Bring to boiling 1 cup water for each 2 cups corn; add corn and simmer for 3 minutes. Fill pint jars loosely, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 85 minutes. Do notuse quart jars.

Freezing: Cover ears with boiling water; return to boil and boil 4 minutes. Cook quickly; drain. Use a sharp knife to cut off just the
kernel tips, then scrape corn cob with a dull knife. Fill containers, leaving1/2-inch headspace.

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Corn, whole kernel: Allow 4 to 5 pounds per quart. Remove husks.
Scrub with a vegetable brush to remove silks. Wash and drain.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Cover ears with boiling water; boil 3 minutes.
Cut corn from cobs at 3/4 depth of kernels; do not scrape. Pack loosely
in jars. Add boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 55 minutes andquarts for 85 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Cover ears with boiling water; boil 3 minutes.
Cut corn from cobs at 3/4 depth of kernels; do not scrape. Bring to boiling
1 cup water for each 4 cups corn; add corn and simmer for 5 minutes. Fill jars with corn and liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 55 minutes andquarts for 85 minutes.

Freezing: Cover ears with boiling water; return to boil and boil 4 minutes. Cool quickly, drain. Cut corn from cobs at 3/4 depth of
kernels; do not scrape. Fill containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Corn on the cob: Remove husks. Scrub with a vegetable brush to
remove silks. Wash and drain.

Freezing: Blanch 6 ears at a time, allowing 7 minutes for small ears (1-1/4 inches or less in diameter), 9 minutes for medium and 11 minutes for large (over 1-1/2 inches in diameter). Cool quickly and completely to prevent “cobby” taste (may take longer than blanching time). Drain well. Package, leaving no headspace.

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Peas, edible pods: Wash sugar peas, Chinese peas, snow peas, or sugar snap peas. Remove stems, blossom ends, and any strings.

Freezing:Blanch small flat pods for 1-1/2 minutes or large flat pods 2 minutes. (If peas have started to develop, blanch for 3 minutes. If peas are already developed, shell and follow directions for green peas.) Cool, drain and fill containers leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Peas, green or English: Allow 2 to 2-1/2 pounds per pint. Wash, shell, rinse, and drain.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Pack loosely in jars. Add boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints and quarts for 40minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack: Cover with water; heat to boiling and boil for 2 minutes. Fill jars loosely with peas and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch
headspace. Process pints and quarts for 40 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch 1-1/2 minutes; chill quickly. Fill containers, shaking down and leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Peppers, hot: Select firm chili, jalapenoor pimiento pods; wash.
Halve large peppers. Remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Place, cut
side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degrees F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until skin is bubbly and browned. Place peppers in a new brown paper bag; seal and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes or until cool. Pull the skin off slowly using a paring knife.

Pressure Canning, hot pack: Pack in pint jars. Add boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Process pints for 35 minutes.

Freezing: Leave small peppers whole, or quarter large peppers. Cover with
boiling water; boil for 3 minutes. Blanch tiny whole peppers for 5 minutes and cut-up peppers for 2 minutes; cook quickly. Pack closely into containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Peppers, sweet: Select firm green, bright red, or yellow pods; wash.
Remove stems, seeds, and membranes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Pack in pint jars. Add boiling water, leaving 1
inch headspace. Processpints for 35 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch for 3 minutes; cook quickly. Package, leaving no headspace.

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Squash, winter, and pumpkin: Allow 1-1/2 to 3 pounds per quart. Wash and halve, removing seeds. Cut into 1 inch slices; peel and cut
into 1-inch cubes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Add cubes to boiling water; boil 2 minutes.
Do not mash or puree. Fill jars with cubes and cooking liquid, leaving 1-
inch headspace. Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes.

Freezing: Blanch 1-1/2 minutes; chill quickly. Fill containers, shaking down and leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Squash, summer: Choose young, tenderskinned crookneck, straightneck, white scallop, or zucchini. Wash;cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Freeze: Blanch small flat pods for 1-1/2 minutes or large flat pods 2 minutes. (If peas have started to develop, blanch for 3 minutes. If peas are already developed, shell and follow directions for green peas.) Cool, drain and fill containers leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

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Tomatoes, crushed: Cut in quarters. Add enough to large kettle
to cover bottom; crush with wooden spoon. Heat and stir until mixture
starts to boil. Slowly add remaining quarters; stir constantly. Simmer for
5 minutes. Add lemon juice to jars. Fill jars with tomatoes, leaving 1/2-
inch headspace.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Process pints for 35 minutes; quarts for 45 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Process pints and quarts for 15 minutes.

Freezing: Set pan of tomatoes in cold water to cool. Fill containers, leaving 1-inch headspace.

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Tomatoes, whole or halved, no added liquid: Add lemon juice to jars. Fill jars with whole or halved tomatoes, pressing to fill spaces; leave 1/2- inch headspace.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Process pints and quarts for 85 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Process pints and quarts for 25 minutes.

Freezer: Fill freezer containers, leaving 1-inch headspace.

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Tomatoes, whole or halved, waterpacked: Add lemon juice to jars.
Fill jars with whole or halved tomatoes. Add boiling water, leaving 1/2-
inch headspace. Or, heat tomatoes in saucepan with water to cover; simmer 5 minutes. Add lemon juice to jars; fill jars with tomatoes and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Process pints for 40 minutes and quarts for
45 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Process pints and quarts for 10 minutes. If heated, set pan of tomatoes in cold water to cool. Fill containers,
leaving 1-inch headspace.

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Tomatoes, whole or halved, juicepacked: Add lemon juice to jars.
Fill jars with whole or halved tomatoes. Add hot tomato juice. Or, heat
tomatoes in saucepan with tomato juice to cover; simmer 5 minutes. Add
lemon juice, tomatoes and tomato juice to jars; leave 1/2-inch headspace.

Pressure Canning, raw pack: Process pints and quarts for 85 minutes.

Pressure Canning, hot pack:Process pints and quarts for 25 minutes.

Freeze: If heated, set pan of tomatoes in cold water to cool. Fill containers, leaving 1-inch headspace.