Woman's Institute Library of Cookery. Volume 5: Fruit and Fruit Desserts; Canning and Drying; Jelly Making, Preserving and Pickling; Confections; Beverages; the Planning of Meals

by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

GROUP 2--HARD FRUITS

93. APPLES.--The canning of apples should be done when there is a large supply of summer apples that cannot be stored for winter use or used at once. Canning is also a good means of utilizing windfall apples. This fruit may be canned in quarters for sauce, in slices for pie, or in any other desirable shape or condition.

After apples for canning are selected, wash them, scald, or blanch, them for 1 to 5 minutes in boiling water, and cold-dip them quickly. Next, peel and core them, and cut each one into pieces of any desirable size. As these pieces are cut, drop them into salt water--1 teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water--to prevent them from discoloring. Then pack the fruit into the jars and fill the jars with boiling sirup. If the apples are intended for pie, use sirup No. 1, 2, or 3; if they are for sauce, use sirup No. 3, 4, or 5. When the jars are filled, adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. If the pieces are large, cook them in the water bath for 20 minutes; if they are medium in size, cook them for 15 minutes; and if they are in the form of slices, cook them for 10 minutes. If they are to be processed in the pressure cooker, cook them for 8 to 12 minutes at a pressure of 5 pounds or for 6 to 8 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds.

If the apples to be canned are first baked or made into a sauce, simply pack them into jars and process them for a few minutes.

94. QUINCES.--Quinces may be canned alone, but they may be combined with apples to good advantage. If canned alone, they may require a heavier sirup than if apples are used with them. Prepare the quinces in the same way as apples. If apples are to be canned with them, cut the pieces of apples twice the size of the pieces of quinces. This should be done because more time is required for cooking the quinces soft. After packing the jars and pouring in the sirup, proceed with the processing. If quinces alone are in the jars, cook them in the water bath for 30 minutes; but if quinces and apples are combined, cook them for 20 minutes. In the pressure cooker, cook the jars of fruit for 12 to 15 minutes at a 5-pound pressure or for 10 to 12 minutes at a 10-pound pressure.

95. PEARS.--Pears for canning should be firm, but not hard. After sorting and washing them, blanch them for 1 to 3 minutes and cold-dip them quickly. Then pare, halve, and core them. Pack them immediately into the jars and pour sirup No. 3 or 4 over them. Next, adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. In the water bath, cook them for 20 minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook them for 8 minutes at a 5-pound pressure or 6 minutes at a 10-pound pressure.