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Fruit
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Preparation
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Apricots
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Rinse and pit. May be cut in half or left whole. May peel or blanch by dipping in boiling water for 30 seconds. May sweeten with 1/2 cup sugar per quart.
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Berries
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Rinse berries and drain well. Spread berries on tray and freeze until solid. Then pour into plastic freezer bag or a freezing container. May also pack in sugar (1/4 to 1/2 cup per quart).
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Cherries
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Rinse de-stem and pit. If sweetening is desired use 2/3 cups sugar. May use 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid per quart. May also tray-freeze, then put into bags (see berries).
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Figs
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Rinse ripe fruit. Be sure to remove stems and then pack in freezer bags.
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Grapes
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De-stem, wash and place in freezer bags or containers.
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Mangoes
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Rinse and peel. Cut fruit into pieces. Be sure to avoid the flesh near the pit. Mix slices with 1/4 teaspoon of ascorbic acid and 1/2 cup sugar. Make sure sugar dissolves. Pack in freezer bags or containers.
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Melons
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Cut the melons in half and remove seeds. Cut again into quarters and eighths, then peel and cut into cubes. Pack in freezer bags or containers.
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Peaches,
Nectarines
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Peel peaches by dipping in boiling water for 1 minute, then placing under cold water. The skins should slip off easily. May leave on the skins of nectarines. May mix with 1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid and 1/2 cup sugar per quart.
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Pears
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Peel, halve and core. Heat in boiling sweetened water (syrup) for about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup ascorbic acid to each quart of syrup.
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Pineapple
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Peel and remove eyes and cores. Cut into wedges, slices, etc. Dry-pack in freezer bags or containers.
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Plums
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Rinse and dry. May slice or pit. Dry-pack or sugar-pack with 1/2 cup sugar per quart.
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Rhubarb
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Rinse and remove leaves (leaves are poisonous). Cut stems in 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. Dry pack or add sugar (up to 1 cup sugar per quart).
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As well as the fresh packs described above, fruits can be packed in a sugar syrup comprising of a mixture of sugar, water and ascorbic acid. Sweeten to taste, but a rule of thumb is 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of ascorbic acid per quart of water.
