Canning and Preserving For Dummies by Amelia Jeanroy

(Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 29g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 1g.
    Per 1/2-cup serving peaches: Calories 88 (From fat 1); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 4mg; Carbohydrates 23g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 1g.

    Figure 5-1: Peeling soft-skinned fruit and tomatoes.

    Berries (except strawberries)
    Canned berries have so many uses! You can use them to make smoothies or pies and as a sweet addition to your oatmeal. If your pantry is like ours, your berries will be the first things used up,
    For canning, you want perfect, not soft or mushy, berries. Leave them whole. Wash and drain the berries (handling them as little as possible); remove any stems or hulls.
    Strawberries don’t can well. During the processing, they turn mushy and lose their taste and red color. They do, however, freeze very well. See Chapter 13 for complete instructions.
    Depending on the type of berry, you’ll use either the raw or hot pack method:
    Raw pack: Raw packing is best for soft berries, like blackberries, boysenberries, and raspberries.
    Hot pack: Use this method for firmer berries, such as blueberries, cranberries, and huckleberries.
    Canned Raspberries
    With soft berries, like raspberries, boysenberries, and blackberries, you don’t have to cook the berries before canning. Simply place them in your canning jars and pour hot syrup over them. This recipe explains how to can raspberries, but you can use it to can any other soft berry the same way.
    Preparation time: 15 minutes
    Processing time: Pints, 15 minutes; quarts, 20 minutes
    Yield: 8 pints or 4 quarts
    12 pounds raspberries
    Sugar syrup, light
    1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
    2 Wash the berries gently in cold water to firm them and remove any stems or hulls. Meanwhile, bring the sugar syrup to a boil.
    3 Pack berries loosely into your prepared jars and pour boiling hot sugar syrup over them, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Release any air bubbles with a nonreactive utensil (refer to Chapter 3), adding more sugar syrup as necessary to maintain the proper headspace. Wipe the jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands.
    4 Process the filled jars in a water-bath canner for 15 minutes (pints) or 20 minutes (quarts) from the point of boiling.
    5 Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals (see Chapter 4). If you find jars that haven’t sealed, refrigerate them and use them within two weeks.
    Vary It! For sweeter canned berries, use medium syrup.
    Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories 138 (From fat 8); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 34g (Dietary fiber 12g); Protein 2g.

    Canned Blueberries
    To can hard berries (like blueberries and cranberries), you follow the same general steps you do for soft berries, with one exception: Instead of packing the jars and adding sugar syrup, you boil the berries and sugar together before filling the jars. This recipe shows you how to can blueberries. Follow the same directions for any other type of hard berry.
    Preparation time: 20 minutes
    Processing time: Pints, 15 minutes; quarts, 20 minutes
    Yield: 8 pints or 4 quarts
    10 pounds blueberries
    Sugar syrup, light
    Boiling water
    1 Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the jars and lids hot. (For detailed instructions on preparing your jars, see Chapter 4.)
    2 Wash the berries gently in cold water to firm them and remove any stems or hulls.
    3 Measure the berries into a saucepan and add 1/2 cup sugar for each quart of berries. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. In a large pot, bring water for your