Putting Food By - Janet Greene [106]
Grapefruit (and Oranges)
Commercial processors do a fine job with citrus fruits. It’s hardly worthwhile to compete unless you’ve a surplus of grapefruit and/or oranges.
Use heavy, blemish-free, tree-ripened fruits.
SECTIONS OR SLICES
Wash; peel, cutting off the outside membranes. Cut a thin slice from each end. With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut down each side of the membranes and lift out the whole sections. Work over a large bowl to catch the juice. Remove seeds. Oranges may be sliced rather than sectioned as just described.
Wet pack, syrup. Cover fruit with 40 percent Syrup made with excess fruit juice, and water if needed. (For better quality, add ½ teaspoon crystalline ascorbic acid to each 1 quart of syrup before packing.) Leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
JUICE
Use good tree-ripened fruits. Squeeze, using a squeezer or reamer that does not press oil from the rind.
Wet pack, juice. Either sweetened with 2 tablespoons sugar to each 1 quart of juice, or pack unsweetened. (For best quality, add ¾ teaspoon crystalline ascorbic acid to each 1 gallon of juice before packing.) Pour into glass freezing jars. Leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
Grapes
WHOLE OR HALVES
Use firm-ripe grapes with tender skins and nice color and flavor. Wash and stem. Leave seedless grapes whole; cut other varieties in half and remove their seeds. If Dry packing whole, gently roll grapes on cloth or paper towels until dry.
Dry pack, no sugar. Leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
Wet pack, syrup. Cover grapes with cold 40 percent Syrup. Leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
JUICE
For a beverage or future jelly-making, use firm-ripe grapes.
Wash, stem, crush. Do not heat. Or juice in an extractor. Strain through a jelly bag. Allow juice to stand overnight in the refrigerator while sediment settles to the bottom. Carefully pour off the clear juice, leaving tartaric crystals behind.
Wet pack, juice. Pour into containers; leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze. (If tartrate crystals—the basis for cream of tartar—form in frozen juice, strain them out after the juice thaws.)
Melons
SLICES, CUBES, OR BALLS
Cut firm-ripe melons in half; remove seeds and soft tissues holding them. If for slices or cubes, cut off all rind; cut to shape. If for balls, do not cut off rind, but scoop out with a baller, taking care not to include any rind.
Wet pack, syrup. Cover with 30 percent Syrup. Leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
CRUSHED (NOT FOR WATERMELON)
Halve, cut off rind; remove seeds and their soft tissue. Crush or put through the food chopper, using a coarse knife.
Wet pack, juice. Add 1 tablespoon sugar to each 1 quart of crushed melon, if you wish (and an added 1 teaspoon lemon juice points up the flavor). Stir to dissolve. Pack; leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
Nectarines
These are not as satisfactory frozen as most other fruits are.
HALVES, QUARTERS, OR SLICES
Choose only firm, fully ripe nectarines—avoiding overripe ones, which often develop a disagreeable flavor in the freezer.
Wash and pit. Peeling is optional.
Wet pack, syrup. Put ½ cup of 40 percent Syrup in each container and cut fruit directly into it. (For a better product add ½ teaspoon crystalline ascorbic acid to each 1 quart of syrup before packing.) Gently press fruit down and add extra syrup to cover. Top with crumpled moisture-resistant wrap to hold fruit in place. Leave appropriate headroom. Seal; freeze.
PURÉED
Treat like Peach Purée.
Peaches
Peaches are excellent canned; they freeze well.
HALVES AND SLICES
Use firm, ripe peaches without any green color on their skins. Wash, pit, and peel. (They are less ragged if peeled without the boiling-water dip.)
Wet pack, sugar. Coat cut peaches with a solution of ¼ teaspoon crystalline ascorbic acid dissolved in each ¼ cup of water to prevent darkening. Add ⅔ cup of sugar to each 1 quart of fruit, and mix gently. Pack, leaving appropriate headroom.
Wet pack, syrup. Put ½ cup 40 percent Syrup in the bottom