The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [35]
It is important to preserve most fruit as soon as possible after harvest. The sugars in ripe fruit begin to convert to starch immediately after harvest. Some fruits, such as pears and apples, are usually picked underripe; these should be put in cold storage as soon as possible but can be left at room temperature for a day or two if you are planning to preserve them by any other method. Fruits that are to be dried, in particular, should be fully ripe.
APPLES
APPLES STORE WELL IN A ROOT CELLAR and dry beautifully. Applesauce is a staple in most households, and homemade applesauce is far superior to commercial products. Homemade applesauce can be canned or frozen. Finally, apples make great jams and jellies (for recipes, see chapter 8). The natural pectin in apples makes them easy to handle in jams and jellies — they can even be combined with other low-pectin fruits to make a firmer jelly.
Storing in a Root Cellar
Best and quickest method
Place a large plastic bag in a cardboard box; add 2 to 4 inches of fresh sawdust (2 inches for storage areas that will remain above freezing).
Add a single layer of apples, leaving a 2-inch space all around the side of the layer to be filled with sawdust. Cover with a 1-inch layer of sawdust. Continue to layer the apples until the box is full. Finish with a 2- to 4-inch layer of sawdust.
Fold over the top of the bag and close the box. Store in the coldest area of the root cellar or in an unheated area, such as a garage. Do not store near potatoes.
Use by the end of the winter.
Drying Apple Slices
Excellent finished product
Wash and core apples; peeling is optional. Cut in wedges, then in ¼-inch slices; or cut in ¼-inch crosswise rings.
Pretreat if drying in the sun. Pretreating is optional with oven-drying and not necessary at all if you work quickly and slice directly onto dehydrator trays. To pretreat, dip slices in ascorbic acid or commerical fruit dip (page 43), then soak for 1 hour in diluted lemon juice (¼ cup lemon juice to 4 cups water) or full-strength pineapple juice.
Dry in a dehydrator or in a conventional oven at 115°F for 6 to 8 hours, stirring or turning the fruit once. After the first 6 hours, test for dryness every 2 hours, until no moisture remains in the center when a slice is bitten. Or dry in the sun for 2 to 3 days, until leathery and chewy, with no sign of crispness in the centers. Take trays inside at night.
Cool and package in airtight containers.
Freezing Apple Slices with Sugar Syrup
Prepare medium syrup (page 98) and set aside. Wash, peel, core, and slice apples. Pretreat with an antioxidant (page 97), if desired.
Pack slices in a rigid container and cover with syrup, allowing ½-inch headspace for pints and 1 inch for quarts.
Seal and freeze.
Freezing Apple Slices with Sugar
Good for use in pies and other baked goods
Wash, peel, core, and slice apples. Pretreat with an antioxidant (page 97), if desired.
Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over each quart of apples; toss to coat well. Allow to stand until juice is drawn out and sugar is dissolved. Pack slices in a rigid container and cover with the juices, allowing ½-inch headspace for pints and 1 inch for quarts.
Seal and freeze.
tip An easy way to freeze apples for pies is to prepare the pie filling as you would if you were baking right away. Freeze the filling in a pie tin. When frozen, slip out of the pie tin, wrap in freezer paper, and return to the freezer. When you are ready to bake, slip the frozen apples into a prepared pie shell and bake. Thawing first is not necessary.
Freezing Applesauce
Quickest method for applesauce
Wash and quarter apples. Don’t peel. Put in heavy-bottomed kettle with just enough water to keep the apples from scorching. Cover and cook until soft, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
Pass through a hand-cranked strainer or food mill. Add sweetener to taste, if desired.
Cool prepared applesauce and pack into rigid containers,