Preserve Fruit Without Sugar
Cherries, strawberries, sliced pineapple, plums, apricots, gooseberries, etc., may be preserved in the following manner -- to be used the same as fresh fruit. These instructions were obtained from the source listed below, and describe a process used one and a half centuries ago.
Steps
- Gather the fruit before it is very ripe. Slightly under ripe fruit has firmer flesh that stands up to the process used for preserving it better than very ripe fruit.
- Prepare the fruit by thoroughly washing it, and for fruits where it is desirable, peeling and removing the pits or seeds.
- Put it in wide-mouthed bottles. Canning jars with dome type lids using modern latex seals create a safer seal than do old cork-stoppered canning bottles described in the original instructions.
- Fill them as full as they will hold and cork them tight. If using canning jars, install dome lids and bands and tighten snugly.
- Seal the corks. This is done by melting paraffin wax and dipping the corks in it.
- Put some hay in a large saucepan. This will prevent the bottles from bumping together while the water is boiled, which could cause them to crack.
- Set in the bottles with hay between them to prevent their touching. You may choose to use cotton washcloths if hay is not easily obtainable, but remember, these instructions were originally published in the mid-19th century, so many homes had livestock, and hay was plentiful.
- Fill the saucepan with water to the necks of the bottles (or jars, if using modern materials), and set it over the fire (or on the stove top) until the water is nearly boiled away. The idea is to heat the fruit inside the jars to a sufficiently hot temperature to sterilize the contents without actually cooking them.
- Take the pot off the fire or stove, and let it stand until the bottles are cool.
- Store the bottles or jars in a cool place until wanted, when the fruit will be found equal to fresh.
Tips
- Remember the source of this original article describes methods used a century and a half ago, modern technology and methods may offer better alternatives if you choose to research them.
- Corked, wax-sealed, and wire-bail glass-lidded jars are generally considered obsolescent, but for those who are attempting to use authentic old fashioned techniques they may be found in flea markets or antique stores.
Warnings
- Storing any food requires certain precautions, including observing sanitary handling practices, making sure minimum temperatures are achieved and maintained to kill all microorganisms that may cause it to spoil, and careful observation including visual inspection and checking for unusual odors upon opening containers.
Things You'll Need
- Wide-mouthed bottle(s)
- Hay
- A large saucepan
- Fruit
Related Articles
Sources and Citations
- The White House Cookbook, page 430 -- Original source of this article. Public domain.
