Let's Preserve Fruit Pie Fillings
HE-434, Reviewed and reprinted May 1996
General
The following fruit fillings are excellent and safe products. Each canned quart makes
one 8-inch to 9-inch pie. Fillings may be used as toppings on dessert or pastries. Clear
Jel is a starch modified to produce excellent sauce consistency even after fillings are
canned and baked. Other available household starches break down, causing a runny sauce
consistency when used in pie fillings. Clear Jel can be ordered from: Tochi Products, 1111
2nd Ave. North, Fargo, ND 58102 (701/232-7700).
Because the variety of fruit may alter the flavor of the fruit pie, you should first
make a single quart, make a pie with it, and serve. Then adjust the sugar and spices in
the recipe to suit your personal preferences. The amount of lemon juice should not be
altered, because it aids in controlling the safety and storage stability of the fillings.
When using frozen cherries and blueberries, select unsweetened fruit. If sugar has been
added, rinse it off while fruit is frozen. Collect, measure, and use juice from thawing
fruit to partially replace the water specified in the recipe and only � cup Clear Jel per
quart, or 1� cups for 7 quarts.
Apple pie filling
--------------------------------------------------------
Quantities of ingredients
needed for
--------------------------------
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
--------------------------------------------------------
Fresh sliced apples
(blanched) 3 1/2 cups 6 quarts
Granulated sugar 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp. 5 1/2 cups
Clear Jel 1/4 cup 1 1/2 cups
Cinnamon 1/2 tsp. 1 tbsp.
Cold water 1/2 cup 2 1/2 cups
Apple juice 3/4 cup 5 cups
Bottled lemon juice 2 tbsp. 3/4 cup
Nutmeg (optional) 1/8 tsp. 1 tsp.
Yellow food coloring
(optional) 1 drop 7 drops
--------------------------------------------------------
Quality. Use firm, crisp apples. Stayman, Golden Delicious, Rome, and other
varieties of similar quality are suitable. If apples lack tartness, use an additional �
cup of lemon juice for each 6 quarts of slices.
Procedure: Wash, peel and core apples. Prepare half-inch wide slices and place
in water containing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals or six-500 milligram vitamin C
tablets in 1 gallon of water to prevent browning. For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a time
in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch 1 minute after the water returns to a boil.
Drain but keep heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine sugar, Clear Jel and
cinnamon in a large kettle with water and apple juice. If desired, food coloring and
nutmeg may be added. Stir and cook on medium-high heat until mixture thickens and begins
to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Fold in drained apple
slices immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1 inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process immediately.
Blueberry pie filling
------------------------------------------------------
Quantities of ingredients
needed for
--------------------------------
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
------------------------------------------------------
Fresh blueberries 3 1/2 cups 6 quarts
Granulated sugar 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp. 6 cups
Clear Jel 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. 2 1/2 cups
Cold water 1 cup 7 cups
Bottled lemon juice 3 1/2 tsp. 1/2 cup
Blue food coloring
(optional) 3 drops 20 drops
Red food coloring
(optional) 1 drop 7 drops
------------------------------------------------------
Quality: Select sweet, very ripe but firm, deep blue fruit.
Procedure: Wash and drain fresh blueberries. For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a
time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch 1 minute after the water returns to a
boil. Drain, but keep heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine sugar and Clear Jel
in a large kettle. Stir. Add water and, if desired, food coloring. Cook on medium high
heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute,
stirring constantly. Fold in drained berries immediately and fill jars with mixture
without delay, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process immediately.
Cherry pie filling
----------------------------------------------------------
Quantities of ingredients
needed for
-------------------------------
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
----------------------------------------------------------
Fresh sour cherries 3 1/3 cups 6 quarts
Granulated sugar 1 cup 7 cups
Clear Jel 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. 1 3/4 cups
Cold water 1 1/3 cups 9 1/3 cups
Bottled lemon juice 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. 1/2 cup
Cinnamon (optional) 1/8 tsp. 1 tsp.
Almond extract (optional) 1/4 tsp. 2 tsp.
Red food coloring
(optional) 6 drops 1/4 tsp.
----------------------------------------------------------
Quality: Select very ripe, firm, tart cherries.
Procedure: Rinse and pit fresh cherries, and hold in cold water. To prevent stem
end browning, hold pitted cherries in water containing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid
crystals or six-500 milligram vitamin C tablets in 1 gallon of water. For fresh fruit,
place 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch 1 minute after the
water returns to a boil. Drain but keep heated fruit in a covered bowl or pot. Combine
sugar and Clear Jel in a large saucepan and add water. If desired, add cinnamon, almond
extract and food coloring. Stir mixture and cook over medium high heat until mixture
thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Fold in drained cherries immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving 1
inch headspace. Adjust lids and process immediately.
Peach pie filling
-----------------------------------------------------------
Quantities of ingredients
needed for
------------------------------------
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
-----------------------------------------------------------
Fresh sliced peaches 3 1/2 cups 6 quarts
Granulated sugar 1 cup 7 cups
Clear Jel 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. 2 cups + 3 tbsp.
Cold water 3/4 cup 5 1/4 cups
Bottled lemon juice 1/4 cup 1 3/4 cups
Cinnamon (optional) 1/8 tsp. 1 tsp.
Almond extract
(optional) 1/8 tsp. 1 tsp.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Quality. Select ripe but firm peaches. Red Haven, Redskin, Sun High, and other
varieties of similar quality are suitable.
Procedure. Peel peaches. To loosen skins, submerge peaches in boiling water for
approximately 30 to 60 seconds and then place in cold water for 20 seconds. Slip off skins
and prepare slices �-inch thick. Place slices in water containing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic
acid crystals or six 500-milligram vitamin C tablets in 1 gallon of water to prevent
browning. For fresh fruit, place 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each
batch 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain but keep heated fruit in a covered
bowl or pot. Combine water, sugar, Clear Jel and, if desired, cinnamon and/or almond
extract in a large kettle. Stir mixture and cook over medium high heat until mixture
thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Fold in drained peach slices and continue to heat mixture for 3 minutes. Fill jars without
delay, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process immediately.
Procedure for canning all fillings
Wash jars. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Fill fruit mixtures
into jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Wipe sealing surface of jars with a clean, damp paper
towel. Add lids, tighten screw bands, and process.
To process in a boiling water canner, preheat canner half filled with water to
180 degrees Fahrenheit. Load sealed jars into the canner rack and lower with handles, or
load one jar at a time with a jar lifter onto rack in canner. Add water if needed to a
level of 1 inch above jars and cover. When water boils vigorously, lower heat to maintain
a gentle boil and process for recommended time.
Process times
Recommended process times for fruit pie filling in a boiling water canner.
------------------------------------------------------------
Process time at altitude of
----------------------------------
0-1000 1001-3000 3001-6000
Fruit filling Jar size feet feet feet
------------------------------------------------------------
- - - - - - minutes - - - - - - -
Apple Pints 25 30 35
Blueberry or 30 35 40
Cherry quarts 30 35 40
Peach 30 35 40
------------------------------------------------------------
After processing is completed, remove jars from canner with a jar lifter and place them
on a towel or rack. Do not retighten screw bands. Air-cool jars 12 to 24 hours.
Remove screw bands and check lid seals. A jar is sealed if the center of its lid is
indented or concave. Wash, dry, label, and store sealed jars in a clean, cool, dark place.
If a jar is unsealed, examine and replace it if defective, use a new lid, and reprocess as
before. Wash screw bands and store separately. Fillings are best if used within 1 year and
safe as long as lids remain vacuum sealed.
Developed by Penn State Cooperative Extension with special project funds from Extension
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial
products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended
and no endorsement by Cooperative Extension Service is implied.
HE-434, Reviewed and reprinted May 1996
|
