CANNING FRUIT

Sterilize jars and lids by boiling in hot water for 5 minutes (or run thru dishwasher). Wash fruit. If a stone fruit, remove pit. If fruit is large, slice. If small like berries, leave whole. Pack fruit into canning jars. Be careful not to touch mouth of jar with hands. Use a fork or knife to move fruit around in jar to release any air pockets in the syrup. Use toweling to carefully remove all fruit that is around mouth.

The 2 cups sugar/4 cups water is a ratio to make 5 cups of syrup. Adjust quantities accordingly.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly add sugar, stirring constantly until completely dissolved and mixture is clear. Add 1 T. lemon juice for every 4 cups of water used.

Carefully pour syrup over fruit until filled to within ½" of top of jar. Carefully cover mouth of jar with seal and ring.

Bring large deep pot of water to boil. The jars must be able to sit in kettle and be covered by 1" with water.

Apples, apricots and pears process in boiling water for 20 minutes. Cherries and berries process for 15 minutes.

After processing, carefully remove jars from pot and allow to cool. During cooling process, seals should snap “in”.

Store in cool dry place.