Steps in Freezing Fruits

All fruits are not frozen the same way.

Some fruits, such as berries, are frozen whole after they are ripened and washed. Other fruits such as peaches and apples must be peeled and sliced before they're frozen.

How you freeze fruit depends on the particular fruit that you're freezing. All fruits are not frozen the same way. For instance, some fruits, such as berries, are frozen whole after they are ripened and washed. Other fruits such as peaches and apples must be peeled and sliced before they're frozen.

Also, fruits may be frozen with or without sugar or syrup. In some cases, sugar or syrup helps the fruit hold its fresh flavor and color.

Fruit made syrup…

One way to make syrup for freezing fruits is to help the fruit make its own. For example, when you're freezing soft, sliced fruits such as peaches, strawberries, figs, seeded grapes and cherries, you can cover them with sugar for a few minutes before you freeze them. They will make enough syrup on their own. Cover them in the freezer packages.

Another way to make syrup is to mix one part of sugar with 2 - 3 parts of water and stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. You don't need to heat it.

Using ascorbic acid…

When you're slicing light colored fruits such as peaches, apples and pears, you'll find that they tend to turn brown if you don't do something to stop it. You can stop most of this discoloration by quickly covering the sliced fruit with powdered, pure, ascorbic acid; which is really vitamin C or You can
stop this discoloration by covering the fruit with a fruit-freeze mixture containing ascorbic acid. You can buy ascorbic acid at many drug stores and in the canning-freezing sections of many grocery stores.

The heavy syrup pack…

If you're using what's called the heavy syrup pack to freeze fruit, add one-half teaspoon pure, ascorbic acid to one quart of water and one quart of sugar. Then, mix this ascorbic acid, water and sugar mixture with to four to six quarts of fruit.

Another heavy syrup pack method is to add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to one quart of water and one quart of sugar and then mix all this with four quarts of fruit.

Use correct containers…

When you freeze fruit in a sugar or syrup pack, you should be sure you use leakproof containers such as glass jars, plastic cartons, or bays and boxes. Squeeze out the air, seal the package, label it and freeze it quickly.

Dry pack…

Boysenberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries and dewberries may be frozen without sugar or syrup. This is called a dry pack.

Generally, frozen fruits will hold their quality for about a year.

For more information on steps in freezing fruits, contact your local county Extension office.