In the summer, when fruits and berries are harvested, it’s time to prepare for winter. Fruits and berries in sugar syrup are some of the most delicious homemade preserves. Follow the recipes carefully, and always sterilize or pasteurize the jars (remember to cover the jars with lids during the process!). Otherwise, these tasty summer gifts won’t keep well.
Apricots, Recipe No. 1
Ingredients:
- Apricots – 2.2 lbs
- Granulated sugar – 1 ½ cups
Use ripe apricots, cut in halves and remove the pits. Pack the apricot halves tightly into containers, sprinkling layers with sugar. Place jars in a cool place overnight. Next morning, fill jars with more fruit and sugar, then sterilize in boiling water:
- ½ pint jars: 10 minutes
- 1 pint jars: 15 minutes
Immediately seal jars with hot lids, turn upside down, wrap in a blanket, and let cool completely.
Apricots, Recipe No. 2
Ingredients:
- Apricot halves (pitted) – 2.2 lbs
- Granulated sugar – 1 cup
Boil and cool water for pouring. Wash firm ripe apricots, cut in half, and remove pits. Place fruit in pint jars, sprinkle with sugar, and fill with water. Sterilize for 8 minutes. Seal and cool jars in cold water, refreshing water regularly.
Apricots, Recipe No. 3
Ingredients:
Apricots – 2.2 lbs
Powdered sugar – 2 cups
Cut apricots in half and remove pits. Place apricots in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar, and let sit for one day. Transfer fruit with juice into pint jars and sterilize for 10 minutes. After sealing, cool jars in running water, adding water as needed.
Pears and Apples
Ingredients:
- Pears and apples – as needed to fill jars
- Granulated sugar – 1 cup per pint jar
If fruit is sour, increase sugar to 1 ½ cups per pint jar. Double amounts for quart jars. Wash and peel sweet and sour pears and apples (peeling may be skipped if fruit is tender). Slice into finger-sized pieces, core, and pack into jars. Cover with lids, steam, sterilize for 20-25 minutes, then seal.
Pears
Ingredients (per 1 quart jar):
- Firm pears – to fill jar
- Sugar – a few tablespoons
- Citric acid – 0.14 oz (4 grams)
For ½ pint or 2-quart jars, adjust sugar and acid proportionally. Peel pears, slice, and place in jars. Add sugar and citric acid. Sterilize:
- ½ pint: 15 minutes
- 1 quart: 20-25 minutes
- 2 quart: 35-40 minutes
Strawberries
Ingredients:
- Strawberries – 2.2 lbs
- Granulated sugar – 1 ¼ cups
Fill jars with prepared strawberries to the top, sprinkling with sugar. When berries settle, fill to edges. Pasteurize jars at 176°F (80°C):
- 1/3 pint jars: 12-15 minutes
- Larger jars: 20-30 minutes
For vitamin preservation, sterilization in boiling water is possible:
- 8-12 minutes for smaller jars
- 12-15 minutes for larger jars
Raspberry, Recipe No. 1
Ingredients:
- Raspberries (garden or wild) – 2.2 lbs
- Sugar: 1 cup for garden raspberries; 1 to 2 cups for wild raspberries
Place raspberries in containers, sprinkling layers with sugar. Tap jars occasionally to settle berries. Pasteurize at 194°F (90°C):
- ½ pint jars: 20 minutes
- 1/3 pint jars: 25 minutes
- Larger jars: 30 minutes
Raspberry, Recipe No. 2
Ingredients:
- Raspberries and sugar, equal parts by weight (per 2.2 lbs)
Layer raspberries and sugar in jars. Wait 20 minutes for settling, add more berries on top. Sterilize:
- ½ pint jars: 7-9 minutes
- 1 quart jars: 10-12 minutes
Seal jars immediately after.
Plum, Recipe No. 1
Ingredients:
- Plums – 2.2 lbs
- Sugar – 1 ½ to 2 cups
Cut ripe plums in half and remove pits. Place fruit in jars, sprinkling with sugar in layers. Refrigerate jars overnight. In the morning, add more plums and sugar. Sterilize:
- ½ pint jars: 10 minutes
- 1 quart jars: 15 minutes
Plum, Recipe No. 2
Ingredients:
- Ripe plums – to fill jars
- Sugar: ¾ to 1 cup per ½ pint jar
- Sugar: 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups per 1 quart jar
Choose sugar amount based on fruit acidity. Drain fruit in running water and set aside. Cut plums in half, remove pits, and pack firmly into jars, layering with sugar. Cover with lids and sterilize for:
- 15 minutes for ½ pint jars
- 25 minutes for 1 quart jars
Cherry with Seeds
Ingredients:
- Cherries – 2.2 lbs
- Sugar – 2 tablespoons
- Citric acid – 0.21 oz (6 grams)
Remove stems from cherries, wash and dry thoroughly. Layer cherries with sugar and citric acid in jars. Refrigerate for a few hours. Fill jars to the top with berries and sugar. Sterilize in boiling water:
- ½ pint jars: 15-20 minutes
- 1/3 pint jars: 20-25 minutes
- Larger jars: 45 minutes
Seal immediately after sterilization.
Cherries without Pits
Ingredients:
- Cherries (pitted) – 2.2 lbs
- Sugar – 1 ½ to 2 cups
- Citric acid – 0.21 oz (6 grams)
Boil and cool water. Remove pits from ripe cherries. Place in jars, alternating layers of berries and sugar, pressing down gently. Dissolve citric acid in a small amount of water and add to jars. Sterilize as in previous cherry recipe. Seal jars.
Blueberries
Ingredients:
- Blueberries – 2.2 lbs
- Sugar – 1 ½ to 2 cups
Dry sorted, washed blueberries slightly. Mix with sugar and pack into jars, tapping lightly to settle berries. Pasteurize at 194°F (90°C):
- ½ pint jars: 15 minutes
- 1/3 pint jars: 20 minutes
- Larger jars: 25-30 minutes
Seal jars after pasteurizing.
