Home Canned Fruit Pie Fillings
Guide E-316
Revised by Martha Archuleta, Extension Food and Nutrition SpecialistCollege of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences New Mexico State University
This Publication is scheduled to be updated and reissued 7/05.Tasty fruit fillings for pies, pastries, and dessert toppings can be prepared at home. Clear Jel®, a modified starch, produces excellent consistency even after fillings are canned and baked. Other household starches break down, resulting in a runny sauce. Clear Jel® is available among canning and freezing supplies in grocery stores. Ask your county extension home economist about its availability in your region, or contact Sweet Celebrations at 1-800-328-6722.
Because fruit variety affects flavor, prepare a single quart of filling, make a pie, and taste. Adjust the sugar and spices in the recipe to suit personal preferences. However, the amount of lemon juice should never be decreased as it insures the filling'ssafety and storage stability.
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. Use 1/4 cup Clear Jel® per quart, or 1-3/4 cups for 7 quarts.
General Canning Procedures
Use regular and wide-mouth Mason jars with self-sealing lids held in place by screw-on metal bands. The bands hold the lids in place during the processing and cooling periods. Mason jars are made from tempered glass to resist high temperatures. Jars are available in 1/2 pint, pint, 1-1/2 pint, and quart sizes. Larger jars are not recommended for home canning.
Inspect jars carefully for cracks or chips and discard faulty ones. Wash jars in hot, soapy water and rinse thoroughly or in the dishwasher. Keep jars hot in the dishwasher, a sink of hot water, or in a warm oven until they are filled. Check metal screw bands for signs of rust or dents. Discard badly corroded or dented bands. Use only new lids and follow manufacturer'sdirections for preparing lids for canning. Ladle fruit mixture into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe sealing surface of jars with a clean, damp paper towel. Add lids, tighten screw bands, and process in boiling water canner.
Follow these steps for successful boiling-water canning:
- Fill the canner halfway with water.
- Preheat water to 140°F for raw-packed foods and to 180°F for hot-packed foods.
- Load filled jars, fitted with lids, into the canner rack and use the handles to lower the rack into the water; or fill the canner, one jar at a time, with a jar lifter.
- If necessary, add more boiling water so the water level is at least 1 inch above jar tops.
- Turn heat to its highest position until water boils vigorously.
- Set a timer for the minutes required for processing the food.
- Cover with the canner lid and lower the heat setting to maintain a gentle boil throughout the process schedule.
- If necessary, add more boiling water to keep the water level above the jars.
- When jars have been boiled for the recommended time, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.
- Using a jar lifter, remove the jars and place them on a towel, leaving at least 1-inch spaces between the jars during cooling.
Test for Jar Seals
Remove screw bands when jars have cooled (12 to 24 hours) and test for vacuum seals by these methods:
- Press the lid center with finger. If the lid springs up when released, it is not sealed.
- Tap the lid with a teaspoon. A sealed jar lid will make a ringing sound.
- Hold the jar at eye level and look across the lid. A sealed jar lid curves down slightly in the center.
Reprocessing Unsealed Jars
Remove lids from unsealed jars and discard. Check the sealing surface of jar for tiny nicks or cracks. If the jar has defects, discard it and replace it with another jar. If not, add a new lid and process for the same amount of time within 24 hours. Unsealed jars can be kept in the refrigerator and the food used within 3Ð4 days, or remove about an inch of the contents and freeze.
Storing Canned Food
Clean the outsides of sealed, cooled jars. Label with date and contents and store in a cool (50-70°F), dark, dry place away from sun, light, or dampness. Canned products are best if eaten within one year.
Accidental Freezing
Freezing may cause food in jars to spoil if the jars become unsealed. Freezing and thawing cause food to soften and lose eating quality. Protect jars from freezing by wrapping with layers of newspapers.
If Canned Food Spoils
Examine jars carefully before tasting contents. Check lids for a vacuum seal. NEVER taste food from an unsealed jar.
Signs of food spoilage are streaks and dried food at the top of the jar, swollen lids, broken jar seals, rising air bubbles, and any unnatural color. Other indicators include bad or unnatural odor; spurting liquid; white, blue, green, or black mold; or foaming.
Dispose of any food you suspect of being spoiled. For safety, spoiled canned food and containers may need to be detoxified before disposal. Contact your county Extension office for detoxification instructions.
Altitude Adjustments
All communities in New Mexico are above sea level, varying from 3,000 to 10,000 feet with differences even within a county.
Use the chart on the last page of this guide to determine the elevation of your community and then select safe processing times for canning your fruit. The boiling temperature of liquids is lower at higher elevations, therefore food must be processed longer at high altitudes.
Recommended process times for fruit pie fillings in a boiling-water canner.
Process time at altitudes of
1001- 3001- 6001- Fruit filling Jar Size 3000 ft 6000 ft 9000 ft
Apple Pints or 30 min. 35 min. 40 min. Blueberry quarts 35 min. 40 min. 45 min. Cherry 35 min. 40 min. 45 min. Peach 35 min. 40 min. 45 min.
APPLE PIE FILLING
Quantities of ingredients needed for
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
Fresh sliced apples (blanched) 3 1/2 cups 6 qt Granulated sugar 3/4 cup + 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 1 drop 7 drops (optional)
Quality. Use firm, crisp apples. Stayman, Golden Delicious, Rome, and other varieties of similar quality are suitable. If apples lack tartness, add an additional 1/4 cup of lemon juice for each 6 quarts of slices.
Procedure. Wash, peel, and core apples. Cut slices 1/2 inch wide. Prevent browning by placing slices in one gallon of water containing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals or six 500-mg vitamin C tablets. Place 6 cups of fresh apples in 1 gallon of boiling water and cook 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. Drain well and keep heated apples in a covered pot to retain heat while other batches of apples are being blanched. Combine sugar, Clear Jel®, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large kettle with water, apple juice, and food coloring. Stir and cook on medium-high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil sauce 1 minute. Stir constantly. Fold in drained apple slices and fill jars with mixture, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process immediately.
BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING
Quantities of ingredients needed for
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
Fresh blueberries 3-1/2 cups 6 qt Granulated sugar 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp 6 cups Clear Jel® 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp 2-1/4 cups Cold water 1 cup 7 cups Bottled lemon juice 3-1/2 tsp 1/2 cup Blue food coloring 3 drops 20 drops (optional) Red food coloring 1 drop 7 drops (optional)
Quality. Select sweet, very ripe but firm, deep blue fruit.
Procedure. Wash and drain blueberries. For fresh berries, place 6 cups of blueberries at a time in 1-gallon boiling water. Cook each batch 1 minute after water returns to boil. Drain and keep heated blueberries covered in a bowl or pot. Combine sugar and Clear Jel® in a large kettle. Stir. Add water and food coloring. Cook on medium-high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute. Stir constantly. Fold in drained berries and fill jars with mixture, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process immediately.
CHERRY PIE FILLING
Quantities of ingredients needed for
Ingredient 1 quart 7 quarts
Fresh sour cherries 3-1/3 cups 6 qt 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 6 drops 1/4 tsp (optional)
Quality. Select very ripe, firm, tart cherries.
Procedure. Rinse and pit cherries, and hold in cold water. To keep the stem end from browning, hold pitted cherries in one gallon of water containing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals or six 500-mg vitamin C tablets. Place 6 cups of fresh cherries in 1 gallon boiling water. Cook each batch 1 minute after water returns to a boil. Drain and keep heated cherries in covered pot or bowl. Combine sugar, Clear Jel®, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Add water, food coloring, and almond extract. Stir mixture and cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute. Stir constantly. Fold in drained cherries and fill jars immediately with mixture. Leave a 1-inch headspace 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 Cinnamon (optional) 1/8 tsp 1 tsp Almond extract (optional) 1/8 tsp 1 tsp Bottled lemon juice 1/4 cup 1-3/4 cups
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 30-60 seconds, then place in cold water for 20 seconds. Slip off skins and prepare 1/2 inch wide slices. Prevent browning by placing slices in one gallon of water containing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals or six 500-mg vitamin C tablets. Place 6 cups of fresh peach slices in 1 gallon boiling water. Cook each batch 1 minute after water returns to a boil. Drain and keep peaches in a covered bowl or pot to keep warm. Combine sugar, Clear Jel®, water, and cinnamon or almond extract in a large kettle. Stir and cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil sauce 1 minute more. Stir constantly. Fold in drained peach slices and continue to heat for 3 minutes. Fill jars with mixture, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Process immediately.
ELEVATIONS OF CITIES AND TOWNS IN NEW MEXICO
Elevation Elevation City/Town (ft) City/Town (ft)
Alamogordo 4,350 Las Vegas 6,450 Albuquerque 5,000 Logan 3,830 Artesia 3,350 Lordsburg 4,250 Aztec 5,650 Los Alamos 7,400 Bayard 5,800 Los Ranchos de Alb. 4,950 Belen 4,800 Lovington 3,900 Bernalillo 5,050 Magdalena 6,556 Bosque Farms 4,864 Melrose 4,599 Carlsbad 3,100 Mora 7,200 Carrizozo 5,450 Mosquero 5,550 Chama 7,900 Mountainair 6,500 Cimarron 6,450 Portales 4,010 Clayton 5,050 Raton 6,650 Cloudcroft 8,650 Reserve 5,749 Clovis 4,300 Rio Rancho 5,290 Columbus 4,020 Roswell 3,600 Corona 6,664 Roy 5,900 Corrales 5,005 Ruidoso 7,000 Cuba 7,000 San Jon 4,200 Deming 4,300 Santa Fe 7,000 Dexter 3,500 Sana Rita 6,300 Eagle Nest 8,250 Santa Rosa 4,600 Elida 4,345 Silver City 5,900 Española 5,600 Socorro 4,600 Estancia 6,100 Springer 5,800 Farmington 5,400 Taos 7,000 Fort Sumner 4,050 Texico 4,150 Gallup 6,500 Tierra Amarilla 7,460 Grants 6,450 T or C 4,250 Hobbs 3,650 Tucumcari 4,100 Hurley 5,700 Tularosa 4,500 Jemez Springs 6,200 Vaughn 5,950 Las Cruces 3,900 Wagon Mound 6,200
This publication is intended for use by individuals with a basic understanding of canning procedures. For more detailed information consult the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, which is available through your local county Extension office.
This publication was orginally adapted for use in New Mexico (1989) from Let's Preserve: Fruit Pie Fillings, which was developed by Penn State Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.
Reprinted July 2000Electronic Distribution July 2000