Minutes

Hot-water-bath outfit                16
Condensed-steam outfit               16
Water-seal outfit                    12
Steam pressure, 5 pounds, outfit     10
Pressure cooker, 10 pounds, outfit    5

15.  Remove from canner.

16.  Tighten cover, except vacuum-seal jar, which seals automatically.

17.  Test joint.

18.  Three or four days later, if perfectly air-tight, label and store in a dark place.

These steps are followed for strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, dewberries, huckleberries, gooseberries, raspberries, and for all soft fruits, such as cherries, currants, grapes and figs.

The other soft fruits, such as peaches and apricots, which have a skin, are scalded or “hot dipped” for one to two minutes in boiling water or steam and are then plunged into cold water.  These two steps of hot-dipping and cold dipping make the removal of skins a very simple operation.  After the skins are removed the fruit is put into the hot jars and the process continued from Step 8, as with strawberries.

SIRUPS

Of course you are wondering about the sirups for the different fruits.  There is no set rule for making sirup.  It is not necessary to use sirup in canning fruits.  The amount of sugar used in the sirup will depend upon the individual taste.  In a first-class product there should be enough sirup to improve its flavor, but not enough to make it take the place in the diet of a sweet preserve rather than a fresh fruit.

The sirups are made either with varying proportions of sugar and water or with the same proportions boiled different lengths of time.  What is known as the California sirup is made with three parts of sugar to two parts of water, boiled gently to different concentrations.

Thin Sirup.  For a thin sirup take three cups of sugar and two cups of water.  Mix sugar and heat until the sugar is dissolved.  This is used for all sweet fruits not too delicate in texture and color, as apples, cherries, pears, or for fruits in which more sugar will be added in preparation for the table.

Medium Thin Sirup.  The sugar and water should be boiled about four minutes, or until it begins to be sirupy.  This is used for raspberries, peaches, blackberries, currants, etc.

Medium Thick Sirup.  Boil the sugar and water until it will pile up over the edge of the spoon when it is tipped.  This is used for sour or acid fruits, as plums, gooseberries, apricots, sour apples, and some of the delicately colored fruits, as strawberries.

Thick Sirup.  The sugar and water are boiled until it will form a ball in the spoon and cannot be poured from the spoon.  This is used for preserves.

It is possible to get more, sometimes almost twice as much, sirup into a quart jar containing large fruits, as apples and pears, than into a quart jar containing small fruits, as currants or blackberries.