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Publication #FCS8276

Selecting, Preparing, and Canning: Apricots -- Halved or Sliced1

United States Department of Agriculture, Extension Service2

Quantity: An average of 16 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 10 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 50 pounds and yields 20 to 25 quarts -- an average of 2-1/4 pounds per quart.

Quality: Select firm, well-colored mature fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh.

Procedure: Dip fruit in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in ascorbic acid solution. Prepare and boil a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack apricots in water, apple juice, or white grape juice. Raw packs make poor quality apricots.

Processing directions for canning apricots in a dial or weighted-gauge canner are given in Table 1 and Table 2.

Tables

Table 1. 

Table 1. Process Times for Some Acid Foods in a Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner.

Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Type of Fruit
 Style of Pack
 Jar Size
 Process Time (Min)
 0-

2,000 ft


 2,001-

4,000 ft


 4,001-

6,000 ft


 6,001-

8,000 ft
Applesauce
 Hot
 Pints
 8
 6 lb
 7 lb
 8 lb
 9 lb
Hot
 Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Apples, sliced
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Berries, whole
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Raw
 Pints
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Raw
 Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Cherries, sour or sweet
 Hot
 Pints
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Hot
 Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Raw
 Pints or Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Fruit Purees
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Grapefruit and Orange Sections
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Raw
 Pints
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9
Raw
 Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Peaches, Apricots, and Nectarines
 Hot and

Raw


 Pints or

Quarts


 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Pears
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Plums
 Hot and Raw
 Pints or Quarts
 10
 6
 7
 8
 9
Rhubarb
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 6
 7
 8
 9



Table 2. 
Table 2. Process Times for Some Acid Foods in a Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canner.

Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Type of Fruit
 Style of Pack
 Jar Size
 Process

Time (Min)


 0-

1,000 ft


 Above

1,000 ft
Applesauce
 Hot
 Pints
 8
 5 lb
 10 lb
Hot
 Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Apples, sliced
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 5
 10
Berries, whole
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 5
 10
Raw
 Pints
 8
 5
 10
Raw
 Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Cherries, sour

or sweet


 Hot
 Pints
 8
 5
 10
Hot
 Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Raw
 Pints or Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Fruit Purees
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 5
 10
Grapefruit and Orange Sections
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 5
 10
Raw
 Pints
 8
 5
 10
Raw
 Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Peaches, Apricots, and Nectarines
 Hot and

Raw


Pints or Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Pears
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Plums
 Hot and Raw
 Pints or Quarts
 10
 5
 10
Rhubarb
 Hot
 Pints or Quarts
 8
 5
 10



Footnotes

1. This document is FCS 8276, a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: May 2003. Reviewed: June 2008. This document was extracted from the Complete Guide to Home Canning, Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA. It was originally published on CD-ROM as part of HE 8148, Guide 2: Selecting, Preparing, and Canning Fruit and Fruit Products. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

2. Reviewed for use in Florida by Amy Simonne, assistant professor, Food Safety and Quality, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.