preserving fruit

[dylsmum1998]

other than jam what other ways are there of preserving fruit?
ie can i out them in jars along the lines of tinned fruit you buy in supermarkets.
or is there someting else i can do with surplus fruit?

[OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper]

I love making jellies - I know they're similar to jam, but they're much easier as you don't have to bother with taking out stones. And they look really pretty.
You can make fruit liqueurs too, but it depends on what fruit you've got.

[MrsBadger]

what fruit is it?

some good ideas here
it won't keep as well as jam because you don't use as much sugar.

[ProfYaffle]

You can bottle fruit in kilner jars but I don't know very much about it, I tried it last year but it didn't work. Hopefully someone more knowledgable will come along and educate us.

[dylsmum1998]

i haven't got the fruit yet, have made masses of blackberry and blackberry & apple jam from our walk last week.
am thinking of the fruits i gather when we are out, so plums, damsons, blackberries and when we go to pick your owns as well for strawb's etc as we eat some and then i end up jamming the resta s its all i know how to do
thanks for the link mrs badger will have a look through it properly in a bit. children are bickering now i have sat down

[whinegums]

Bottle them in (cheap) alcohol. Then you can use the fruit for toppings on ice cream, meringues, etc, and drink the nice fruity booze, and/or use it for a base for cocktails. Adults only of course!

[paisleyleaf]

I often do spiced pears around now for christmas time.

6 pears or peaches (if using pears: peel core and cut into quarter lengthways, for peaches: pour over boiling water and skin before cutting in half)
275ml/1⁄2 pint white (cider) vinegar
225g/8oz sugar
1 lemon, pared rind only
1 small stick of cinnamon
6 cloves
4 small pieces root ginger

Method

1. Keep prepared fruit in bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discolouration.2. Put spices, vinegar and sugar into a pan, bring to the boil and simmer. Add fruit and cook gently for 2-5 minutes until fruit is just tender.3. Remove fruit carefully and put into warm jars. Bring syrupy vinegar to the boil and pour over fruit making sure the fruit is covered. Put on a screw top lid, label and store in a cool dark place. Best kept for at least a week and will keep for up to 6 months, improving flavour all the time.

And of course, there's always freezing.

[Lilymaid]

Some more information about bottling fruit.
What about freezing?
Alcoholic alternative:
You need a clean jar or one of those earthenware crocks specially made for preserving fruit in alcohol
Add fruit and same weight of granulated sugar as fruit. Pour over booze - brandy, vodka, whatever but it should be 40 degrees proof - to complete immerse fruit.
You can add more fruit as the season goes on, as before, but always stir the mixture and ensure that the fruit is covered.
Keep jar in cool place and store for at least one month.
Great over icecream but extremely strong!