How Do You Preserve Fruit?

Pear Helene is one of the classics among preserved fruits. In addition, numerous other types of fruit can be boiled down. Some types of vegetables are also suitable for this form of preservation. Especially after a productive summer in the local orchard, it is worth preserving the harvest over the long term in this way. Preserved fruit can be enjoyed as a compote or used as a basis for desserts, for example in the form of Helene pear.

The principle of preserving works like this: fruit and vegetables are heated in a liquid in a jar and thus sterilized. When the glass is heated, an overpressure is initially created and the air escapes. When it cools down, a vacuum is formed so that the lid closes airtight. The lid of the mason jars should close with a rubber ring and be fixed with a mechanism. Before preserving, the glasses must be rinsed with boiling water to render all germs harmless.

An electric preserving pot with an adjustable temperature is best for heating the jars. Alternatively, you can use a large-diameter saucepan into which you can place a colander or grid. The mason jars should be able to be placed in it later so that they do not touch each other. The water in the pot should reach the level of preserving food in the jars.

If you want to preserve fruit, you should make sure that you only select fruit that is in perfect condition and has no bruises. It should be fresh and not overripe. Cut larger fruit, such as pears, into smaller pieces and stack them in the jars, leaving as few gaps as possible. Then fill the glasses with a sugar solution: 500 grams of sugar per liter of water. You can add some lemon juice for a sour note.

Now close the jars carefully and pasteurize them in the preserving pot at 80 to 100 degrees Celsius, the jars should only be heated slowly. Depending on the consistency of the fruit, the process takes between 10 and 120 minutes. The water temperature in the pot must not rise above 100 degrees Celsius during this process. In this way, most of the nutrients are preserved, but microorganisms are killed. After preserving, leave the jars in the boiling water for a few minutes: the jars should only cool down slowly. Then remove the jars from the pot and cover them with a towel. If no germs got into the jar when preserving, the fruit can now be kept for about a year or more. Store it in a dry, cool, and dark place.

For example, you can use successfully boiled pears to prepare the French dessert Pear Helene by serving the pears with vanilla ice cream and cream or chocolate sauce.