Lea County Extension Office

Seasonal Food Preservation



Spring has sprung!  Fruits trees are blooming and will soon be baring fruit.  Many of us have begun planning our gardens and the fruits of our labors will soon be popping out of the soil.  But most of these foods will not be ready for a month or maybe two. 

As we walk through the grocery stores there are many items that can be preserved at home using canning, drying or freezing methods.  Some of these items can be found in the produce department.  Look for produce in season for the best flavors, as well as sale items. 

Spring Fruits.  Fruits can be canned in juice or syrups, sliced and dried, or they can be cooked down and made into jams, jellies, or preserves.  Some fruits can be prepared and frozen.  However, not all fruits will freeze well, as the cells of the fruit will begin to break down and produce a low quality product.

Here are some fruits that are in season right now and some suggestions on how they can be preserved:

Fruit	Canning Method	Drying	Freezing	Jam/Jelly/Preserves
Apricots	Water Bath in syrup or juice	Must be treated with ascorbic acid Dry whole or sliced	Emaciate with juice or sugar	Jam or Preserves
Mango	Green Mangos ONLY!  Water Bath in syrup	Dry in slices	Combine with syrup and freeze, slice into strips, or puree.	Added with other fruits to make a jam or preserve
Pineapple	Cut into slices or chunks.  Water Bath in juice, water or syrup	Dry in slices	Pack tightly into containers.	Added with other fruits to make a jam or preserve
Rhubarb	Hot pack in juice with Water Bath	Not recommended	Added with other fruits to make a jam or preserve	Added with other fruits to make a jam or preserve
Strawberries	Water Bath in syrup or juice	Dry whole or sliced	Emaciate with juice or sugar	Jam or Preserves

 

For specific food preservation procedures for fruits please see the following Food Preservation Publications:

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service:  https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/#preservation

National Center for Home Food Preservation:  https://nchfp.uga.edu/index.html

Spring Vegetables.  Many seasonal vegetables are also available at the grocery store.  Choose items that may not grow well here in Lea County, to preserve.  These items can be preserved using canning, freezing or drying methods as well. 

Vegetable	Canning Method	Drying	Freezing
Avocado	Not recommended	Not recommended	Puree, Freeze in small portions
Artichoke	Not recommended	Cut into slices, Blanche with Lemon juice then dry	Blanche, Drain, Freeze
Asparagus	Spears or Pieces Hot or Raw Pack in Pressure Canner	Cut into Slices, then dry	Blanch, Freeze in spears or pieces
Carrots	Sliced or Diced Hot or Raw Pack in a Pressure Canner	Peel and slice, then dry	Remove tops and peels, slice Blanch, Freeze
Mustard Greens	Hot or Raw Pack in a Pressure Canner	Wash and trim, then dry	Remove woody stems,   Blanch, Freeze

For specific food preservation procedures for vegetables please see the following Food Preservation Publications:

New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service:  https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/#preservation

National Center for Home Food Preservation:  https://nchfp.uga.edu/index.html

As you choose these foods, remember these tips:

·       Choose fruits and vegetables that are free of bruises and fresh.  Anything else will not preserve well and thus give you a low quality product.

·       Some foods will not stay fresh long, so it is best to preserve the food you have purchased within 24 hours of purchase.  This will insure the best product and quality level.  To purchase the freshest produce, shop on the day produce is received and put out. 

·       Read through the instructions on how to preserve the food item.  Make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment before you start the procedure. 

·       Make sure you label all the preserved food.  Use permanent marker to label all containers with What the food is and When you preserved it.