Help with fresh apricots and sour cherries

18 years ago

I am tryin to figure out what to do with the 2 walmart sacks full of apricots. They are really small, the size about of wild plums but taste oh so good. Some of the skins have some marks and I was wondering if I would have to peel all these apricots. I am talking hundreds of little apricots. I am planning on making most of them into puree for the baby coming in November. I have always made baby food for all my kids and start in the summer when I can get fresh produce. I wouls also like to try and make a jam. I am thinking a mix of apricots, raspberries and blackberries but don't know if that sounds good or not.

I also have 13 quarts of cherries in the freezer and just froze them as is to do something with later. I think I am oin going to make some cherry puree for the baby when he gets old enough, and freeze in ice cube trays.

Couple questions??

1. Do I have to take the skins off the apricots, these are the size of wild plums and would take forever. I don't mind the fuzzy feeling of canned or frozen apricots?

2. How do I cook them, should I put them in my giant roater in the oven with enough water so that they don't dry out

3. Do I need to use citric acid to the apricots to prevent drying.

4. is drying the apricots a good option, I have a dehydrator that I can use and can borrow the neighbors.

5. With the cherries how should I cook down the cherries to puree for baby food.

I am excited, this is the first time in years that I have gotten to pick cherries and just found the apricot tree. I still have more to pick. Next will be summer apples and peaches. Of course I have all the canning and dehydrating epuipment so any help would be great.

Stacie

girlsingardens

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Comments (2)

centralcacyclist
18 years ago
I canned and froze lots of 'cots last summer. All the recipes I read said not to peel 'cots. I'd just nick the spots off with a knife and cook away. If you do remove the skins, blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water and plunge them into cold water with some ice cues. The skins should slide off, at least they do with peaches. I haven't blanched 'cots.

I didn't make apricot butter but I did lots of peach and nectarine butters. I didn't peel either. I just removed the stones and ran the fruit through the food processor, added the juice of several lemons, sugar to taste, and cooked it down in a crock pot with a splatter screen over it so it would evaporate. I used the splatter screen to keep any flies or other things from getting into the puree during the long cooking time. When it was cooked down to "butter" I transferred it to another pot and brought it to a bubble on the stove top. Then I ladled it into sterile canning jars and did the boiling water bath.

I have never done anything but freeze cherries and you need to remove the pits to do that. I'd wash, pit, and freeze the whole cherries (place them on cookie sheets to freeze and then bag them so you don't have one solid frozen chunk of cherries) and pull them out as you want some, thaw and then puree. But that's me. Otherwise, it sounds like jam! Yum, as well.
girlsingardens
Original Author
18 years ago
The cherries in the freezer are already pitted. I sat down in front of the tv last night and just pitted away. I think I am going to just pit the apricots and dip them in some vitamen C tablet disolved in water and then just freeze. I may take some and roast in the oven until tender and go ahead and puree and freeze in ice cube trays.

Funny story, Rhiannon as I have mentioned will eat any and all veggies and fruits she started when she was less than a year old and she didn't even have teeth yet. She takes her little bucket out and picks spinach and green beans and eats them just like that. Also loves rhubarb and any and all fruits. Peyton who just turned 3 finally will eat carrots, celery and apples and that is about it, she has been exposed to the same things and just won't eat veggies and fruits. For breakfast, Hayden had a bowl of quarted fresh apricots. I was picking cherries from a smaller cherry tree and some branches where down to the ground, and all of a sudden I turned around and saw that Hayden was picking and eating cherries out of the tree. He also loves squash and beans, and all other fruits. It is funny that all 3 were exposed to the same things but Peyton is so picky and Hayden was eating fresh fruit at 9 months. I know that it helped that I make all my own baby food. Some of the apricots will be made into puree for the new baby and I plan on defrosting some cherries to make into puree too. I freeze in ice cube trays and then transfer to large ziplock bags and it is so easy. Not to mention so much more healthy than commercial baby food. when they are old enough I use one of my 4 baby food grinders and grind up what ever we are having for supper.

Well should get to pitting the apricots. I may go and get some more this afternoon. The gentleman said to take as many as I want. I also have some green beans to turn into baby food, I made a huge batch for Hayden's birthday and have plenty of left overs, I picked yesterday and will need to pick again tomorrow.

Stacie
girlsingardens
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Help with fresh apricots and sour cherries

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centralcacyclist

girlsingardens
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Help with fresh apricots and sour cherries

Comments (2)

centralcacyclist

girlsingardensOriginal Author

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girlsingardens
Original Author