Canned Grapefruit

It doesn’t typically get very cold where we live, but last week we had a storm that brought snow and freezing temperatures. My friend has citrus trees that were laden with beautiful fruit. The day before the storm we stripped the trees of their bounty before it all would be ruined. We picked over 100 grapefruit alone! Which lead us to think… what do we do now? We can only drink so much Grapefruit juice! I have always LOVED eating Grapefruit since childhood, so we started canning the golden segments to eat at any time of year.

*This is a simple recipe and does not go into depth on required steps needed for canning safety. I will eventually create a “basics to canning” post to help beginners. In the meantime please do some research to ensure you understand water bath canning and that you have the appropriate tools and knowledge to process food safely.

Be sure to have your jars sanitizing and staying hot. I run them in my dishwasher on a sanitizing rinse as I am preparing the ingredients for canning. Then I remove them as I use them so they stay hot.

Begin by rinsing all grapefruit. Then remove membranes, white pith and seeds. Leaving just the flesh of the fruit. Set aside in a large bowl.

Next, prepare an extra light syrup by mixing 1 1/4 cups of sugar to 5 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. (This will make about 6 cups of syrup, you may need more or less depending on how much fruit you have, but it is handy to have extra in the fridge for recipes or to sweeten drinks). Stir to dissolve sugar. Once syrup is ready, leave on Medium heat and keep hot until use. I prefer an extra light syrup so it won’t overpower the grapefruit with sweetness. I am not a fan of overly “syrupy-sugary sweet” canned fruits, I prefer the natural taste and sugar to shine through.

Place segments into clean/sterile/hot jars. Leave at least 1″ of headspace as they do tend to float to the top during the canning process. Using a canning funnel slowly ladle hot syrup over the fruit in to the jars. (Be smart and use pot holders to protect your hands from burns.) Still leave about 1″ of headspace. Be sure to remove any air bubbles that may be present. Then take a clean damp towel, wipe the edge of the jar mouth so that the lids have a clean surface to adhere to. This will help prevent “false seals”. Immediately place a lid evenly onto jar. Screw on rings “finger tightness”, and place into boiling hot water bath canner.

Once the canner is at capacity (mine only fits 4 Quarts at a time), cover with lid and maintain a boil for 15 minutes.

Carefully remove each jar using jar tongs and place on a towel lined countertop where they will not be disturbed for 24 hours.

The next day you must test your seals. Remove the rings, and try to pry off the lid with your fingers. If it does not budge, you have a tight seal and it can be safely stored. If the lid budges or opens, it must be placed in the fridge and used within a week as it is not safe to keep at room temperature.

These jars of grapefruit are so beautiful on the shelf and will be a refreshing treat at anytime no matter the season. I plan on using them in desserts, fruit salad, cocktails, atop of yogurt, as well as eating them straight from the jar! Enjoy!