Cataloupe

[Shawna]

Hello all!

 

I was wondering if anyone had creative ways of preserving cantaloupe? I am going to freeze some, but freezer space is at a premium, so I was looking for a few other ways to preserve some cataloupe. I found a recipe for jam and one for jelly, so I may try that (althoug I am pretty jellied and jammed out LOL!). I did try a cantaloupe conserve either last year or the year before....it was interesting, that's all I'll say LOL!

 

Have a fantastic day everyone!!!!!!!

Shawna

[lunamother]

well, you did say no more freezer stuff, but I got the Blue Bunny Cantalope and Cream ice cream last week and am DEFINATELY going to add THAT flavor to the vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, peach, and apple pie goatsmilk frozen custard that I make now- it's totally delish

[Cat]

Found these:

 

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Cantaloupe or Honeydew Preserves Recipe #161906

 

Preserved melon with a hint of ginger. Probably one of the more unusual fruits to preserve, but delicious. Would make a special gift. 6 servings

 

46 minutes 40 mins prep

 

1 lb cantaloupe balls or honeydews, cubes (peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes, should be 2 1/2 - 3 cups)

ice water

1/2 cup Everclear alcohol or vodka

4 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 piece dried ginger (small piece)

 

Drop melon into boiling water. Let water return to a boil, then drain. Rinse with ice water, and let drain for 20 minutes. Spread the melon on a platter, sprinkle with alcohol and let stand for 15 minutes.

Make a syrup by mixing 2 cups of the sugar with the cup of water. Add the ginger to the syrup and cook mixture over low heat, gradually adding the rest of the sugar.

Add the melon to the syrup and continue cooking until melon becomes transparent. Remove the ginger.

When mixture has cooled, place in jars and seal.

 

http://www.recipezaar.com/161906

 

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Home Ec Project: Preserving Cantaloupe

This is probably one of the more unusual fruits to preserve in some way, but it is possible. Yes, even to making cantaloupe preserves. These recipes would certainly make unusual gift items. Please remember to complete the canning safety lesson prior to beginning any of the food preservation projects.

 

 

Cantaloupe Ice

 

2 c. cantaloupe puree

1 c. water

1/4 c. honey

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1/8 t. ground cinnamon

 

Place cantaloupe, water, honey, lime juice, and cinnamon in a blender and process until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into ice cube trays. Place in freezer for at least four hours. When ready to serve, pop cubes out of trays and place in a food processor. Process until smooth and serve immediately. Yield: three cups.

 

 

Cantaloupe Preserves

 

1 pound cantaloupe flesh

3/4 pound sugar

1 lemon

 

Cut cantaloupe into sections. Remove seeds. Remove rind. Cut firm portion of pulp into uniform pieces. Add sugar to melon in alternate layers of melon and sugar. Let stand 24 hours. Add juice of one lemon. Bring to boil and boil quickly until the fruit is clear and tender. Place fruit in shallow strays. If syrup is too thin, continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached. Pour hot syrup over fruit and allow to stand overnight so fruit will plump. Pack cold in sterilized jars. Seal and process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes.

 

 

Cantaloupe Pie

 

Mix two tablespoons flour with one cup sugar, then cream with 1/4 cup butter and two eggs. Stir in two cups cooked and mashed cantaloupe. Add a pinch of salt. Line pie pan with plain pastry and bake until half done in moderate oven. Cook sugar, butter, egg mixture until it begins to thicken. Add one teaspoon vanilla, then pour into half-baked shell and bake in moderate oven until golden brown.

 

 

Spicy Melon Pickles

 

13 c. cantaloupe, cut into 1" balls or cubes

3 c. vinegar

2 c. water

2 sticks cinnamon

2 t. whole cloves

1 t. whole allspice

1 t. ground nutmeg

4 1/2 c. sugar

 

Combine vinegar, water and spices in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer five minutes. Remove from heat; add melon; and let stand 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add sugar to sauce pot. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until cantaloupe becomes slightly transparent. Pack melon balls into hot jars, leaving quarter inch headspace. Pour hot syrup over lemon balls, leaving quarter inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield: about five 12 oz. jars.

 

 

Cantalope Pickles

 

4 medium cantalopes

2 qts. water

8 Tbsp. canning salt

5 cups boiling water

3 cups cider vinegar

8 cups sugar

5 sticks cinnamon

2 Tbsp. whole cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

 

Choose cantalopes that are not over-ripe. Cut in half, remove seeds. Peel and cut into 1 inch cubes. Mix cold water and salt together. Pour over cantalopes, let stand 3 hours. Drain. Combine boiling water with vinegar, sugar and spices and stir until dissolved. Add cantalope and boil 10 minutes. Cool. Cover and let stand 12 hours. Drain off syrup into another pan and boil syrup for 10 minutes. Add cantalope and simmer 40 minutes, or until cantalope is transparent. Pack cantalope and syrup into clean hot pint jars. Fill jars 1/2 inch of jar top. Wipe off rims and seal. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars and complete the seal. Makes 8 pints.

 

 

Cantaloupe Butter

 

6 pounds soft, ripe cantaloupe

1 1/2 cups sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Remove the seeds of the cantaloupe and scoop out the edible portion of the pulp. Dice the fruit coarsely and simmer, uncovered, in a preserving kettle until tender; or puree the pulp in a blender. Measure the pulp; there should be 4 cups. Return pulp to preserving kettle and add the sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg. Cook the mixture, uncovered over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is thick enough to spread, about 1-1/2 hours. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars and process. Makes four half-pints.

 

 

CANTALOUPE JAM

 

Cantaloupe (very ripe)

3/4 lb. sugar per lb. of cantaloupe

1/2 tsp. each ginger, mace and cinnamon per each pound of cantaloupe

 

Peel cantaloupe and remove the seeds. Weigh and chop very fine. Put sugar and cantaloupe into a kettle with a little water. Cook slowly until fruit can be mashed. Add remaining ingredients. Cook until thick.

 

 

CANTALOUPE JELLY

 

2 1/2 lb. peeled and diced cantaloupe

2 1/2 C. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 peel of tangerine or orange

 

Place cantaloupe covered with sugar in a covered bowl and put in refrigerator for 24 hours. Drain the cantaloupe, pouring off the sugar and liquid in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium flame and boil for 5 minutes. Add diced cantaloupe, vanilla extract and peel. Insert candy thermometer and simmer, stirring occasionally until the thermometer reaches jelly temperature. Pour into sterilized jars; process. Makes about 2 pints.

 

 

http://www.easyfunschool.com/article2222.html

 

(Adjusted to state "process" instead of seal with paraffin.)

 

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Cantaloupe Nut Bread

From Quick Cooking

 

"Slices of this unusual melon-flavored loaf are good plain, served with cantaloupe wedges or garnished with whipped cream for dessert," relates Lorie McGuire from St. Paul, Kansas. "While it looks like ordinary bread, its terrific taste sets it apart."

 

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashaed ripe cantaloupe, drained

1/2 cup chopped nuts

 

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cantaloupe until blended (mixture will appear curdled). Fold in nuts.

Transfer to a greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf.

 

http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/eRMS/recp.aspx?recid=15478

 

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Cantaloupe: Frozen pieces or melon balls, use fruit fresh or ascorbic acid to preserve quality. Dried cantaloupe is delicious! And chutney with cantaloupe is delicious.

 

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/960610d.cfm

 

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Spiced Cantaloupe Preserve

 

Cut the pulp of a large ripe cantaloupe into 1-inch dice, or halve the melon and scoop out the balls with a mellon-ball cutter. Put the melon in a heavy kettle with 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, a 3-inch piece of cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves, 1 1/2 tsp candied ginger, chopped, and either 1/4 lemon cut in paper thin slices or 1 tbls lemon juice.

 

Bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, lower the heat and simmer until melon is tender. Remove the melon with a slotted spoon and pack it into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Simmer the vinegar mixture 5 minutes more and pour it over the melon. Seal the jar and process pints or quarts 15 minutes.

 

One large melon makes about 2 quarts of raw balls, which will process down to half that amount.

 

I've tried it both ways, and it seems to work better with balls than diced. I've no idea why, other than maybe the melon is more consistent?

 

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/recip...7521213.html?23

 

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[Jewlzm]

I was told on a different forum that you can dehydrate watermelon and cantaloupe. It turns out alot like fruit leather. Im going to be trying that this year considering the abundance of cantaloupe in our garden.