Submitted by: Sarah Davis, MS, and Stacy Reed, MS, Penn State Extension Food, Families, and Community Educators
Tropical fruit isn’t widely grown in the United States, which can make it expensive. Buying in bulk and preserving these fruits is a great way to enjoy them all year. It is easy to preserve bananas, pineapples, mangos, avocados, coconuts, guavas, tamarind, and papayas at home. A tasty ready-to-eat salad is easy to make by combining tropical fruits with local vegetables.
Wash ingredients under cold, running water. When drying, use a dehydrator set at 140°F (60°C). When canning, use a boiling water bath canner, and the processing times are for elevations below 1,000 feet. When freezing, leave appropriate headspace based on the size and type of container. Use ½ inch headspace for wide top pint containers or narrow top quarts, or ¾ inch for narrow top pints, or 1 inch for wide top quarts.
Bananas dry well. Avoid using bruised, overripe bananas. Peel and slice 1/4 to 3/8 inches thick as “coins” or “sticks.” Dry 8-10 hours. Before drying, dip slices in honey, fruit juice, or an ascorbic acid solution to preserve color. Enjoy as a snack or puree for a fruit leather.
Mashed bananas can be frozen. Peel ripe bananas, add ½ teaspoon (1500 mg) ascorbic acid per cup, and mash well. Use a freezer-safe container.
Pineapples should be washed and peeled, then sliced lengthwise, and the core removed. Cut crosswise into ½-inch slices. Dry 24-36 hours. Enjoy as a snack or blended into a puree for a fruit leather.
Slices or cubes may be canned in a boiling water bath by hot packing in fruit juice, a sugar syrup, or water. Simmer for 10 minutes in a saucepan with the desired liquid. Fill jars with hot pieces and liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Process pints for 15 minutes or quarts for 20 minutes.
Mangos can be preserved by drying, freezing, or canning. Mangos may cause skin irritation to some people because they are members of the same family as poison ivy. Wear plastic gloves and avoid touching your face, lips, or eyes. Wash your hands and all surfaces after handling.
Make a fruit leather by blending four large underripe peeled mangos, 1 cup of honey, ½ tsp of ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp of nutmeg, and ¼ tsp of cloves. Pour the puree ¼-inch thick onto fruit leather trays. Dry 10 hours.
Dry ¼-inch thick slices for 10-12 hours until they are pliable. Or freeze slices in a syrup pack, as unsweetened tray pack slices, or as a puree. Mango may be canned as a chutney, salsa, or slices in syrup.
Avocados are not suitable for drying or making fruit leather, but do freeze well. Select a fruit that is free of blemishes. To maintain color, add ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid to each quart of puree, or add 1 tablespoon lemon juice for every two avocados. Pack puree into a freezer container, leaving headspace appropriate to the shape of the container.
Coconut meat dries well. Shredded meat also freezes well. Pack shredded coconut dry, or cover it with coconut liquid before freezing. Freeze in a wide top pint container, leaving headspace for either pack.
Guava does not dry well, but can be blended with other fruits and dried as a fruit leather. It can be frozen. Select ripe, tender fruit. Wash, peel, and cut the fruit in half. Freeze unsweetened in water, unsweetened juice, or pectin syrup, or in a 30% syrup. Freeze in a wide top pint container, leaving headspace for either pack.
Papaya can be dried, frozen, or canned. Select firm, ripe fruit. Peel and remove seeds. Can papaya in a medium or heavy syrup. A ½ cup of lemon juice should be added to each quart of syrup. Cut fruit into cubes and cook in syrup for 2 to 3 minutes. Hot pack the fruit and juice into jars leaving ¼-inch headspace. Process pints for 15 minutes or quarts 20 minutes.
Looking for a recipe to use fresh tropical fruit? Try this Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado and Tomato Recipe. Note: this recipe is not for canning.
Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado and Tomato Recipe
Combining tropical fruits with locally-grown vegetables yields a delicious and nutritious salad to eat fresh.
Recipe adapted from “Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado and Tomato” from Well Plated
Ingredients
5 ears of fresh corn, husked
1½ tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups packed arugula
1 medium avocado, diced
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Dressing
¼ cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Directions
1.Rub the corn with olive oil and season with pepper.
2.Grill the corn at 400°F for 7 minutes until lightly browned, turning every few minutes. Remove from the grill and let cool.
3.Cut kernels from the cob and place in a large mixing bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, arugula, avocado, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro.
4.Whisk lime juice, olive oil, honey, paprika, black pepper, and onion powder.
5.Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Sarah Davis is a Penn State Extension educator based in Adams County. Stacy Reed is a Penn State Extension educator based in Lancaster County.
Refer to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, or Oregon State University Extension Service websites for detailed recipes and supporting information.
