Quantity A bushel of nectarines or peaches weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts. A bushel of apricots weighs 50 pounds and yields 20 to 25 quarts. An average of 1.25 pounds makes 1 pint of frozen product. Quality Choose ripe, mature fruit of a quality suitable for eating fresh. Canned hot packs are better than raw packs.
Nectarines make poor-quality preserved products.
Wash nectarines and if skins were not removed wash apricots. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits, and slice if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in water with vitamin C made by mixing 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid crystals, or six 500-milligram vitamin C tablets, in 1 gallon of water. Freezing procedure Don't freeze more than 2 pounds of food per cubic foot of freezer capacity per day.