Canning Vegetables And Fruits - The Essentials You Need To Know Plus Delicious Recipes!
Canning has long been a big passion of mine. I love how canning is a rewarding and time-honored way to preserve harvests from the garden.
There is just something special about canning vegetables and fruits you have so tenderly cared for and grown with love and hard work. And even if you didn't grow the produce yourself, it still allows you to enjoy beautiful veggies and fruits throughout the year!
But here's the thing, canning vegetables and fruits can be very dangerous if done incorrectly, especially for vegetables.
Why? Veggies are low-acid foods that can carry deadly foodborne spores when improperly preserved.
Continue reading for all the tips on how to correctly can vegetables and fruits, along with some delicious recipe suggestions.
Index:
Water bath canning
Pressure canning
Pickling
Canning vegetable recipes
Canning fruit recipes
Tips for canning vegetables and fruits
Preparing the produce
Acidity
Preventing darkening
Sweetening options
Pectin, Clear gel, or Sure Jell
Canning methods
Canning involves processing food in glass ball canning jars at high temperatures. The heat destroys food contaminants and removes air from the jars and food. As the jar cools down, the lid sucks down onto the jar and forms a seal.
Because all the air is sucked out, which bacteria and organisms need to survive, it prevents recontamination and destroys microorganisms that could spoil the food. This allows for your canned foods to be stored for long periods.
There are two methods of canning - water bath canning and pressure canning.
Water bath canning
Water bath canning is used for high-acid foods with a ph of 4.6 or lower. This includes most fruit except bananas, pickles, melon, papaya, and watermelon. Tomatoes have pH levels of between 4.2 to 4.9, so tomatoes can also be canned this way by adding an acidic solution like vinegar.
A water bath canner reaches a temperature of 212°F which is enough to kill mold, yeast, and other spoilers in high-acid foods.
Water bath canning lets you can whole fruits or make delicious relish, pickles, sauces, jellies, jams, and sauerkraut.
This is my preferred canning method and is great for any beginner to dip their feet in the canning world.
Pressure canning
Pressure canning is used for low-acid foods with a pH of more than 4.6. Low-acid foods are typically meat and most vegetables, which must be pressure cooked at 240°F for long periods.
Pressure canning will destroy spoilage microorganisms and stop enzyme action in low-acid foods. If you do not pressure can these foods, you risk getting botulism which could be deadly.
The Clostridium botulinum bacterium is harmless until it is in a moist, low-acid, oxygen-free environment or in a vacuum sealed–environment. Jars on your pantry shelf at room temperature are a great place for them to grow and produce toxins dangerous to people and animals.
So it is crucial to pressure can vegetables!
Ball® Home Canning has a great guide on pressure canning
Next, I will talk all about canning vegetables and then canning fruit!
Canning Vegetables
Vegetables should always only be pressure canned. The only exception is tomatoes (with added acidity), as they are technically a fruit and have a borderline pH balance.
However, there are a few other ways you can "can" your veggies if you don't have a pressure canner - You can pickle them, make salsa, or delicious jam!
Pickling
Pickling is another preserving method where the food is marinated in brine to extend its shelf life and prevent spoilage. The acidic brine usually consists of either salty water, sugar water, lemon juice, or vinegar.
The end result is a salty, almost sour taste.
You can make refrigerator pickle recipes that should be consumed within a few days to weeks or water bath pickled recipes that can store much longer.
Always follow a tested and approved pickle recipe to know your mixture has enough acidity.
canning vegetables recipes
Veggies that can be pickled or used for salsas and jams by water bath canning (with approved, trusted recipes):
Asparagus - Pickled asparagus (water bath canning)
Beets - Beet & onion refrigerator pickles (pickling)
Cucumbers - Reduced salt dill pickles (water bath canning), refrigerator pickles (pickling)
Carrots - Carrot cake jam (water bath canning)
Cauliflower - Pickled cauliflowers (water bath canning)
Corn salsa/ relish - Corn relish (water bath canning)
Dilly beans - Pickled dilly beans (water bath canning)
Jalapenos - Candied jalapenos (water bath canning)
Onions - Sweet and sour onion relish (water bath canning)
Peppers - Fresh summer salsa (water bath canning), Pickled banana peppers (pickling)
Radishes - Refrigerator pickled radishes (pickling)
Red onions - Red onion and port jam (water bath canning)
Tomatoes - Chilli canning sauce, Basil-garlic tomato sauce (water bath canning)
Tomatillos - Roasted salsa verde (water bath canning)
Sauerkraut - recipe (pickling)
Canning fruit
I love canning fruit! You can make the most delicious recipes with pears, apples, plums, peaches, and various berries. From whole fruits, jams, jellies, and pie fillings to fruit butter! Canning fruit is perfect for beginner canners as it can be water-bath canned.
Most fruits are high-acid foods, which prevent bacterial growth, making them great candidates for water bath canning. So there's no need to worry about botulism! Also, spoilage-causing microorganisms are destroyed when adequately canned at high and long enough temperatures.
There are, however, a few exceptions, aren't there always ;-)
Fruits must have a pH below 4.6 to be safe for water bath canning.
These low-acid (or high pH) fruits are NOT SAFE for canning without added acidity:
Asian Pears (regular pears are fine)
Bananas
Cantaloupe (and other Melons)
Coconut
Elderberries
Ripe Mangos (Green mangos are fine)
Watermelon
White Peaches (regular peaches are fine)
Canning fruit recipes
Below are some of my favorite fruit canning recipes. There are countless more, so if you are looking for something different, look on Ball® Canning's website or another trusted site. ALWAYS use a tried, tested, and approved recipe!
Apples - Apple butter sauce, Apple pie filling
Apricots - Habanero apricot jelly
Blueberries - Blueberry jam
Cranberries - Cranberry Sauce, Apple cranberry pie filling
Figs - Fig jam
Grapefruit - Grapefruit pieces
Oranges - Honey orange slices, Orange flower and pistachio marmalade
Peaches - Low-sugar peach jam, Honey spiced peaches
Pears - Salted caramel pear butter
Pineapples - Sweer and sour pineapple jam
Plums - Plum no-sugar jam
Pomegranate - Pomegranate jelly
Raspberries - Raspberry chocolate jam
Strawberries - Sugar-free strawberry jam, Strawberry honey butter
Tips for Canning vegetables and fruits
Preparing the Produce
Always use fresh, firm vegetables and fruits at their peak maturity for the best flavor and results. You do not want to use dented, bruised, or overripe produce.
From the garden directly to the canner is preferable! When fruits and vegetables are picked, their naturally occurring pectins start to break down, and they slowly lose their optimal freshness.
Wash all produce thoroughly under running water to eliminate any trapped dirt, insects, or bacteria. Do not soak, as soaking can affect the flavor, firmness, and nutrients. Handle gently to avoid bruising.
Sort vegetables and fruit by size or maturity. This will help in filling the jars more efficiently and have consistent results.
Acidity
The correct acidity levels in food are crucial for the chosen canning method. This is why some recipes call for added acid, such as bottled lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid. This can be the case for specific fruit recipes, pickling recipes, and all tomato recipes.
The combination of acid and high temperatures will effectively kill microorganisms or bacteria when water bath canning.
So when a recipe calls for added acidity, it is absolutely not optional. DO NOT change or reduce the acid type (or amount) in a tested recipe.
Always use vinegar with 5% acidity.
Always use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon for a more consistent acidity.
Don't assume you can substitute any fruit in a recipe unless the tested recipe says you can. For example, although peaches and nectarines are similar, there are differences in the pH levels, skins, and other factors. So don't swap things out just because they may seem similar.
Preventing Darkening
Some peeled and cut fruits darken when exposed to air. Delay this process by putting the fruit into:
A commercial ascorbic acid mixture prepared according to package instructions.
A solution of 1 teaspoon or 3,000 milligrams of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and 1 gallon of water.
A solution of 1 teaspoon food-grade citric acid or ¾ cup lemon juice to 1-gallon water. Drain fruit before proceeding.
Sweetening Options
Sugar is added to recipes to create a desirable end product. It improves flavor, helps stabilize color, and retains the shape of the fruit. Sugar sometimes acts as a thickener in jellies and jams, binding free water.
Fruits can also be packed in hot water or juice; the processing is the same for unsweetened and sweetened fruit.
Any of the following may be used to provide sweetness:
Syrup - Sugar is mixed with water and heated until the sugar dissolves. Use proportions for the sweetness you desire. You can find measurements for canning syrups here, ranging from very light to very heavy syrup.
Juice - Depending on the type of fruit, unsweetened apple, pineapple, or white grape juice can be great options.
Sugar mixed directly with fruit - Add ¼ to ½ cup sugar to each quart of prepared fruit. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Pack fruit while it's hot in the hot juice that cooks out.
Other sweeteners - light brown sugar, light corn syrup, and mild-flavored honey can replace half of the sugar n recipe calls for. Don't use strong-flavored syrups, as their flavors can overpower the fruit and make it darker.
Artificial sweeteners - Non-caloric sweeteners such as Splenda or stevia can replace sugar. Liquid stevia works better for purity of taste, ease of use, and quality results.
Pectin, Clear Gel, or Sure Jell?
It is common to need clarification on these three products as they sound almost identical.
Pectin helps to gel fruit - it is mainly used to make jam and jelly.
Clear gel - mostly used for thickening pie fillings.
Sure Jell - This is only a brand name for pectin, so used for jam and jelly. Do not think Sure Jell is the same as Clear Gel due to the name.
When it comes to canning fruit that will be stored for long periods, do not substitute these products with each other. You risk making the recipe unsafe and undesirable.
Once you start canning vegetables and fruits, I know you will love it just as much as I do! It is so fun to grab something from the pantry that is currently out of season, allowing you to make your favorite recipes all year round.
The most important thing is to always follow the exact recipe ingredients and steps!
Want to learn more? I think you'll like these blogs too:
How to can food in 10 easy steps
Your canning fears, problems, and concerns addressed with easy solutions
Love, Annette xx
canning course
Want to learn all there is to know about how to can food safely and become a canning expert?
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covering everything there is to know about canning.
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*The best practices and tips for perfect canning.
*Five of my favorite delicious canning recipes that are great for beginners.
*An e-book with over 30 pages of information and recipes to guide you through the course.
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