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Would you like to know how to can fruit so you can use it all year long? Whether you have a harvest from your own trees and vines, or you've gotten a great deal on seasonal fruit at the market, canning provides a way to preserve fruit for later use. Read on to learn how to can fruit step by step.
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Step 1: What Fruits Can be Canned?
- Fruits that can be safely canned using the water bath method include:
- Apples
- Berries
- Cherries
- Figs
- Mangoes
- Citrus Fruit
- Pears
- Peaches
- Plums
- Nectarines
- Make sure to follow the USDA recommendations for amount of lemon juice (or other acid) and sugar that are required for each fruit. The sugar and acid are required for safe food preservation, and the amounts should not be altered unless alteration is specificly permitted by the USDA guidelines.
Step 2: Equipment Needed to Can Fruit
- Canning does require some special equipment, as well as other items that you may already have.
- Canning pot, with wire canning rack and lid
- Large saucepan or stockpot, big enough to hold the fruit
- Large saucepan or stockpot with boiling water you can use to top off the canning pot
- Canning tongs, wide tongs that can fit around pint or quart sized canning jars
- Tongs, to safely handle ht lids and seals
- Canning jars with bands and vacuum seal lids. Don't use ordinary jars; they may shatter while canning and may not seal correctly.
- Canning funnel, with a wide mouth that is used to fill the jars
- Several clean towels to place jars and lids on
- A thin rubber spatula or knife
Step 3: How to Can Fruit
- Review the USDA guidelines for canning fruit for specific instructions for the fruit you are going to can. The following is the general process for using a hot water bath method to can fruit.
- Check the jars and lids to make sure the jars have no nicks and cracks, and the lids will form a good seal.
- Sterilize the jars and lids and clean the bands.
- Fill the canning pot halfway with water.
- Place the rack in the canning pot, in the elevated position.
- Heat the water in the canning pot to a simmer.
- Prepare the fruit according to the USDA instructions, adding sugar and lemon juice as required.
- Place a sterilized jar on a towel.
- Place the canning funnel on top of the jar.
- Spoon the prepared fruit into the jar
- Slide a narrow rubber spatula between the fruit and the jar to release trapped air bubbles.
- Clean rim and threads of jar with a damp cloth.
- Place sterilized vacuum lid on jar, centering sealing compound and resting the lid securely on the jar rim.
- Screw the band on the jar.
- Repeat until each of your jars is filled.
- As each jar of fruit is filled, place it in the canning rack (which should still be in its elevated position in the canning pot).
- After all jars are filled and placed onto the rack, lower rack into canning pot, making sure each jar is covered by 1 to 2 inches a water. Add water from your reserve pot if necessary.
- Put lid on canner, and bring the water to a boil.
- Process for the amount of time the USDA recommends for the fruit you are processing.
- Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 24 hours, then test the seal.
- Refrigerate or reprocess any fruit without a good seal.
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