Things You'll Need:
- Fruit
- Canning jars and lids
- Pan for cooking fruit or boiling water
- Water bath canner or boiling water canner with rack and lid
- Hot water
- Sugar, optional
- Clean towels or cloths
- Labels
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Step 1
Collect your produce at its peak of quality. Don't use fruit that's overly ripe. Wash the produce thoroughly and drain it.
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Step 2
Choose your method of packing the fruit. To do a "raw pack," you'll place your uncooked fruit in the jars and cover them with boiling water or syrup. To "hot pack," you'll cook the food partially first and then pack it into the jars and cover with the cooking liquid.
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Step 3
Set your canner and rack on an oven burner. Fill it halfway with water. Cover and heat over high heat. Heat an additional pot of water so that you can add boiling water to your canner later.
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Step 4
Discard any jars and lids with nicks or rough edges, which will prevent an airtight seal. Wash your jars in soapy water. Rinse them and keep them hot (letting them stand in boiling water is fine) while you prepare the fruit. This step prevents the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot liquid. Prepare your jar lids according the manufacturer's directions.
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Step 5
Plan to add sugar to the fruit for a sweeter final product. If using the raw pack method, add sugar to the boiling water before you pour it into the jars. For the hot pack method, cook your fruit in water and sugar. Use one cup of sugar for every four to six cups of water for light syrup. Increase the sugar amount for heavier syrup.
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Step 6
Prepare your food. If you're following the raw pack method, simmer water or your mix of water and sugar in a pan. If you're following the hot pack method, simmer your fruit in water or your mix of water and sugar. Times vary by fruit--for example, you'll simmer apples for five minutes but berries for only 30 seconds. (See Resources for times for each kind of fruit.)
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Step 7
Place the hot jars on cloth towels so that they won't slip while you fill them.
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Step 8
Pack the fruit into each jar, leaving one-half of an inch of space at the top of each jar. This space is necessary for the vacuum to form. Ladle or pour the simmering water or syrup into the jars, leaving one-half inch of space again at the top of each jar.
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Step 9
Wipe the jar rim with a clean cloth to remove any spillage--food on the rim will prevent a perfect seal. Add the lid and then screw on the band, following the manufacturer's directions.
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Step 10
Set each jar after you fill it into the canner and rack, making sure the jars don't touch. After you add the last jar, fill the canner with boiling water so that water reaches one inch above the jar tops. Cover and heat to a rolling boil. Then start the processing time.
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Step 11
Process the jars, leaving them in the canner for the appropriate amount of time for each fruit. Apples need to process for another 20 minutes, whereas berries need to process for 15 minutes. (See Resources for times for each kind of fruit.)
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Step 12
Turn off the heat. Remove the jars and place them on a towel to cool.
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Step 13
Test the lid for a proper seal. Most two-piece lids make a popping sound as they cool and seal. The lid should curve downward, but it shouldn't bounce up and down if you press on it. If a jar doesn't seal properly, refrigerate it and use the food within two to three days--you can reprocess it or freeze it.
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Step 14
Label your jars and store them in a dark, dry, cool place. Use within one year.
