All About Home Canning*, Freezing and Making Jams and Jellies

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Save money, eat healthier, with no additives or chemicals... and with much better taste! This page provides the links to our illustrated  recipes and canning* directions - so easy ANYONE can do it, along with a multitude of other recipes, guides and canning instructions from the USDA and many universities. The red highlighted entries are new for Summer 2008! Those of you who still speak the "Queen's English" will probably be more familiar with terms "bottling" or "tinning" rather than canning! But it means the same! Look for the recipes, pages and directions that are new for 2009 with NEW! next to them!

Recipes and directions

bullet General know how and fruit/vegetable picking tips
bullet Why you should use a canner and how to choose one.
bullet Summary of approved home food preserving methods
bullet Canning methods that are considered to be unsafe: steam, microwave, dishwasher, oven, or just sealing the jars without further processing?
bulletIf you are new to home canning - see these do's, don'ts and tips
bulletFrequently asked questions about canning
bulletFrequently asked questions about freezing
bullet Jams and jellies
bullet Canning - anything that can be safely canned at home!
bullet Juices: Canning fruit and vegetable juices
bullet Freezing directions
bullet Pie fillings
bullet Sauces, Salsas, Syrups, Fruit Butters and Chutneys
bullet Soups - canning vegetable and meat soups at home (see this page for tomato soup)
bullet Preserving Venison
bullet Pickling - more than just cucumbers
bullet Drying / food dehydrating
bullet Ice cream, gelato and sorbets
bullet Other recipes - roasted peppers, basil pesto, pies, cakes and much more
bullet Using honey in place of sugar
bullet Equipment and supplies
bullet USDA Food Grades - Ever wonder what was "Grade A"? And why you don't see grade B? How to select different foods, including fresh, frozen and canned? Wonder no more with this one-page guide!
bulletFood safety - what is botulism?
bulletNEW! Table of the pH and/or acidity of common fruits, vegetables, grains, breads and common food products
bulletNEW! This page provide basic facts regarding food poisoning and pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins related to home food preservation (canning, bottling, drying, jams, salsas, pickling, sauces, etc.). Look up any pathogen (botulism, salmonella, Staph, etc.) and find out what it does and how to prevent it.

 

bulletNEW! Label Templates! Click here for labels your can download, edit and customize in Microsoft Word and print on standard Avery label paper for your own jars!

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General Canning know-how

bullet Glossary of Home Preserving (Canning, Freezing, Jam & Jelly-Making, Pickling and Drying) Terms
bulletHow much do I need to pick? Yields and conversion tables
bulletGeneral Canning tips
bullet Why do I need a canner?
bulletAre there commercial kitchens or community canning facilities I can use?
bulletHow can I test or examine my jars to see if they sealed properly or have spoiled?
bulletFAQs - Canning questions and answers: Answers to common questions and problems
bulletAcid content of common fruits and vegetables
bullet Canners and canning supplies: descriptions, photos, prices and ordering information
bullet Pressure canning: how it is different from water bath canning and how to use one!
bullet Hot Pack or Raw Pack?  Which is Best in Home Canning?
bullet How do I fix a jam or jelly that turned out too runny?
bulletAll about pectin - what it is, how it works, types, etc.
bullet Canning without sugar
bulletQuestions and answers to many questions about home canning, freezing and making other preserves!
bullet Can I Sell My Home-Canned Jams and Other Preserves?

Picking tips

bulletPicking tips for fruits
bulletPicking tips for vegetables
bulletChoosing the right varieties

Blake's Easy and Illustrated Canning, Preserves and Jam Directions

Jams, Preserves and jellies:

You can use a Water Bath Canner OR a Pressure Canner for all of these recipes:

bulletBerry jams (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, loganberry, mixed berry, etc.)
bulletApple jelly
bulletApricot, peach, plum or nectarine jam.
bullet Blackberry jam
bulletBlueberry jam
bullet Blueberry jelly
bullet Cherry jam and cherry preserves
bulletFig jam
bullet Fig-strawberry jam
bulletGrape jelly from fresh grapes
bullet Grape jelly from grape juice (canned, bottled or frozen)
bulletNEW! Jelly - from bottled or frozen fruit juices
bulletMulberry jam
bullet Muscadine or scuppernong jelly
bulletOrange marmalade
bulletPeach jam
bulletPear jam and pear jelly
bulletPepper Jelly, hot or sweet, including chilies, jalapeno, and pimiento
bulletPlum Jam
bullet Pomegranate jelly
bullet Raspberry jam
bullet Strawberry jam
bullet Tomato Preserves
bullet Watermelon jelly
bulletOther jam recipes and jelly recipes.
bulletWhat happens if my jam or jelly doesn't gel? Remaking cooked runny jam or jelly instructions can be found on this page
bulletFoam in Home Jam Making - What It Is and What To Do About It!

Fruit Honeys

bulletPeach honey
bulletPear honey

Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbets with your own fruit

bulletElectric and Manual ice cream makers that require ice and salt:
bullet How to make ice cream with your own fruit! (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, peach, etc.)
bullet How to make Gelato
bullet How to make sugar free, fat free ice cream (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, peach, etc.)
bullet How to make sugar free, fat free coffee ice cream
bullet How to make sweet corn ice cream
bulletComing in April: How to make frozen yogurt
bulletComing in April: How to make sorbet
bulletElectric ice cream makers that have a bowl that must be frozen in your freezer:
bullet How to make ice cream with your own fruit! (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, peach, etc.)
bullet How to make Gelato
bullet How to make sugar free, fat free ice cream (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, peach, etc.)
bullet How to make sweet corn ice cream
bulletComing in April: How to make frozen yogurt
bulletComing in April: How to make sorbet
bulletIce cream makers and manuals
bulletLost your manual?  We have most manuals here free to download!
bulletLooking for an ice cream maker?  See reviews and information to select one and great prices, too

Sauces, Salsas, Syrups, Butters and Chutneys

You can use a Water Bath Canner OR a Pressure Canner for these (except for spaghetti sauce with meat!):

bulletHow to make applesauce - W, P
bulletHow to make applesauce for a meal (not canning it) with NO special equipment
bulletHow to make apple butter - W, P
bullet How to make homemade, home-canned barbecue sauce - W, P
bulletNEW! How to make Blueberry butter - W,P
bulletHow to make blueberry syrup (it works for strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, too) - W, P
bulletHow to make cranberry sauce - Perfect for thanksgiving and Christmas - bright, colorful, loaded with vitamin C and incredibly easy to make! - W, P
bullet How to make jellied cranberry sauce - W, P Now, make your own, no nasty store canned glop!
bulletHow to make cran-applesauce - GREAT for the holidays - bright, colorful, not too sweet, not too tart and loaded with vitamin C! Kids love it! - W, P
bullet Horseradish sauce - refrigerator storage only photos coming shortly!
bulletNEW! Hot Sauce (like Tabasco Sauce)
bulletHow to make GREAT mango chutney! - W, P
bulletHow to make mango salsa - W, P
bulletMint Sauce - for lamb! - W, P
bulletHow to make peach butter - W, P
bulletHow to make peach chutney - W, P
bulletHow to make Peach salsa - W, P
bulletNEW! How to make fresh and SAFE homemade peanut butter (to eat fresh or store in the fridge or freezer)
bulletHow to make pear butter - W, P
bullet How to make Raspberry Chipotle Sauce - W, P
bulletHow to make tomato salsa - W, P
bullet How to make tomato sauce - W, P
bullet How to make tomato paste - W, P
bullet How to make spaghetti sauce - without meat - W, P
bullet How to make spaghetti sauce - with meat  - P

Canning miscellaneous fruits and vegetables

Some of these require a pressure canner to prevent potential spoilage and food poisoning, due to the low acid content of the food.  For others, you can use a Water Bath Canner OR a Pressure Canner.  I've noted what's required for each, below, following each entry, with
W for water bath,
P for Pressure canner, and
W, P for either may be used!

bullet Canning apples
bulletNEW! Canning asparagus - P
bulletNEW! Canning fresh shelled beans
bulletHow to can beets - P
bulletHow to make home canned carrots - P
bullet How to can blueberries (and raspberries, blackberries, currants, dewberries, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, tayberries, loganberries and mulberries.) - W, P
bulletHow to can cherries - W, P
bulletHow to can corn (hot pack method) - P
bullet How to can corn (raw pack method) - P
bulletHow to can figs - make your own figs floating in a jar of light syrup or fruit juice! - W, P
bulletCandied figs - a tasty but high-sugar Southern treat
bulletHow to make canned greens, like Spinach, Turnip Greens, Collards, Kale, Swiss Chard
bulletHow to can green beans, yellow beans, snap beans, broad beans, etc - P
bulletHow to make canned dried beans and peas (from kidney beans, peas, lima beans, broadbeans, chickpeas,pole beans, etc.) - P
bullet How to Make Homemade Canned Baked  Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
bullet Elderberries - jams, jellies, syrups and more. (from Utah State)
bulletHow to make ketchup.. or if you prefer... How to make catsup - W, P
bullet SUPER-EASY homemade ketchup recipe
bulletHow to can mangoes - W, P
bulletHow to can oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines, clementines and other citrus - W, P
bulletHow to make canned pears!  In sugar solution, water, fruit juice or Splenda! - W, P
bulletHow to make your own home canned peaches, plums, cherries or nectarines (in a light sugar, regular sugar, natural fruit juice or no calorie sweetener solution)  - W, P
bulletHow to make canned spiced peaches - W, P
bulletHow to can peas (English peas, crowder peas, blackeye peas and purple hull peas) - P
bulletBoiled Peanuts! Now Southerners who move to other parts of the country can make their own home-canned boiled peanuts to eat later or give away as gifts
bulletHow to can peppers - P
bullet How to can Hot peppers in oil - W, P
bulletHow to make fresh basil Pesto (only fresh and frozen - this can't be home-canned)
bulletHow to can potatoes - P
bullet How to home-can pumpkin (in a cooked, cubed form) and why you shouldn't home-can the pureed forms. Note: Pumpkin is difficult to can safely - it is a low acid food, so that rules out open water bath canning immediately. Pressure canners can be used, but according to the health authorities (like the National Center for Home Food Preservation) only if the pumpkin is cubed, rather than mashed. I usually just freeze the cooked pumpkin! - P
bulletHow to make pumpkin pie from a whole, fresh pumpkin - the easy way! for fresh or frozen use
bulletMore pumpkin recipes (roasting seeds, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, etc.) - fresh or frozen use
bulletHow to can your own soups and chowders at home - P
bullet How to can sweet potatoes
bulletHow to can tomato soup or tomato-basil soup - W, P
bulletHow to can tomatoes using a water bath canner - W, P
bullet How to can tomatoes using a pressure canner - P
bullet Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W, P
bulletHow to can Yams

Juices: canning fruit and vegetable juices

bulletApple juice - make and bottle your own apple juice!
bulletApple cider - coming soon!
bulletHow to make your own grape juice, scuppernong, juice, muscadine juice, or juice from berries, like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc. - W, P
bulletHow to make home-canned lemon, orange or other citrus juices
bulletNEW! Tomato juice

Pie Fillings

bulletApple pie filling - with or WITHOUT any added sugar! - W, P
bullet Blueberry pie filling - W, P
bulletCherry pie filling
bulletPeach pie filling - W, P
bulletNEW! Strawberry pie filling - W, P

Pickling Recipes - Including Peppers, Okra, Beans and more

You can use a Water Bath Canner OR a Pressure Canner for these:

bullet Pickled asparagus  - W, P  
bulletPickled beets - W, P
bullet Bread and butter cucumber pickles - W, P
bullet Bread-And-Butter Zucchini pickles - W, P
bullet Pickled green beans - W, P
bulletPickled Dill beans - W, P
bullet Pickled cabbage - W, P 
bullet Pickled carrots - W, P
bullet Southern Chow-Chow (also called Piccalilli) - W, P 
bullet Pickled corn relish - W, P
bulletPickled garlic - W, P -  (photos coming!)
bullet Cucumber pickles (kosher dill, bread & butter,  or processed etc.) using mixes  - W, P
bullet Dill pickles, from scratch - W, P
bullet Old-fashioned fermented general store barrel dill pickles - W, P - (more photos coming)
bullet Cucumber pickle relish!  - W, P - This is the classic hamburger relish!
bullet No-canning-needed refrigerator cucumber pickles (kosher dill) - W, P
bulletHow to Make Pickled Eggs (to store in the fridge!)
bullet Mixed  vegetable pickles (cauliflower, pepper, onion, celery, cucumber mix) - W, P
bulletPickled dilled okra! - W, P
bullet Pickled peaches (also nectarines, apricots, etc.) - W,P
bullet Pickled peppers - W, P
bullet How to make sauerkraut - homemade and naturally fermented! - W, P
bulletPickled watermelon rind - W, P

FAQs: Click here for the page of frequently asked questions (with answers) about pickling and making pickles.

Freezing instructions

bulletHow to freeze apples
bullet How to freeze berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, tayberries, loganberries, strawberries, saskatoons, cranberries, marionberries, boysenberries, etc.)
bulletHow to freeze basil
bulletHow to freeze beets
bulletHow to freeze broccoli
bullet How to freeze Brussels Sprouts
bulletHow to freeze green beans (and other beans) from your garden, farm, or store.
bulletNEW! How to freeze cantaloupes, honeydew, watermelons and other melons
bulletHow to freeze carrots from your garden
bulletHow to freeze celery
bulletHow to freeze corn (niblets style) from ears from your local farm
bullet How to freeze whole cob corn (corn on the cob) from ears from your local farm
bulletHow to freeze eggplants
bulletHow to freeze kale, collards and other greens - photos coming soon
bulletNEW! How to Freeze Lima Beans, Broad beans, Butter Beans and/or Pinto Beans
bulletHow to freeze mangos
bulletHow to freeze okra
bulletNEW! How to freeze orange, lemon, grapefruit or other citrus juices
bulletHow to freeze peaches, plums, nectarines, figs and cherries
bulletHow to freeze peas (snap, English, snow and mangetout)
bulletHow to freeze peppers
bulletHow to freeze potatoes
bulletHow to freeze pumpkin to use later in pumpkin pies and other pumpkin recipes!
bullet How to freeze summer squash - zucchini, yellow squash, crookneck, scallop, pattypan, etc.)
bullet How to freeze sweet potato
bullet How to make Grilled Summer Squash with Feta - which you can freeze for the winter, or serve fresh!
bulletHow to freeze tomatoes from you garden or the farm; for that fresh taste this winter!
bulletHow to freeze turnips and parsnips
bullet How to freeze winter squashes (like Acorn, Banana, Buttercup, Butternut, Golden Delicious, Hubbard, Spaghetti Squash, etc)
bulletProducts: Vacuum Foodsealers for freezing, dried foods, and refrigerated foods - the FoodSaver line

Other Recipes

for fresh or frozen use

bulletHow to make your own roasted peppers!
bulletHow to make fresh basil Pesto
bulletWorld's best apple pie!
bullet Easy Rhubarb-Strawberry pie
bullet Christmas Recipes!
bullet Halloween recipes!
bulletBlake's Ambrosia - a GREAT tasting dessert, which is ALSO healthy!
bullet Apple Bread (also known as "Ellijay Apple Bread")
bullet Apple crunch - best of all! Moist, low sugar and using oats!
bullet Apple crisp - ever-popular, low sugar and using oats!
bullet Apple, blackberry, cherry, and/or peach cobbler
bullet Apple-blackberry, crumble - a English favorite (or favourite)
bullet Blueberry pie, recipe and directions and illustrated!
bullet Blueberry buckle coffee cake: illustrated directions for this great crumb-topping blueberry coffee cake
bullet Other easy directions to make blueberry desserts: cobblers, etc.
bullet Peach Cobbler directions - easy and great tasting!

Did I miss a recipe?

bulletAnd write me, if you want directions for something I've missed.

Easy Dehydrating Instructions

See the photos and links at right for a good and inexpensive food drier.

bullet Food drying basics and principles
bullet How to dry your own herbs
bullet How to make dried apple slices
bullet How to make Sun-Dried Tomatoes
bullet Food Dehydrators - models, specs and pricing information
bullet Fruit Leathers
bullet Fruits (Colorado State University) pdf
bullet Fruits and Vegetables (University of Georgia) pdf
bullet Jerky
bullet Leathers and Jerkies (Colorado State University) pdf
bullet Mango Leather
bullet Packaging and Storing Dry Foods
bullet Peanuts
bullet Popcorn
bullet Pumpkin Seeds
bullet Sun Drying
bullet Sunflower Seeds
bullet Vegetable Leathers
bullet Vegetables (Colorado State University) pdf
bullet Vine Drying

 

 
 

Canning, Freezing and Drying Equipment and Supplies

bulletBooks on canning, freezing, drying, preserving and jam making
bulletCanners, both water bath and pressure canners. Canners for glass top stovers?
bulletStrainers, pit removers, seed-skin-stem removers, jelly strainers, etc.
bullet Vacuum Foodsealers for freezing, dried foods, and refrigerated foods - the FoodSaver line
bulletCanning Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.

Trivia

bulletA Brief History of the Home Canning Jar: From Mason to Kerr to Ball and More

Other Detailed Canning, Freezing and Drying Guides and Recipes

bulletComprehensive Canning Guides and Recipes - look here for recipes that you don't see above!
bulletFAQs - Answers to common questions and problems
bulletFree government and university publications about canning to download and print
 

Canning, Freezing and Drying Equipment and Supplies

bulletBooks on canning, freezing, drying, preserving and jam making
bulletCanners, both water bath and pressure canners. Canners for glass top stovers?
bulletStrainers, pit removers, seed-skin-stem removers, jelly strainers, etc.
bulletVacuum Foodsealers for freezing, dried foods, and refrigerated foods - the FoodSaver line
bulletCanning Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.

Trivia

bulletA Brief History of the Home Canning Jar: From Mason to Kerr to Ball and More

Other Detailed Canning, Freezing and Drying Guides and Recipes

bulletComprehensive Canning Guides and Recipes - look here for recipes that you don't see above!
bulletFAQs - Answers to common questions and problems
bulletFree government and university publications about canning to download and print

Home Canning Kits

This is the same type of  standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
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Lids, Rings, Jars, mixes, pectin, etc.

Need lids, rings and replacement jars?  Or pectin to make jam, spaghetti sauce or salsa mix or pickle mixes?  Get them all here, and usually at lower prices than your local store!

Get them all here at the best prices on the internet!

This page was updated on 23-Apr-2009