Canning blackberries, blueberries, currants, dewberries, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, loganberries, mulberries, raspberries…
Using fresh fruit is the most desirable when canning blueberries and other berries. However, frozen berries will can nicely too. (See details below.) You’ll need about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of berries per a quart jar.
Berries are an acid food and can be safely water bath canned.
This Page Includes
Canning Blueberries: Extended, Step-By-Step Directions
Gather Your Canning Supplies:
- water bath canner
- canning jars
- canning seals and rings
- jar lifter and canning funnel
- bowls
- large spoons
- towels and dish cloths
- large pot or blancher
Ingredients:
- berries
- sugar for syrup
Syrup for Packing
Make syrup of your choice to pour over your berries.
I prefer extra light syrup. The sugar is to taste so you can try one syrup, making note of it, so you can decide to change depending on your preference.
- extra light – 1 cup sugar to 4 1/2 cups water
- light – 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water
- medium – 3 cups sugar to 4 cups water
- heavy – 4 cups sugar to 4 cups water
Wash berries and stem if necessary.
Next are directions for hot or raw pack. Use the raw pack version if you have a softer variety of berries.
I’d like the hot pack for canning blueberries or other firmer berries. It draws out the natural juices for the syrup and does not add as much water.
Either works fine in the end.
Canning Berries: Raw Pack
A raw pack is good for softer berries like raspberries or blackberries.
Fill jar 1/4 full with syrup or water, and then fill your jars with the berries and cover with your hot syrup, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. Place the lids and rings and place in the canner for processing.
When jars are filled, remove air bubbles and clean rim of jar. Place your lids and process.
Pack and process according to water bath canning instructions.
Pints are processed for 15 minutes or quarts for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude according to the chart below. To understand why adjustments are important, read my altitude adjustments page here.
Canning Berries: Hot Pack
This method is great for canning blueberries or other fruit that will hold up to the heating.
Barely cover your berries with water or syrup and bring to a boil. Drain, reserving the juice for later.
Fill your jars with berries and cover with the juice from boiling, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. If you need more liquid, top off your jars with hot syrup of your choice or boiling water.
When jars are filled, remove air bubbles and clean rim of jar. Place your lids and process.
Pack and process according to water bath canning instructions.
Process pints and quarts for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude according to the chart below. (Pints and quarts are processed the same.) To understand why adjustments are important, read my altitude adjustments page here.
Pinnable Recipe Card
Canning Berries
Ingredients
- Berries
- Sugar for syrup
Instructions
- Start by preparing jars and getting water in the canner heating. You want the canner hot, but not boiling, when the jars are ready to be processed.See full water bath canning instructions here. Make a light or medium syrup if desired.
For a Raw Pack
- Fill jar 1/4 full with syrup (or water or juice if no sugar is desired).
- Fill half of the jar with berries, gently tapping to settle.
- Fill remaining space with berries leaving 1/2” headspace.
- Cover berries with hot syrup, leaving 1/2” headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean and place on your seal and ring. Place the jar in the canner. Proceed to fill all jars. Process according to the chart below.
For a Hot Pack
- Barely cover berries with water or syrup and bring to a boil.
- Drain, reserving the resulting juice.
- Fill jar with berries and cover with juice from boiling, leaving 1/2” headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean and place on your seal and ring. Place the jar in the canner. Proceed to fill all jars. Process according to the chart below.
Processing
Adapted from: The National Center for Home Food Preservation
Last Updated: 3/31/2021
Canning Berries: Tips & FAQs
Canning Frozen Berries
Fresh fruit is the most desirable for canning, but firmer frozen berries like blueberries will can nicely too. If there is any sugar on the frozen berries, you’ll need to rinse them while still frozen, and then defrost before you can them. A soft berry like a raspberry can be frozen and then canned safely, but I think the texture might deteriorate.
What About Strawberries?
Did you notice that strawberries are not on the list? Strawberries do not hold up to canning. They get mushy and lose flavor. Thus, they are not included here. Strawberries were not tested with this
method. Do not use these directions for strawberries.
But you could make something like strawberry jam or strawberry-rhubarb jam instead!
Canning Berries Without Sugar? Canning Berries in Water?
You could use just water if you don’t want to add any sweetness, but it will affect the quality of the fruit, so I recommend some sugar.
If you want, you could use a honey syrup instead of sugar in your syrup. See honey to water ratios on this page.
While I don’t prefer it, for special cases you might even consider canning with Splenda.
Related Pages
Freezing Raspberries
Freezing raspberries is probably the best way to preserve red raspberries, since they don’t hold up to canning as well as other fruit.
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Jam or Jelly Recipes
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Adapted from: The National Center for Home Food Preservation
Page Last Updated: 7/6/2021
This was so easy to follow. Thank you!
I never thought of canning fruit. How do you use it?
Can you use 1/2 pint jars? If so does that affect the processing time? I wanted to store some for snacking and using in yogurt.
Cynthia, yes you can use 1/2 pint jars. You would process the same as pint jars.