Canning fruits…the easiest and possibly most rewarding way to begin learning how to home can. Since fruit is an acid food, you will be water bath canning. Water bath canning is the best way to get started in home canning your own foods.
This page is a listing of different methods for canning fruit.
If you are interested in making jams, jellies, and other sweet spreads, go to my Jam or Jelly Page.
Need a water bath canner? Click here to read about my favorite canner to invest in.
Some articles and resources for Canning Fruit
The use of Clear Jel is something I highly recommend for Pie Filling.
People often mix up clear jel, pectin, and gelatin. This video explains the differences and how to use each.
Canning with Splenda is something I get a lot of questions about. Click here to learn more.
Apples, peaches, apricots, cherries, pears. Mmmmm, what do these all have in common?
Tasty? Yes.
Fruity? Yes.
Grow on trees? Yes.
Seasonal? Unfortunately, yes.
That fresh-picked taste lasts as long as the season. Unless you are lucky enough to have a strawberry patch or a peach or apple tree in your yard to harvest from, you will most likely need to get fresh fruit at a locally owned orchard, fruit stand, or farmers market.
I do not recommend getting fruit for canning from a mega market. Who knows when it was picked or who has handled it? Often, much of it has been waxed to get that shiny appearance. The quality of fresh produce is superior in EVERY way.
Now don’t get me wrong…
If the mega market is all you have, then by all means, go there. Wash your produce and you’ll be fine. But most places will have farmers markets and fruit stands, even in the city. Ask around, and I’ll bet you’ll find some.
2 Expert Fruit Tips
- I purchased apricots from a farm stand, and usually when you purchase from a farm stand or orchard, your fruit comes in large boxes. The box will be full. And if you leave it full, the layers will smash the fruit that’s on the bottom. So once you get home, immediately take off the top layer of fruit and put it on the lid of the box. Keep it a layer or two deep. Any deeper, and you risk smashing the fruit.
- Second, when you’re done canning fruit, don’t throw away the boxes! They’re perfect for storing full canning jars. If you’re like me and can so much that it won’t all fit in your pantry, these boxes work well! I think 8 jars fit inside my boxes. They even come with lids. You can stack the boxes. It’s convenient. Those fruit boxes are valuable; I’d even pay for them!
Page last updated: 3/20/2023