Home Canning Recipes

1. Spiced Pear Jam

3 lbs ripe pears
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
7-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Check 8 half-pint canning jars with 2 piece lids for any nicks or cracks. Wash in hot soapy water; rinse in hot water; leave
jars in water until ready to use. Cover lids and bands with hot water in a large saucepan. Fill water bath container 2/3 full with
water. Start heating over medium heat.

2. Wash, quarter, core, and pare pears. Chop coarsely; measure; you should have 4 cups; if not add water. Combine pears with
lemon juice in a kettle or Dutch oven.

3. Open pouch of pectin; stand up in a cup or bowl. Drain jars and lids on paper towels.

4. Stir sugar and nutmeg into pears. Bring to a full rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down). Boil hard for 1 minute,
stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pectin. Skim off foam. Ladle into jars, filling to within 1/8" from tops of jars.

5. Wipe rims and threads with damp paper towels. Cover jars with lids; screw bands on tightly. Place jars on rack in water bath
canner. Water level should be 1" to 2" over tops of jars; cover canner. Bring to boiling; boil for 5 minutes. Remove jars from
canner; cool. Check vacuum seal, pressing lid centers to test. All lids should have clicked down. Label and date; store in a cool dry place.

2. Strawberry Jelly 3 qts fully ripe strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
7-1/2 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid fruit pectin

1. Check 7 half-pint canning jars with 2-piece lids for any nicks or cracks. Wash in hot soapy water; rinse in hot water. Put
jars in a kettle; add hot water to cover. Bring to boiling; boil for 10 minutes; leave jars in water until ready to cook jelly. Cover
lids and bands with hot water in a large saucepan. Bring just to simmering; remove pan from heat.

2. Wash, sort, and hull strawberries. Crush berries in a large saucepan until juice flows freely. Pour crushed berries into a
collander lined with a jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth. Allow juice to drip. You can squeeze jelly bag, but the
juice will not be as clear.

3. Measure juice; you will need 3-3/4 cups. Combine juice with lemon juice and sugar in a kettle or Dutch oven.

4. Open pouches of pectin; stand up in a cup or bowl. Drain jars and lids on paper towels.

5. Bring strawberry juice mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil (one that
cannot be stirred down); boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle jelly into hot
jars, filling to within 1/8" from tops.

6. Wipe rims and threads with damp paper towels. Cover jars with lids, then screw bands on tightly. Turn each jar upside-down
for 15 seconds to destroy any possible mold spores on lids. Cool upright. Check vacuum seal, pressing lid centers to test. All lids
should have clicked down. Label and date; store in a cool dry place.

7. Makes 7 half-pints.

3. Blueberry Jam

3 pints blueberries
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 pouches liquid fruit pectin
7 cups sugar

1. Check 8 half-pint canning jars with 2-piece lids for any nicks or cracks. Wash in hot soapy water; rinse in hot water; leave
jars in water until ready to use. Cover lids and bands with hot water in a large saucepan. Fill water bath canner 2/3 full with water.
Start heating over medium heat.

2. Wash berries; pick over to remove stems and unripe berries. Crush berries, one layer at a time, in a large bowl. Measure; you
should have about 4-1/2 cups; if not, add water. Combine berries and lemon juice in a kettle or Dutch oven.

3. Open pouches of pectin; stand up in a cup or bowl. Drain jars and lids on paper towels.

4. Stir sugar into berries. Bring to a full rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down). Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pectin. Skim off foam. Ladle jam into jars, filling to within 1/8" from tops.

5. Wipe rims and threads with damp paper towels. Cover jars with lids; screw on bands tightly. Place jars on rack in water
bath canner. Water should be 1" to 2" over tops of jars; cover canner. Bring to boiling; boil 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner;
cool. Check vacuum seal, pressing centers of lids to test. All lids should have clicked down. Label and date; store in a cool dry place.

6. Makes 8 half-pints.

4. Uncooked Strawberry Jam

2 qts fully-ripe strawberries
8 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid fruit pectin
1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Check 8 half-pint canning jars with 2-piece lids for any cracks or nicks. Wash jars in hot soapy water; rinse in hot water.
Put jars in a kettle; add hot water to cover. Bring to boiling; boil for 10 minutes; leave jars in hot water until ready to use.
Cover lids and bands with hot water in a large saucepan. Bring just to simmering; remove pan from heat.

2. Wash, sort, and hull berries. Crush berries one layer at a time in a large bowl. Measure; you should have 3-1/2 cups of crushed
fruit. Stir in sugar; let stand for 10 minutes. 3. Open pouches of pectin; empty into a small bowl. Drain jars and lids on paper towels.

4. Stir lemon juice into pectin; stir mixture into berries. Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until sugar has dissolved (there
may be a few grains left).

5. Ladle jam into jars, filling to within 1" from tops to allow for expansion in freezing. Wipe rims and threads with damp
paper towels. Cover jars with lids; screw bands on tightly.

6. Let stand at room temperature until jam thickens, usually about 24 hours. Label and date; store in refrigerator for up to 3
months or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

7. Makes 8 half-pints.

5. Uncooked Peach Jam

2-1/2 lbs fully-ripe peaches
1 tsp ascorbic acid crystals
6-1/2 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid fruit pectin
1/3 cup lemon juice

1. Check 7 half-pint canning jars with 2-piece lids for any nicks or cracks. Wash in hot soapy water; rinse in hot water. Put
jars in a kettle; add hot water to cover. Bring to boiling; boil for 10 minutes; leave jars in water until ready to use. Cover lids
and bands with hot water in a large saucepan. Bring to simmering; remove from heat.

2. Drop peaches, a few at a time, into boiling water for 10 seconds; remove; drop into cold water. Peel, halve, and pit. Chop
finely or put through food grinder using coarsest blade. Measure; you should have 3 cups prepared fruit. Combine with ascorbic acid
crystals (to keep fruit from darkening) in a large bowl.

3. Stir in sugar; let stand for 10 minutes. Open pouches of pectin; empty into a small bowl. Drain jars and lids on paper towels.

4. Stir lemon juice into pectin; stir mixture into peaches. Keep stirring 3-4 minutes, until sugar has dissolved (there may be a
few grains left).

5. Ladle jam into jars, filling to within 1" from tops to allow for expansion in freezing. Wipe rims and threads with damp
paper towels. Cover jars with lids; screw bands on tightly.

6. Let stand at room temperature until jam thickens, usually about 24 hours. Label and date; store in refrigerator for up to 3
months, or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

6. Apple Butter

1 cup sweet cider
8 cups apples, peeled, cored, & coarsely chopped
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
1 whole clove
1 whole allspice

    Place cider and apples in large saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes,
or until apples are soft. When apples are cooked, put them through a sieve.
    Combine sugar with strained apples and blend well. Put in casserole or baking pan. Place cinnamon, clove,
and allspice in a small mesh bag and hide in center of apple mixture. Cover pan and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, stirring
frequently, until desired thickness is reached. Remove spice bag, and spoon applesauce into clean, prepared jars.

Makes 7 half-pints.

7. Savory Home-made Applesauce

4 lbs (12 medium) tart green or red cooking apples
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1 cup raisins

    In covered heavy Dutch oven, cook apples, sugar, and water over low heat for 40 minutes, or until apples
are very tender; cool slightly. Force through food mill or coarse sieve into bowl; discard skins and cores. Add more sugar if
desired; stir in raisins. Spoon into hot, clean gift jars; seal and cool. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Or, spoon while hot into
hot 1-pint jars and process in boiling-water bath for 20 minutes. Makes 3 pints.
    Some food gifts will keep for up to 6 months if you first process them in boiling water. Pack food in jar,
leaving 1/2" space. Remove the air bubbles, screw lids on tight and process in a boiling water bath for the length of time given in
the recipe. Cool jars, a few inches apart, on rack or folded towel. Store in a cool dry place.
    Add 1 tsp curry powder or ground ginger or 1/2 tsp ground sage or 1 tbsp grated orange peel to apples before cooking.
Substitute honey for sugar. Substitute apple, cranberry, or orange juice for water.
    In microwave oven cook 1/2 of the apples, sugar, and water in 3-qt casserole on high for 10-12 minutes, stirring
once, or until apples are very tender. Repeat for remainder of apples. Proceed for rest of recipe.