[gracielagata]

So I have a bunch of pears I want to slice and water bath can. I found a recipe for that, but I only have enough for 1 or 2 quarts worth, and all that heating of water seems like a waste for so little...

So my question-

I want to can some fresh blueberries, since I have 3 or so gallon bags worth... BUT----
They are currently frozen... what would be the procedure for them? I see a recipe that says to blanch the fresh berries in cheesecloth... I imagine that isn't done for from-frozen berries?

A related question- I would put the blueberries in pint jars, but the pears in quart, if they fit... I can water bath both at the same time, right? Just grabbing out the pints when their time is up?

Thanks so much! I am really enjoying this ability to can and put away all this food.

 

[Danaus29]

I just did this a few weeks ago, but pressure canned because that's the unit I had out and ready. You have to let the frozen berries thaw first. I filled the jars and set the lids on them and left them set on the counter for about 24 hrs (because it took that long for them to thaw). Then I made a medium syrup and filled the jars and processed. I haven't eaten any yet but they look really pretty in the jars. I canned mine because I needed the freezer space.

Just checked the times. That's an awful long time to leave the blueberries in if you processed the whole batch for the same time. Do you have any apricots or cherries you could process?

If you take anything out of the pot, your overall water level will drop and you might not have enough water to cover the quart jars. I wouldn't try doing a split time like that.

 

[gracielagata]

Thanks Danaus! Yeah, we want the freezer space back as well. Plus we had a several day power outage over the summer, and I just started canning.. so logic dictates, do as much to prevent losing of food, right?!
Thanks for reminding me that they need to get thawed... I knew they did, but planned to can them tonight, so I better get on it!

Did you cook/heat the berries at all? You say you let them sit on the counter, so I wanted to check.
...Huh, I wonder if it is easier and less wasteful of electricity to process them in my pressure canner instead? Heating up and holding all that water at a boil.. the PC only needs to be at 4-5...

 

[Bountiful Ranch]

Why do you want to can them? I have 100 plus blueberry bushes so I have tons frozen and tons canned. I prefer frozen but have them canned too which I use for over ice cream and such. Just curious. I make all my jams from frozen berries in the winter too.

 

[Bountiful Ranch]

Sorry, I see you want the freezer space. That makes sense.

 

[Danaus29]

No, I didn't heat the berries. I just let them set on the counter to thaw because I had to know how many I needed to fill the jars. I was doing grapes at the same time. You could thaw them in the microwave. They will leave a juice residue in the container but as long as you divide it up for each jar you will be okay.

 

[Mrs_Lewis]

My mother and grandmothers would make blueberry preserves.
Blueberries, a lot of sugar, some water and pectin. Boiled, strained and canned.
My mother sometimes had trouble getting the sweetness levels right and hers would turn out better when mixed with raspberries.
My paternal grandmother's jams and other preserves are always spot on.
My maternal grandmother's jars are bitter at best, more often inedible.
As far as I know they all use the same basic recipe. Go figure

 

[gracielagata]

Sorry, I see you want the freezer space. That makes sense.

Yep. We prefer from frozen as well, but need the space and the non-worry of an outage.

No, I didn't heat the berries. I just let them set on the counter to thaw because I had to know how many I needed to fill the jars. I was doing grapes at the same time. You could thaw them in the microwave. They will leave a juice residue in the container but as long as you divide it up for each jar you will be okay.

I was thinking to help them along in the microwave if needed. They are on the counter right now.

My mother and grandmothers would make blueberry preserves.
Blueberries, a lot of sugar, some water and pectin. Boiled, strained and canned.
My mother sometimes had trouble getting the sweetness levels right and hers would turn out better when mixed with raspberries.
My paternal grandmother's jams and other preserves are always spot on.
My maternal grandmother's jars are bitter at best, more often inedible.
As far as I know they all use the same basic recipe. Go figure

Preserves are yummy... but I don't think I can handle something that sweet too much. They would end up not getting eaten because of that... jarred not sweetened fruit, that can go in oatmeal, on pancakes, etc.

 

[semimoonman]

We do a lot of "nothing but blues"--blueberries with no sugar and just a touch of fresh lemon juice, often from frozen berries. We heat them gently on the stove until they are hot enough to go in the canner without trouble. Some berries break down, some don't.
We mainly use it in smoothies, as sauce, or in pie. The pie texture is definitely softer than a pie made with frozen berries, but the addition of an apple or two never hurt anything...

 

[gracielagata]

Sounds about the same as what I did semimoonman.
I got 8 or so pints processed...

One question- I had one pint jar that when i took it out of the canner, it had been too full and overflowed. I am sure that was the last one I tried to cram too much into.
o I popped the lid off, not really thinking about the fact that now it would get all over.
I didn't get burned, got the mess cleaned up and put the lid back after it quit leaking.

It has been on the counter all night cooling with the rest- but the seal is acting like nothing happened!! It looks just like any normal good seal seal. That makes me worry that I have messed up everything I did since I first learned to can a few weeks back!!

Any thoughts anyone?

 

[suitcase_sally]

If you only have a jar or two (or three), do what I do. Use a stove top percolator. As long as you have enough room for the water to circulate and be 1-2" above the jar, you're good to go! I used the basket top as a rack.

 

[suitcase_sally]

OOPS! Double post.

 

[gracielagata]

If you only have a jar or two (or three), do what I do. Use a stove top percolator. As long as you have enough room for the water to circulate and be 1-2" above the jar, you're good to go! I used the baset top as a rack.

Huh, that is cool Too bad mine plugs in... Ah, but my parents have one, I think! I will ask if it can live at my house rent free.
I am a dope too, now that you point that out... I could very easily use the steel steamer rack inside a smaller sized pot to process smaller amounts! I also read someone said they mega-cheated and used SS silverware strategically laid out on a pot bottom as the jar rack...
it will all come to me, hopefully!

 

[kasilofhome]

Or zip tie canning rings to make a trivet. Very fixable. As to size and shape needed to get jars off of the bottom of a pot.

 

[gracielagata]

Or zip tie canning rings to make a trivet. Very fixable. As to size and shape needed to get jars off of the bottom of a pot.

That is a perfect idea as well! And might fit better depending on the amount of jars and pots and such.