Canning frozen blueberries

Could you tell me if you can can frozen blueberries. I have a lot of frozen blueberries, that I would like to can because my freezer just went out and I need to do something with them before they go bad, if I can, please tell me how.

Sharon Burnaman
Deville, Louisiana

Yes, you can. Do expect them to be a little soft. But they’ll still be okay for baking and cooking but they won’t be firm in pies. They will taste fine, though! Just can them up as if they were fresh, as they are thawed by now. If you need more juice, just mix up a batch of medium syrup (sugar/water) and add to them while heating to can. — Jackie

Stacking jars in the canner

I want to can meat in a pressure canner using half-pint jars. Can I stack the jars for a second layer of half-pints? I’ve heard of canning outside in a 50 gallon barrel using lathes to layer between row after row of quart jars.

Mike Sullivan
Clayton, Illinois

Yes, you can stack jars in a canner. I do it all the time. Just be sure to use a rack of some sort to separate the layers. I use a dollar store small grill wire and have also used assorted “found” racks. You want the steam and heat to effectively and easily circulate around the jars.

Two questions about the 55-gallon canning kettle. How do you keep the pieces of lath from floating in all that boiling water and how do you lift the jars OUT of all that boiling water when they’re done? Grandma used to can fruit in her old copper boiler. That’s how I got to learn first about canning. But there was only about 20 inches of boiling water and she used a rack she’d found to hold them off the bottom of the wash boiler. In that much water, she could easily use a jar lifter to get ’em out. — Jackie

4 COMMENTS

  1. Can I can blueberries without blanching? I plan to pack blue berries tightly into pint jars, put lids and rings loosely and water bath

  2. I will be recieving 20 frozen gallons of blueberries tomorrow for FREE! So i’m going to do some jams, some ketchup and a WHOLE LOTTA quarts for ice cream, pies, muffins and eating straight outta the jars. My boys LOVE to drink the juice off the canned blueberries I’ve made before. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

  3. As an experiment last year, a friend and I followed the instructions on page 457 of the BHM, the Best of the First Two Years, to preserve our blueberries by salting. It looked very promising. However, this spring, we threw away over two gallons due to spoilage, fermenting, and the saltiest blueberries you’ve ever eaten. The jars were tight, in a dark place, and with a constant temperature. But, as stated, we tried and it didn’t work.

  4. You might try blueberry pie filling too, that is wonderful. I think the recipe is in Jackie’s canning book.

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