How to Can Fresh Pineapple without Making a Syrup
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Today we’re processing some fresh ripe pineapples I got during some great sales and I’m going to show you how I can them without making a sugar syrup and a mess and then process them in a water bath canner or steam canner. I LOATHE making syrups separately in a pot. Not only is it impossible to gauge how much to make, it’s more dishes and I always end up slopping it on something and creating a sticky mess. So here’s how I can pineapple with my lazy girl syrup method. Add all the ingredients to the jar and let the canning process make the syrup for you. In the end, you’ll have delicious jars of shelf stable pineapple along with the least amount of dishes possible. I call that a win! Plus, home canned pineapple has way more flavor than anything you’re going to find in a can at the grocery stores. Promise. Learning the art of home food preservation is an amazing skill to have not only to save money, but to eat like kings.
Be sure and save those pineapple cores and peels to make homemade pineapple juice or syrup, or my FAVORITE, fermented pineapple scrap soda (grab that recipe here!)
Equipment You Might Want:
- Canning jars
- Canning lids and screw bands
- Jar funnel
- Jar Lifter
- Water Bath Canning Pot
- Steam Canner
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe pineapple
- 1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
- 3 cups of water
Step 1: Prep
Start by rinsing your pineapple, slicing off outer skin, cutting out core, and cut fruit into shape and size pieces you like. Plan on 2 pint jars per pineapple you cut up; sometimes you’ll get 3.
Step 2: Fill Jars
Start by filling your tea kettle or a large sauce pan with water and place it over heat to boil while you fill jars.
Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse well.
Pack raw pineapple chunks into quart or pint jars, keeping below 1/2-inch headspace.
To each pint jar add 1/2 Tablespoon of sugar or honey. You can add more to your taste or omit it entirely!
Top off each jar with boiling water from your tea kettle to 1/2 inch of headspace, removing air bubbles and adding more water if needed to maintain headspace.
Step 3: Canning
Wipe rims and add a lid and secure with a screw band.
Process pint jars in a boiling water bath or steam canner for 15 minutes, or 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting time for elevation if needed.
After processing time is complete, remove jars to a heat proof surface lined with a towel to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
Step 4: Storing
After cooling, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight. Ideal storage temperature is around 55-75 degrees F.
Shelf life is til you eat them. If the seal is good, they are good. Aim to rotate goods out every 2 years for best quality, flavor, and nutritional value, but they’ll last longer if you need them to. Pineapple may begin to turn brown after about 2 years, but this doesn’t hurt anything nor change the flavor. It’s a natural process caused by enzymes in the food.
Notes:
I prefer to raw pack my pineapple as opposed to hot packing because I’d like to avoid an extra step. Heating does shrink the pineapple a bit to give your jars a fuller appearance, so if you’d rather do that, simply dump them in boiling water for a minute or two until heated through (which depends on how big your pineapple slices or pineapple chunks are) then pack the hot pineapple into jars using a slotted spoon and add the hot cooking liquid after along with the sugar.
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Equipment
- Canning jars
- Canning lids and screw bands
- jar lifter
Ingredients
- 1 ripe pineapple
- 1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
- 3 cups of water
Instructions
- Start by rinsing your pineapple, slicing off outer skin, cutting out core, and cut fruit into shape and size pieces you like. Â Plan on 2 pint jars per pineapple you cut up; sometimes you'll get 3.
- Start by filling your tea kettle or a large sauce pan with water and place it over heat to boil while you fill jars.
- Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse well.
- Pack raw pineapple chunks into quart or pint jars, keeping below 1/2-inch headspace.
- To each pint jar add 1/2 Tablespoon of sugar or honey. Â You can add more to your taste or omit it entirely! Â
- Top off each jar with boiling water from your tea kettle to 1/2 inch of headspace, removing air bubbles and adding more water if needed to maintain headspace.
- Wipe rims and add a lid and secure with a screw band.
- Process pint jars in a boiling water bath or steam canner for 15 minutes, or 20 minutes for quarts, adjusting time for elevation if needed.
- After processing time is complete, remove jars to a heat proof surface lined with a towel to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
- After cooling, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight. Â Ideal storage temperature is around 55-75 degrees F.
- Shelf life is til you eat them. Â If the seal is good, they are good. Â Aim to rotate goods out every 2 years for best quality, flavor, and nutritional value, but they'll last longer if you need them to. Â Pineapple may begin to turn brown after about 2 years, but this doesn't hurt anything nor change the flavor. Â It's a natural process caused by enzymes in the food.
Is raw packing without liquid? (Pineapple)
no, raw packing means you are adding cold, unheated pineapple to the jar as opposed to hot packing, where you would heat the pineapple in the syrup prior to packing into jars. Without liquid is known as “dry packing” :)