Two Pineapple Canning Recipes

Pineapple is in season. Obviously I don't have a local source, for pineapple, but I have to pick some up at the grocery store while it is in season. I was looking through the index of one of my canning recipe books trying to decide which pineapple jam recipe I wanted to use this year. For some reason, the word "raspberries" jumped out at me. Suddenly those two sounded like a great combination to me. Since I couldn't find a recipe that had them both, before you knew it I was experimenting again.


It set well, so my experiment was a success in that area. As for taste, it was ok, but it really didn't turn out quite the way I expected. I think I might try it again with more pineapple, and less raspberry.

Pineapple-Raspberry Jam
Yield is about 6 half pint jars.

2 cups finely chopped pineapple
2 cups crushed raspberries
1 package powdered Pectin
5 cups sugar

Combine pineapple, berries and pectin. Bring to boil over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary. Fill hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Add lids and process 10 minutes in a water bath.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes



I also decided to make some pineapple pickles this year. The recipe is based on a recipe from the Ball Blue Book. Their recipe infuses the brine with flavor by boiling the seasonings in the brine for a while, then discarding the seasonings before canning. I happen to like the method of putting the seasonings in the jar and letting the flavor gradually infuse while the pickles sit on the shelf. I also had some ginger root on hand and decided to throw that in too.

Pickled Pineapple
Yield is 4 Pint Jars

2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
4 cinnamon sticks (about 2 inches long)
12 allspice berries
12 cloves
4 slices ginger root
2 pineapples (cut into spears)

Combine brown sugar, vinegar, and water. Heat to simmering. Place one stick cinnamon, 3 allspice berries, 3 cloves, one slice ginger root in each jar. Pack pineapple into jars, and add brine leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add lids and process 10 minutes in a water bath.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes
Read more...

Chocolate Raspberry Sauce

This decadent combination of flavors is great on ice cream, waffles, cheesecake, etc. The sauce also makes a wonderful gift.

This recipe is slightly modified from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. The yield is about 8 half-pint jars



1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5 cups crushed raspberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
7 cups sugar

Combine the first 4 ingredients. Bring to boil over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary. Fill hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Add lids and process 10 minutes in a water bath.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes
Read more...

Strawberry and Black Raspberry Jam Recipe

In Iowa, wild black raspberries (not the same thing as black berries) are quite abundant. You can even pick them for free along side hiking trails. I figure that with such an abundant supply, there is no excuse for me not to include raspberries in my canning.


Since strawberries and black raspberries are the most plentiful berries at my house, I decided some time ago that I wanted a jam recipe that used both of these. At that time, I didn't find a recipe I liked so I halved the ingredients in a recipe for strawberry jam and also halved ingredients for a recipe for black raspberry jam, and then combined them. This initially created a recipe that called for 3 cups crushed strawberries, and 2 cups crushed black raspberries.


I have since decided that it doesn't really matter what ratio I use. As long as I have a total of 5 cups crushed berries, the jam sets ok. Therefore, I am choosing not to specify the quantity of each berry in today's recipe.

I believe that the recipe would probably turn out equally well with red raspberries.


Strawberry and Black Raspberry Jam (Yields about 8 half-pint jars)

Enough strawberries, and black raspberries to make a total of 5 cups crushed berries
1 package powdered pectin
7 cups sugar


Combine berries and pectin. Bring to boil over high heat. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary. Fill hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Add lids and process 10 minutes in a water bath.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes

Read more...