Extension > Food > Food Safety > Preserving and preparing > Fruits > Canning whole berries
Canning whole berries
Quantity
An average of 12 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 8 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A 24 quart crate weighs 36 pounds and yields 18 to 24 quarts–an average of 1¾ pounds per quart.
Quality
Choose ripe, sweet berries with uniform color.
Procedure
- Wash 1 or 2 quarts of berries at a time. Drain, cap, and stem if necessary. For gooseberries, snip off heads and tails with scissors.
- Prepare and boil preferred syrup (see preparing and using syrups). Add ½ cup syrup, juice, or water to each clean jar.
Hot pack
For blueberries, currants, elderberries, gooseberries, and huckleberries. Heat berries in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain. Fill jars and cover with hot juice, leaving ½ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Recommended process
- Boiling-water bath
- Pints or quarts – 20 minutes
Raw pack
Fill jars with any of the raw berries, shaking down gently while filling. Cover with hot syrup, juice, or water, leaving ½ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Recommended process
- Boiling-water bath
- Pints – 20 minutes
- Quarts – 5 minutes
See also: pressure canner process times for fruit.
Revised by Deb Botzek-Linn, University of Minnesota Extension educator, 2010.
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