The Art of Canning: Safe Tips for Fruit Preserves
Post sponsored by Welcome to PDX Real Estate Agent, Deb
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Post sponsored by Welcome to PDX Real Estate Agent, Deb 〰️
At Portland Fruit Tree Project, we’re all about making the most of local harvests and sharing the joy of preserving fresh fruit with our community. If you’ve ever wanted to capture the vibrant flavors of summer in a jar, fruit preserves are the way to go! But when it comes to canning, safety is key. Here’s a guide to safely preserving your fruit without taking shortcuts or relying on social media tips that might lead to unsafe methods.
Why Safety in Canning Matters
Canning is more than just sealing a jar. When done right, it locks in nutrients and keeps your fruit fresh for up to a year or more. However, unsafe canning practices can lead to foodborne illnesses, including botulism, a rare but serious illness. For that reason, it’s essential to follow tried-and-true methods from reliable sources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation, university extension services, recipes from the exact type of pectin or gel you are using, or USDA guidelines.
There are SO MANY untested and unsafe recipes floating around, please be safe!
1. Follow the Correct Jar Sterilization Process
Before you start, sterilize your jars. Proper sterilization kills bacteria and molds that can spoil your preserves. While not all canning recipes require sterilized jars (especially those with longer processing times), it’s always a good idea to start with clean, hot jars.
Here’s how:
Wash jars in hot, soapy water, rinse, and place them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Alternatively, you can run them through the dishwasher on a hot cycle if you’ll be filling them immediately.
Pro tip: Hold them in the oven at 150 or so until you and ready to fill them- never add hot preserves to cold jars!
2. Stick to the Right Processing Method
For fruit preserves, water bath canning is the preferred method. This process involves submerging your filled jars in boiling water for a specified amount of time to create a vacuum seal.
Important: Never try to can preserves in the oven, slow cooker, or by inverting jars; these methods aren’t safe and don’t kill harmful bacteria.
3. Watch Your Headspace
Leaving the correct amount of space (known as “headspace”) at the top of your jar is crucial for a strong seal. The recipe will tell you how much to leave, usually around 1/4 inch for jams and jellies. This space allows for proper expansion during processing and prevents air from being trapped inside.
Pro Tip: us a popsicle stick or a chopstick marked with the headspace line to measure.
4. Store and Check Your Seals
After your jars have cooled for 12-24 hours (per the recipe), check the seals by pressing the center of each lid. A properly sealed lid should not pop back when pressed. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place, and label them with the date. If a seal is broken or there are signs of spoilage (like bubbles, strange smells, or mold), discard the jar.
Pro Tip: have some jars that didn’t seal? It happens! Pop them in the fridge and use within a week or 2, it’s not unsafe to eat, it’s just unsafe to store long term.
Join Us and Learn Together!
At Portland Fruit Tree Project, we love empowering people to preserve local fruit. We offer workshops and events where you can learn alongside other community members, building skills that last a lifetime. Get on the newsletter to make sure you know when we are offering classes again in 2025!
Do you have extra FRUIT and need help?
Talk to your neighbors! It’s a great way to meet them and you can share your abundance hyper locally!
Donate it through Portland Fruit Tree Project’s Fruit Fridge! Harvest and drop off at your convenience and we’ll get it all used up!
Can’t harvest it? Register for us to come harvest for you!
Take the next step with Portland Fruit Tree Project!
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