101 Easy Canning Recipes For Beginners (2024)

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101 Easy Canning Recipes For Beginners (1)

Canning is a time-honored tradition of preserving food in air-tight containers. It can be an intimidating process when you first get started. But if you follow the directions and some very easy beginner recipes, you’ll be well on your way to preserving your harvest.

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Note: If you are new to canning, make sure you carefully follow the safety guidelines so you don’t accidentally cause you or your family to get food poisoning. Here are some canning supplies you’ll need, and here are some canning dangers to beware of.

One key element to successful and safe canning is using the right recipes. Recipes are important because they ensure the proper balance of acidity in the food which prohibits the growth of micro-organisms.

Foods that have a high acid content, such as pickles and jams, can be water bath canned, which is the easiest method of canning. Vegetables, meat, and dairy must be pressure canned, which raises the temperature of the food even higher than water bath canning.

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Either method is easy and safe as long as you follow the directions carefully. Here are 101 of the easiest beginner canning recipes.

Categories

  • Jams and Jellies
  • Pickles and Condiments
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Soups and Stews
  • Sauces
  • Canned Meats and Protein
  • Dairy
  • Miscellaneous

Jams and Jellies

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Jams and jellies are probably the easiest and safest canning recipes for beginners. The high sugar content acts as a preservative, which helps keep your jelly safe to eat.

Applebutter – Who knew you could make applebutter in the crockpot? This recipe teaches you how to do that and how to can it.

Apricot Jam – If you love apricot jam, you’ll love this easy canning recipe from Sweet Cayenne. This is a great recipe for novice canners!

Banana Jam – As delicious as it sounds.

Blackberry Jam – Blackberries are easy to grow and easy to make into a delicious jam.

Blueberry Vanilla Jam – This jam is a great starter recipe for nervous newbies, and it’s delicious!

Corn Cob Jelly – Yes, even corn cobs can be made into jelly.

Easy Dandelion Jelly – Use up those dandelions in your yard with a sweet, honey-flavored jelly that your whole family will love.

Frozen Berry Jam – If time escapes you, throw your berries in the freezer until you have time to make this yummy jam.

Grape Jelly – You can use fresh grapes or grape juice for this delightful and easy recipe.

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly – A delicious “sweet-heat” recipe.

Orange Jelly – If you like oranges, you’ll love this.

Pectin-Free Jam – Here’s an easy way to make jam without pectin or sugar.

Pina Colada Jam – If you’ve never had this, you’re missing out!

Strawberry Jam – Strawberry jam is a tried and true, easy to make preserve. This is a great recipe to get you started.

Violet Jelly – Those pretty purple flowers that dot your lawn can be made into a delicately flavored, easy to make jelly. Follow the directions in the link, then use the link to Ball canning at the end to learn how to can your delicious jelly.

Pickles and Condiments

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Canned Ketchup – Ketchup is overpriced. Make your own.

Corn Relish – There are a lot of ingredients, but it’s worth the effort.

Dill Pickle Relish – Prefer classic relish? Here’s how to make it.

Dill Pickles – This post provides everything you need to know about canning dill pickles.

Easy Canned Salsa – If you’ve never canned salsa before, start with this recipe.

Easy ChowChow Relish – A Southern favorite.

Easy Mustard Recipe – Yet another condiment that is overpriced in the store.

Eggplant Pickles – This has a unique flavor that’s worth trying.

Hot Mustard – Who doesn’t love spicy mustard?

Pickled Cucamelons – Cucamelons are tiny cucumbers that taste delicious and can be pickled and canned.

Salsa Verde – This salsa variety is made with tomatillas.

Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is easy to make and easy to preserve.

Spicy Canned Apricot Salsa – A must-try for salsa lovers.

Sweet Pickle Relish – My favorite kind of relish.

Sweet Pickles – If dill isn’t your thing, try these delicious sweet pickles.

Versatile Jalapeno Relish – Hot, tangy, and slightly sweet.

Watermelon Rind Pickles – Don’t waste your watermelon rinds, make them into these easy pickles.

Fruits

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There’s nothing like the taste of fresh fruit right off the tree. The next best thing is opening up a jar of fruit that was canned right off the tree! Try these simple recipes to get you started canning fruit.

Apple Pie Filling – When’s the last time you had homemade apple pie?

Apple Sauce – Applesauce is a favorite food for kids of all ages; make your own healthy version with this recipe.

Apple Slices – These are a great snack!

Blueberries – This recipe teaches you how to can blueberries without added sugar.

Cherries and Honey – A winning combination.

Cherry Pie Filling – Great to have on hand if you love pie.

Grapefruit – Great for salads or baking.

Grapes – Whole grapes are surprisingly easy to can and preserve.

Nectarines – Summer in a jar.

Oranges – Another great snack.

Peaches for Beginners – Peaches can be tricky, but this recipe carefully walks you through it.

Pears in Syrup – Even better than store-bought pears in syrup.

Strawberries – The flavor fades when canned, but they’re still very good.

Vegetables

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Vegetables are easy to can. However, canning safety is based on acidity and heat. If you are pickling vegetables, you will probably need to use a pressure canner. However, many pickled recipes only require water bath canning.

Broccoli – How to pressure can broccoli for beginners.

Candied Jalapenos – These are absolutely delectable.

Canned Corn – This recipe uses a pressure canner and discusses both raw and hot pack canning.

Canned Tomatoes – Labor intensive, but worth the effort.

Carrots – These go great with most meals.

Creamed Corn – Kids love this stuff.

Diced Chili Peppers – Lots of steps, but worth the effort.

Green Beans – This is a good one for beginners.

Kale – Add to soups, stews, and casseroles.

Onions – Great for all sorts of other recipes.

Peas – Not as good as fresh, but it’s better than throwing them out.

Peppers – Learn to can them or pickle them.

Pickled Beets – Uses 10 pounds of fresh small beets.

Pickled Corn – Easy and tasty.

Pickled Jalapenos – Another great one for beginners.

Pickled Radishes – Tastes better than it sounds.

Pickled Red Onions – Add some zing to salads and sandwiches.

Potatoes – If you have a big enough harvest, you’ll have to can the extras.

Pumpkin – Not puree, but pumpkin cubes.

Summer Squash – It doesn’t freeze well, so canning is your best option.

Winter Squash – Lots of squash recipes here.

Soups and Stews

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You can create your own healthy versions of soups and stews and preserve them through canning.

Beef or Other Stock – Great to have on hand if you like to cook.

Beef Stew – Everyone should learn to make this classic stew.

Bone Broth – This stuff has innumerable health benefits.

Butternut Squash Soup – Everything you need to know about canning butternut squash soup.

Canned Sausage Potato and Kale Soup – An adaptation of Olive Garden’s “Zuppa Toscana” soup.

Chicken Soup – The best cure for a cold.

Chicken Stock – A must-have for soups, stews, and gravies.

Cream of Chicken Soup – Useful in all sorts of recipes.

Homemade Vegetable Soup – Due to its low acidity, vegetable soup needs to be pressure canned.

Split Pea and Ham Soup – Delicious and very filling.

Tomato Soup – This still brings me back to cold winters in my childhood.

Vegetable Soup: A Step By Step Guide – A recipe for the best vegetable soup ever.

Your Choice of Soup – The USDA gives guidelines for canning any soup of your choice.

Sauces

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Chocolate Raspberry Sauce – Even better than it sounds.

Cranberry Sauce – An essential part of every Thanksgiving meal.

Elderberry Syrup – This is not a true canning recipe, but this syrup has a long shelf life in the refrigerator.

Singapore Red Chili Sauce – Brace yourself…

Spaghetti Sauce – Can your own homemade spaghetti sauce.

Canned Meats and Protein

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You can can any number of meats in a pressure canner. Here are the recipes.

Beef, Lamb, Or Venison – Never let good meat go to waste.

Chicken – The ideal pantry filler.

Ground Beef – Great for Hamburger Helper and other recipes.

Hot Pickled Quail Eggs – It sounds strange, but they’re pretty good.

Pickled Eggs – The best way to preserve eggs.

Rabbit – If you’re a homesteader, you might be wondering how to preserve your rabbit meat.

Roast Beef – How to can roast beef or pot roast in a jar.

Shrimp and Other Seafood – For these, be sure to follow the directions carefully.

Tuna Fish – Do it right and it will taste better than Starkist.

Dairy

Did you know you can even can dairy products? Some professionals frown on canning dairy due to the risk of botulism. If you’re careful, it should be fine, but do it at your own risk.

Butter with a Pressure Canner – Most people use butter every day. It’s worth having more on hand.

Cheese – Yes, even cheese can be canned.

Coffee Creamer – Made with vanilla and sweetened condensed milk.

Custard and Variations – Who doesn’t love pudding?

Milk Step by Step – Better than powdered milk.

Miscellaneous

You might be surprised at some of the things you can easily preserve through canning. These items are especially good if you are prepping for bad weather or a possible shelter in place order.

Baked Beans – Not just baked beans—Boston baked beans.

Quick Bread – Yes, even bread can be canned.

Canning Water – Water usually needs to be rotated every six months, but not this.

Dry Beans – These may last longer than beans in Mylar bags.

Rice and Beans – These will be good for 20 years.

Nuts – Seriously.

Additional Resources

If you are still unsure about how to can, try some of these websites for more information.

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FAQs

What is the best method of canning for beginners? ›

Water bath canning uses very little equipment. You only need a large stock pot with a lid. You can easily learn how to water bath can with just a few simple tips and tricks. Water bath canning only works for high-acid foods like fruits, pickles, tomatoes (with a little acid added), jams and jellies.

What are the don'ts of canning? ›

Avoid contact of the lid with food during processing and storage to retain a good seal. DON'T cover hot jars with a towel or blanket. DON'T force-cool jars after processing. Sudden temperature changes can result in jar breakage.

What are any 3 safety rules when canning foods? ›

-Use (or re-use) canning jars manufactured for home canning. Check for cracks or chips and throw out or recycle any jars that are not in good shape. – Be sure the jar rings are not dented or rusty. – Buy new jar lids.

Is it better to steam or boil canning? ›

Steam canning is a more environmentally friendly process than boiling water canning for the following reasons: 1) the steam canner uses much less water than a boiling water canner and 2) the steam canner reaches the required temperature for processing more quickly and thus uses less energy than the boiling water canner ...

How do you can food in jars for beginners? ›

The mechanics behind canning are fairly simple. You fill a clean jar with prepared food, apply the flat lid and the threaded ring to the jar, and submerge the filled jar in boiling water for a prescribed amount of time. (Times vary widely, depending on what you're canning.)

What is amish canning? ›

The Amish use several canning methods depending on the type of food, including the following: Boiling water bath: This method is best for highly acidic foods such as tomatoes. It involves submerging jars of food in boiling water, which kills bacteria and seals the lid.

Can potatoes be water bath canned? ›

Like many vegetables, potatoes are low-acid, which means they can't be processed in a water bath like pickles, jams or other canning projects with sufficient acidity. Instead, we look to pressure canning.

Can I use cornstarch when canning? ›

Other thickeners like cornstarch clump when canning and may interfere with heat being able to reach throughout the jar. Without heat penetrating throughout the jar, yeast, mold, or other harmful bacteria can form.

What vegetables are not good for canning? ›

Low-acid foods are the most common sources of botulism linked to home canning. These foods have a pH level greater than 4.6. Low-acid foods include most vegetables (including asparagus, green beans, beets, corn, and potatoes), some fruits (including some tomatoes and figs), milk, all meats, fish, and other seafood.

What canned foods to avoid? ›

Compared to their fresh counterparts, the following canned foods are the worst to buy.
  • Canned fruit in syrup. ...
  • Canned soup. ...
  • Canned vegetables. ...
  • Canned pre-cooked pasta. ...
  • Canned chili. ...
  • Canned baked beans. ...
  • Canned sausage and spam.
Feb 4, 2023

What bacteria is killed in canning? ›

During the canning process, oxygen is removed from containers. If proper temperatures to destroy the spores are not reached, they have a suitable environment to convert into growing cells and produce the deadly toxin. Scientifically proven pressure canning processes are designed to destroy C. botulinum spores.

What happens if you can tomatoes wrong? ›

Different varieties of tomatoes have different acidity levels. Without enough acid, the product can cause botulism poisoning. Cooling a pressure canner under running water. Residual heat from the cooling pressure canner is calculated into the processing time and is necessary for a safe product.

How high do you fill jars when canning? ›

General canning headspace recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture are as follows: Leave ¼ inch headspace for jams and jellies; leave ½ inch for tomatoes, fruits and pickles that will receive a boiling water bath process; leave 1 inch headspace for most low acid foods that will be pressure ...

Why did my jar break while canning? ›

Jars that have been dropped, hit, or bumped are susceptible to breakage. Test new jars that may have been mishandled (to see if they break) by immersing them in room-temperature water, bring to a boil, and boil 15 minutes. Avoid the use of metal tools to remove air bubbles. Avoid using old jars.

Which canning method is best? ›

Pressure canning is the only canning process that reaches the high temperature (240°F) needed to safely preserve low-acid foods. It is the combination of time and temperature that will destroy food-borne bacteria and create a vacuum seal necessary to prevent spoilage.

Is pressure canning better than a water bath? ›

If you are canning a high acid food, you will use the water bath canning method. If you are canning a low acid food, you will use the pressure canning method. Acidity may be natural, as in most fruits, or added, as in pickled food. While low-acid canned foods contain too little acid to prevent the growth of C.

Which step of canning is most important and why? ›

Boiling-water canning is the most common method. The process kills harmful microorganisms, inactivates enzymes that could affect food's flavor or color, and vacuum-seals jars to keep contaminants out.

How long will canned food last? ›

High acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit will keep their best quality up to 18 months; low acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years. While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods.

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