This recipe for canning fresh pineapple is a simple canning recipe. I will discuss how to can the pineapple with and without added sugar. I canned without adding sugar and it turned out great. Again, my reason for canning pineapple, like so many of the things I can, is that it went on sale for $1.39 for whole pineapples at Aldi a couple weeks ago. Pineapple goes on sale every once in a while and that is the time to stock up and can! Today I was in Walmart and it was $1 per pineapple! I stocked up again. Plus home-canned pineapple is so much better than store bought and healthier with all natural ingredients. I also like to freeze pineapple to use in smoothies and other recipes. I plan to make some pineapple jam and pineapple habanero salsa in the future.
Raw Pack or Hot Pack
There are several different options for canning pineapple. First, there are the options to can it using the raw packing method or the hot packing method. Raw pack is just adding the raw pineapple to the jars and then fill with the canning liquid of choice. It is very easy, but pineapple has a lot of air inside it, which can cause it to discolor and also impact the flavor.
Hot pack is just boiling the pineapple for 10 minutes in your canning liquid of choice before you put it in the jars for canning. The liquid can be water, syrup or juice. Hot packing, although it takes a little more time and effort, would end up with the better result.
Canning Liquid
For canning pineapple, there are different choices of what liquid to use to can your pineapple.
You can just add water, but a lot of the flavor leaches out of the pineapple into the water.
If you like sweet pineapple, you can add syrup and have your choice of how heavy or light you want your syrup. This is a good website about syrups for canning fruit.
You can use store-bought pineapple, apple juice, or white grape juice.
I made my own juice by boiling the pineapple cores in water and then also used that water to boil my pineapple in. I prefer having unsweetened pineapple and to do it as natural and healthy as possible by not adding any sugar.
Steps for Canning Pineapple
The first step is to cut up the ripe pineapples. There are several methods, but I cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, then slice the skins off and cut around the core.
Then cut the pineapple to the size you prefer. You can cut into small or large chunks or dice into small pieces.
Next place chopped pineapple cores in a large pot on medium-high heat in boiling water to make pineapple juice to use as your canning liquid. Boil for about 10 minutes.
Boil the chunks of pineapple in this juice for ten minutes.
Remove the pineapple with a slotted spoon and add the pineapple to the canning jars, then fill with the juice. Fill to 1/2 inch of headspace.
Wipe jar rim with a damp paper towel and remove the air bubbles, then add the lids and screw bands. Place jars in your water bath canner and put on the canner lid. I use the Ball electric water bath canner and love it.
You can can small batches or do a whole canner load. The three pineapples I used produced 9 pints of canned pineapple which filled my canner. I found that one pineapple produced 3 pint jars of canned pineapple chunk
Process in a water bath canner at a full rolling boil for processing times of 15 minutes for half pint jars or pint jars, and 20 minutes for quart jars (adjusting for altitude). Remove the hot jars from the canner with a jar lifter and sit on a dish towel on the counter and do not disturb for 24 hours.
Enjoy
Canned pineapples is such an easy thing to do to have on hand to use in a pineapple recipe of your choice or to just eat out of the jar!
For more of my canning recipes and other favorite great recipes, plus posts about other homestead-type activities, such as gardening and raising chickens, go to my website at www.HawkPointHomestead.com. For updates, please follow my Facebook page at Hawk Point Hobby Homestead.
Some links are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Canning Fresh Pineapple
This recipe tells you how to can delicious ripe pineapples so you can have healthier tasty pineapple on your shelves. Also notes for raw packing vs hot packing and with and without sugar.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe pineapple (One pineapple equates to about 3 pints)
- Water
- Optional is to use syrup or juice as a canning liquid. For light or heavy syrup guidelines for canning fruit, a link is provided in the post.
Instructions
- Cut up the pineapple into preferred size
- Boil the cores to provide juice for canning
- Boil the chunks of pineapple in the juice for 10 minutes (this is hot pack method, for raw pack do not boil and fill the jars with raw pineapple)
- Ladle the pineapple into canning jars.
- Wipe the rims and remove air bubble, apply lids.
- Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes for half pints and pints and 20 minutes for quarter jars, adjusted for attitude.
Notes
The different methods include raw packing and hot packing. Boiling the pineapple in the canning liquid prior to canning is hot packing and is the best result for keeping the color and flavor. Raw packing is packing the fresh pineapple directly into the jars and filling it with canning liquid of your choice.
Different choices of canning liquid include water, juice or syrup. For this recipe, I did not add sugar and used the cores to produce its own pineapple juice.
