This recipe is open ended to how many blueberries you have on hand. The syrup makes enough for 6 pints. Cold packed blueberries means you can can quickly, but also the berries don’t get “cooked” and shrink before you can. I find this recipe suits larger blueberries, such as Chandler (the huge ones bigger than a nickel in size).
Cold Pack Canned Blueberries
Ingredients:
- ¾ to 1 pound fresh blueberries per pint jar, washed and drained gently on paper towels*
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5¼ cups water
Directions:
Wash canning jars, with bands and new lids, in hot, soapy water. Rinse well, and drain on a clean kitchen towel.
Fill canning pot halfway with water, add in jars and submerge. Bring to a boil, then let simmer.
Make syrup by combining sugar and water in a tall saucepan, bring to a boil, either use immediately or keep warm on medium-low.
Drain jars using tongs, place on a clean kitchen towel.
Ladle ½ cup hot syrup into the bars, using a sterilized canning funnel. Add in berries, packing in gently to settle. Add more hot syrup as needed, then run a sterilized chopstick (or a plastic air bubble remover) around the inside of the jar. Top off with more syrup as needed. Leave a ½” headspace.
Dip a clean paper towel in hot water, then run around the top of each jar. Place a lid on each jar, then a band, screw on finger tight.
Turn canner up to high, place jars in water bath rack, lower rack into water. Water should cover by 1 – 2″, if not add a bit more (Keep a small pot of hot water on hand). Bring to a rolling boil, covered, process pint jars for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, carefully remove jars, placing on a clean dry kitchen towel to cool.
Once cooled, check again that seals are down (you should hear the Ping! as each one seals). Gently remove bands (wash, dry and store for your next project. While they look nicer on, if they have water inside from processing, they can rust. If you are giving away your canned items, you can always slip one back on), wipe down jars if sticky at all, note on jar or lid what is in jar with a date. Store in a dry/cool/dark area and use within a year.
Notes:
The syrup makes about 6½ cups, and is considered a “light syrup”. When canning fruit and berries, you will need ½ to ¾ cup per pint jar. Leftover syrup can be cooled, and store in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge to sweeten with for weeks. Makes enough syrup for 6 pints.
*Add ½ cup apple cider vinegar to your rinse water, soak blueberries, then drain the berries and let dry on paper towels.
