Canning Berries – Whole

Blackberries, blueberries, currants, dewberries, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, loganberries, mulberries, raspberries.

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 1-3/4 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 , if desired. Add 1/2 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 1/2-inch headspace.

Raw pack -- Fill jars with any of the raw berries, shaking down gently while filling. Cover with hot syrup, juice, or water, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Processing directions for canning berries in a boiling-water, a dial, or a weighted-gauge canner are given in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Berries, whole in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 3,000 ft	3,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	15 min	20	20	25
Raw	Pints Quarts	15 20	20 25	20 30	25 35

Table 2. Process Times for Some Acid Foods in a Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time (Min)	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	8	6	7	8	9
Raw	Pints Quarts	8 10	6 6	7 7	8 8	9 9

Table 3. Process Times for Some Acid Foods in a Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time (Min)	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	8	5	10
Raw	Pints Quarts	8 10	5 5	10 10