Canning papaya is a tasty way to preserve the flavors of the tropics right in your own kitchen!
Papaya is one of my favorite parts of homemade fruit cocktail, and those firm chunks of topical delicious are absolutely wonderful on their own too.
When you find a case of papaya on sale, that’s the prefect time to preserve this delicious fruit in a canning jar for year round enjoyment.
(Or, for those of you lucky enough to live in the tropics, you can put up a years worth in a quick weekend of a backyard tree, either way.)
Ingredients for Canning Papayas
There are a few different tested recipes for canning papaya, but I’m using one that was tested by Ball Canning and is included in The Ball Blue Book of Canning.
To make 6 pint jars or 3 quart jars of papayas, you will need the following:
- 9 – 10½ pounds whole papayas (about 3 to 4 medium)
- 3¼ cups sugar
- 5 cups water
- Bottled lemon juice
Select papayas for canning that are firm and ripe but not overripe. Ripe papayas have turned from green to almost entirely yellow and sometimes orange. The fruit should feel slightly soft to the touch.
Do not use fruit that has discolored spots, bruises, or very soft spots, as this is a sign of overripe fruit. Papaya that is overripe may also smell overwhelmingly sweet. If the papaya is soft and mushy, do not use it for canning.
Use bottled lemon juice for canning to ensure it has the correct acidity for safe canning. Using freshly squeezed lemon juice is not recommended.
Canning Papaya
If you are a beginner or are unsure of hot water bath canning, refer to my Beginner’s Guide to Water Bath Canning before proceeding.
Prepare the pint or quart jars you will use for canning, keeping them hot in the oven or hot water.
Wash the papayas under cool, clean water and set aside to drain.
Peel the papayas, then cut them in half lengthwise. Use a sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds. Discard the seeds and peels.
Cut the papaya flesh into cubes, approximately ½ to 1 inch in size.
In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Add the papaya cubes to the boiling sugar water.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer the papaya cubes for 2 to 3 minutes. This pre-cooking is essential, as this is a hot pack canning recipe.
Place 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice into each hot pint jar or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into each hot quart jar.
Using a slotted spoon, pack the hot papayas into the hot jars with lemon juice, leaving ½” headspace at the top.
Pour or ladle the hot syrup the papayas were simmered in over the papaya in jars, maintaining the ½” headspace at the top.
Remove air bubbles with a rubber spatula, then top off the liquid to maintain correct headspace if necessary.
Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth and immediately apply 2-part canning lids to the jars. Tighten the canning rings to finger-tight, being careful not to over-tighten.
Place the filled jars into the prepared canner with boiling water using a jar lifter, and ensure the jars are covered by the water in the canner by at least 1 inch. Bring the water in the canner back to a rolling boil.
Once the water in the canner has returned to a boil, set a timer to process the pint jars for 15 minutes or quart jars for 20 minutes. Adjust processing time for altitude as needed. Ensure the jars are completely covered with water during the entire processing time.
After the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and remove the cover from your canner. Leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes to prevent thermal shock.
Use a jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner and set them to cool on a towel on the counter. Leave some airspace between the jars, and do not retighten the canning bands if they are loose. Do not tip the jars or wipe excess water off the lids. Let the jars sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.
Check the jars after 12-24 hours to see if the lids have sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use.
Label and store the sealed jars in a pantry or cool, dark place for up to 18 months. Refrigerate after opening.
Altitude Adjustments
The altitude adjustments for canning papaya are as follows:
- 0 to 1000 feet in elevation – 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet in elevation – 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation – 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts
- 6,001 feet and above – 30 minutes for pints and 35 minutes for quarts
Papaya Variations
This basic recipe for canning papaya can be adapted to use honey as a sweetener, or other alternative sweetners like maple or agave.
Beyond that, you can add spices to taste, if desired. I think it’s particularly good with vanilla.
Lastly, you can substitute acidic fruit juice in place of the water in this canning recipe. Orange juice, cranberry juice or apple juice are all acceptable, but not great. I’d suggest trying pineapple juice, which is excellent.
Papaya Canning Recipes
Beyond canning plain papaya, you can also make a simple papaya jam with lemon juice and sugar.
Ways to Use Papaya
Canned papayas will be delicious when eaten straight out of the jar! Serve papaya cubes in a saucer with a small amount of the syrup from the jar for a sweet fruit snack or dessert any time of the year.
Canned papayas may be used the same way you would use fresh papayas in a lettuce or fruit salad. Allow the syrup to drain from the papaya cubes before adding them to a salad.
Canning Papaya
Home canned papaya is a great way to preserve this delicious tropical fruit.
Ingredients
- 9 – 10½ pounds whole papayas (about 3 to 4 medium)
- 3¼ cups sugar
- 5 cups water
- Bottled lemon juice (1 Tbsp per quart, or 1/2 Tbsp per pint)
Instructions
- Prepare the papayas by washing them with cool, clean water and set aside to drain.
- Prepare and heat the pint or quart jars you will use for canning in the oven or hot water.
- Peel the papayas, then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Discard the peelings and seeds.
- Cut the papaya into ½" to 1" cubes.
- In a large saucepan, combine the water and sugar and stir to dissolve.
- Cook the sugar water over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling.
- Add the papaya cubes to the boiling sugar water.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice to hot, sterilized pint jars or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to hot, sterilized quart jars.
- Using a slotted spoon, pack the papayas into the hot jars with lemon juice, leaving ½" headspace at the top of the jar.
- Using a canning funnel, pour the hot sugar water syrup the papayas were cooked in over the papayas, leaving ½" headspace at the top of the jars.
- Use a rubber spatula to remove any air bubbles from the jar, and add more syrup to the jar as needed to maintain the ½" headspace.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth and apply the 2-part canning lids.
- Process the papayas using a hot water bath canning method. Once the water has returned to a full boil, process pint jars for 15 minutes and quart jars for 20 minutes, adjusting time if necessary for altitude. (See notes)
- After processing, turn off the heat and leave jars in the canner, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner and let them cool for 12-24 hours, then check that the jars are sealed. Refrigerate any unsealed jars for immediate use.
- Sealed papayas will retain peak quality for up to 18 months when stored in a cool, dry place or pantry. Refrigerate once opened.
Notes
Altitude Adjustments
The altitude adjustments for canning papaya are as follows:
- 0 to 1000 feet in elevation - 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet in elevation - 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet in elevation - 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts
- 6,001 feet and above - 30 minutes for pints and 35 minutes for quarts
Tropical Canning Recipes
Looking for more ways to preserve the taste of the tropics in your kitchen?
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