Canning Pineapple

5 from 1 vote

Canning pineapple is an easy and rewarding way to preserve this tropical fruit, allowing you to enjoy it long after it's out of season. With this simple method, you’ll have jars of sweet, tangy pineapple ready to brighten up any dish—or just to enjoy on its own.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Course: Fruit Canning Recipes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Tropical Fruit Canning Recipes

Servings: servings, 9 pints

Author: Ashley Adamant

Ingredients

13 lbs Pineapple About 1 1/2 lbs per pint jar for a 9 pint batch
Canning liquid you choice of: Water, pineapple juice, apple juice, grape juice or sugar syrup

Instructions

Wash the pineapples thoroughly. Peel off the tough outer skin and remove the spiky eyes with a paring knife. Remove the core, then slice or cube the pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Set aside the cores for juice.
To create your own juice, simmer the cores in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, then strain the mixture. Add sugar if desired. For the recommended extra light syrup, use 6 ½ cups of juice and ¾ cup of sugar for a 9-pint batch.
In a large saucepan, add the prepared pineapple pieces to your chosen syrup, juice, or water.Heat the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to help soften the pineapple and eliminate air pockets (this is key to keeping the fruit intact during canning).
While the pineapple is simmering, sterilize your canning jars. Ladle the hot pineapple pieces into the jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Pour in enough of the hot syrup or juice to cover the fruit, again leaving the ½-inch headspace.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth to ensure there is no food residue. Place the lids on top and secure them with canning rings, tightening them just until fingertip-tight (don’t overtighten, as this can affect the seal).
Fill a boiling water canner with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the jars into the canner and process them according to the altitude chart below. Standard process times for below 1,000 feet in elevation are 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.
After processing, carefully remove the jars from the canner and allow them to cool on a towel-lined surface.
Once cool, check the seals by pressing down in the center of the lid—if it doesn’t pop back, the jar has sealed properly.

Store sealed jars in a cool, dark, and dry place. Enjoy your home-canned pineapple does not spoil so long as the jars are sealed, but the quality is best within the first 12-18 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Notes

Yield

You'll need about 21 pounds of fresh fruit for a canner load of 7 quarts or 13 pounds for 9 pints. On average, it takes about 3 pounds of pineapple per quart jar, or roughly 1 1/2 pounds of pineapple per pint (weighed as purchased).

Syrup or Liquid for Packing

You can pack the pineapple in water, pineapple juice, apple juice, white grape juice, or your choice of syrup (light, medium, or very light).

If making syrup, I suggest using extra light syrup as pineapple is already quite sweet. To make enough extra light syrup for a canner batch of 9 pints, you'll need 6 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cups sugar. For a canner batch of 7 quarts, you'll need 10 1/2 cups water and 1 1/4 cups sugar.

Pineapple Canning Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for water bath canning pineapple are as follows:

For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation - 15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts
For 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation - 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts
For 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation - 20 minutes for pints, 30 minutes for quarts
Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation - 25 minutes for pints, 35 minutes for quarts

The times for pints between 1,000 feet and 6,000 feet do not increase, but the times for quarts do. That's because it takes just a bit more time to get the heat to the center of the jar for quarts in this case.

Nutrition