Better Homes And Gardens Canning Book

Peach Jam

Discover the art of canning with one of our homemade canning recipes, including best-ever dill pickles, homemade tomato salsa, and sweet jellies and jams. Gather your canning jars and give it a try. You'll be a canning artisan in no time!

Nectarine-Mango Jam

Please your sweet tooth with a sunny slathering of fresh fruit jam. Juicy nectarines, lemon, and mango make every bite burst with bright citrus flavor. Pair it with berry scones, or spread onto simple breakfast toast.

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Best-Ever Dill Pickles

Enjoy this tangy classic with almost anything, including grilled foods, relishes, and more. The best cucumbers for pickling include Kirby, Persian, hothouse varieties, and gherkins. Be sure to remove the stem and blossom ends before pickling to avoid a mushy texture.

Learn how to can at home!

Can-Your-Own Tomatoes

The farmers market during late summer months brings bushels of fresh tomatoes! Canning tomatoes is a snap. Fill your canning jars with juicy, in-season tomatoes, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt—then process and enjoy all year.

Learn all about canning and freezing tomatoes.

Caramel Apple Butter

We often think of canning as a summertime activity (gotta save those garden goodies!), but don't limit yourself to preserving jams and fresh produce. Break out your canning supplies in the fall and you can treat yourself to this gooey, delicious caramel apple butter. Set aside a few tart cooking apples, then combine them with apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon for a mouthwatering spread that you can savor throughout the year.

Don't let those good autumn apples go to waste—learn how to can apples with our step-by-step guide.

Bread and Butter Zucchini Pickles

It's safe to say that zucchini owns summertime, so why not let this vibrant veggie make a few more appearances throughout the year? If you're someone who mourns the end of each zucchini season (we can relate), set aside a few pounds for pickling and canning so you can enjoy it all year long. This recipe produces 5 pints of pickles, so extreme zucchini-lovers might want to make a double batch.

Homemade Sauerkraut

New to fermenting? No problem. A slow cooker and some close tending are all you need to make this condiment favorite. You'll know it's ready when every spoonful of sauerkraut has a slightly crunchy texture and pleasantly tangy flavor. Stir it into soups and stews, or layer it onto burgers and dogs.

BONUS: Craving something sweeter? Try our apple-caraway version with a few easy tweaks.

Sweet Riesling Pickled Radishes

We soak sliced radishes in sugar, spices, and Riesling—a flowery white wine—to achieve sweet yet punchy flavor. Serve them on a relish tray or as a delicious topping for salads and sandwiches.

What canning tools do you need? Find out here.

Pickled Lemon-Thyme Brussels Sprouts

pickled lemon-thyme brussels sprouts in mason jar

Brussels sprouts aren't usually at the top of our list for pickling, but this oh-so-tasty recipe proves they should be. A simple pickling mix including vinegar, fresh thyme, and lemon peel preserves your sprouts so you can snack on them all year. And thanks to the high acidity of the pickling liquid, you can use your boiling-water canner for these veggies—no special pressure canner required.

Tomato-Basil Jam

The zippy combination of lemon juice and fresh basil provides this subtle tomato jam with a pop of herbed citrus flavor. Look for tomatoes in mid- to late summer when they are at their best.

Raspberry-Chipotle Applesauce

raspberry-chipotle applesauce in mason jar

You certainly won't find any bland applesauce here. Chipotle peppers give this recipe an uncharacteristic (but utterly delicious) zippiness, while fresh raspberries balance it out with a little extra sweetness. If you want to keep a few jars in your pantry, be sure to can a batch while apples are in season—but you can also freeze this applesauce for up to 8 months!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Summer is strawberry season. With four simple ingredients and three easy steps, you can have a pretty-in-pink strawberry jam ready to tuck into the freezer. If you prefer, you can enjoy this strawberry jam right away and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Make-It-Mine Wine Jelly

Make it Mine Wine Jelly

There's no better way to experiment with a new canning recipe than by adding wine to it! And with this make-it-mine recipe, you can make it exactly how you like it. Choose your favorite wine (yes, even Prosecco!), then add just four other ingredients to turn it into a spreadable jelly. Your cheeseboards just got 10 times better.

Smoky Ketchup

One-up classic condiments with our handcrafted spin on ketchup. This smoky version features the smooth combination of grilled tomatoes, onion, and cayenne pepper for kick. One taste and you'll never go back to the bottled stuff.

Watermelon Pickles

Think twice before throwing away the rinds from your freshly cut watermelon. Instead make pickles! We soak ours in sugar, cinnamon, and whole cloves for a sweet summer snack or a side to any grilled dish. Look for watermelons at farmers markets from mid-June to late August.

Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Grab a jar of this BBQ-tastic sauce and slather it on wings, ribs, pizza, and more. Savory spices and mix-ins, such as garlic, paprika, and fresh jalapenos, give it a mouthwatering kick.

Pickled Butternut Squash

Vinegar-soaked squash gets a splash of sweetness from honey, while garlic, oregano, and bay leaves provide fragrant flavor. Look for butternut squash from June to mid-November when it's at its finest.

Carrot Cake Preserves

Enjoy sweet spoonfuls of carrot cake flavor without all the busy baking. Plump pieces of pineapple and raisins offer fruitiness, while heartwarming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg give the preserves homey flavor.

Blue Ribbon Corn Relish

Complete with fresh onion, peppers, and corn off the cob, our tangy blue ribbon relish is an undeniable winner. Feeling adventurous? Try our cumin-poblano, apple-chutney, or olive-corn relish variations with a few easy twists.

Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce

Your pasta deserves the best, and our handmade garlic-tomato concoction fills the bill. Featuring garden-fresh herbs, sweet peppers, and brown sugar, it's an Italian recipe that's magnifico!

Port and Cinnamon Plums

We soak plump plums in a silky, orange-infused ruby wine for a sweet taste of summer's bounty. Add a dash of cinnamon to give it rustic appeal.

Chunky Tomato Salsa

Scoop up a crunchy tortilla chip full of tangy-fresh peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Add a splash of lime juice for zest and a bit of garlic for bold flavor. This lively salsa will go fast, so you may want to make a double batch!

Peach Jam

Craft your favorite fruit into a smooth, candylike jam. Here we transform soft, juicy peaches into basil, cardamom, chipotle, and bourbon variations. Add a splash of lemon to each for bright freshness.

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