Blueberries are both delicious and nutritious.
They’re also very plentiful in June and July, and plenty of families eat them by the handful.
Once you learn about canning blueberry pie filling, you can preserve this summer flavor and enjoy it all year long.
Since this recipe makes a shelf-stable product, it doesn’t require a refrigerator or freezer.
It’s perfect for a pantry.
How to Can Homemade Blueberry Pie Filling in a Water Bath Canner
This is a small-batch recipe that makes a few pint jars like this. You can snack straight out of the jar!
Equipment Needed
- Colander
- Sharp knife
- Stainless steel pan with lid
- Two small saucepans
- Water canner with lid
- Three pint jars with lids and rings (for a whole canner load)
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 3½ cups blueberries
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Clear Jel
- 1 cup water
- 3½ teaspoons lemon juice
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
About 15 minutes
Canning Time
30 minutes
Step 1: Rinse and Inspect Blueberries
Small-batch canning recipes like this allow you to pick very ripe fruit in the morning and can it the same day.
The ideal blueberries for this recipe are dark blue and firm. They should slide right off the bush and into your fingers.
Ensure that all of the blueberries you’re using have been destemmed. They should also be very clean.
You should have 3½ cups of prepared berries for a full batch of this recipe.
Step 2: Prepare Jars and Lids
This recipe moves quickly, so it’s best to prepare your jars before you start cooking. You’ll need three pint jars for a full batch of this recipe in the ingredient amounts I’ve listed.
Run your finger around the edge of your jars and set aside anything that’s chipped or cracked. Wash your approved jars in hot water and soap.
Rinse them well, put them in a water canner, and cover them with water. Put the lid on the canner, and simmer the jars on medium.
Blueberry pie processes for a long period, so sterilizing your jars isn’t required. However, simmering your jars allows you to test them for heat tolerance. If they break at this step, you won’t lose any ingredients.
Put your lids in a saucepan and cover them with water. Let the adhesive soften over low heat.
Step 3: Blanch Blueberries
Blueberries have a thick skin that makes for a chewy pie. Blanching (or pre-cooking) the fruit makes for a softer product.
Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Place your 3½ cups blueberries in the pot and bring it back to a boil. Then, cook them for 1 minute.
Place your cooked berries in the colander to drain. Then, put them back in the saucepan. Cover them with a lid to keep them warm.
Photo caption: Blanched berries are slightly softer than their raw counterparts. However, they’re still very flavorful.
Step 4: Prepare Thickening Agents
Blueberries are very tart, and they need a lot of sweetening to become pie filling. You’ll cook the sugar and the thickener together at this step.
Combine ¾ cup and 2 tablespoons of sugar in your stainless steel pan. Add ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon Clear Jel. These two ingredients will form a sticky, sweet paste that’s perfect for blueberry pie.
Add 1 cup of cold water to your ingredients and stir everything carefully to mix them.
Step 5: Cook Your Sweetener
Clear Jel and sugar will scorch quickly, so you must stand by the pan from this point onward. Keep stirring!
Turn the heat on medium-high, and cook the ingredients until they thicken and bubble. Add 3½ teaspoons of lemon juice, and bring the sauce to a boil.
Cook for 1 minute as you stir the sauce constantly.
Step 6: Fold in Berries
Remove your pan from the heat, and fold in your blueberries. Stir them carefully to ensure that every berry is covered with prepared sauce.
Move quickly, as you must fill your jars when the filling is hot.
Step 7: Fill Jars
Place your canning funnel in one jar, and use your ladle to scoop the filling out of the pan and into the jar.
Work as quickly as you can to ensure the filling doesn’t cool too much before it heads into the canner.
Step 8: Check Headspace
You must leave an inch of space at the top of each jar for the filling to expand inside the canner.
If you don’t leave enough space, the sauce can spew out of the jar and into the water inside the canner. The lids won’t seal.
Since headspace is so important, take the time to measure it before you move on. Then, run a knife around the edge of the jars to remove any trapped air inside.
Step 9: Clean Jar Tops
Pie filling is sticky stuff. Bits left on the top of your jars can keep the lids from sealing. Dampen a paper towel and wipe the top of each jar.
Step 10: Apply Lids and Rings
With your lid lifter, pull your prepared lids from the water bath. Place one lid on the top of each jar.
Keep the lids in place with rings screwed down finger tight. That means they’re tight enough to keep the lid on the jar but not so tight that they don’t allow air to escape inside the canner.
Step 11: Process Jars
Place your prepared jars inside the canner, and ensure they’re covered with at least an inch of boiling water. Put the lid on the canner, and process your jars for 30 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.
Step 12: Let Jars Rest
After processing, turn off the heat and take the lid off the canner. Keep the jars submerged for 5 minutes.
After that point, use your jar lifter to pull the jars from the canner. Place them on a towel or cutting board to rest for 24 hours. Don’t touch, press on, or move the jars during this point.
Step 13: Test Lids
After 24 hours, the lids should be tightly affixed to the jars. You can test them at this stage. Remove the rings, and press on the center of your jars. If they don’t move or pop, the processing worked perfectly.
Write the date on all of your properly sealed jars. Place them in your long-term storage. I use shelves in my basement for this.
If the lids didn’t seal, store your pie filling in the refrigerator to eat within a few days. Alternately, you can place the jars in the freezer for long-term storage.
How Long Does Canned Blueberry Pie Filling Last?
The USDA says foods preserved in a water canner should be eaten within about a year. Writing the date on all of your jars is important, as it ensures you know when it’s time to make a pie!
This pie filling is very flavorful and colorful, so it won’t stay on your shelf for long. A small-batch canning process also means you won’t can more than your family can eat in a year.
Ideas for Using Blueberry Pie Filling
The obvious way to use blueberry pie filling is to make a pie with it! My family likes a crumble-top approach. These are a few other innovative ways to use it:
- Take a can of pie filling on your next camping or hunting trip for a shelf-stable dessert to eat straight from the jar.
- Use pie filling as a substitute for jelly or jam on your next slice of toast.
- Add pie filling to olive oil for a salad dressing.
- Use pie filling as a meat marinade. This approach works really well for tough (and not very flavorful) cuts.
- Poach fish in blueberry pie filling.
- Top cheesecake with blueberry pie filling.
- Use pie filling as a sweet filling for layer cake.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3½ cups blueberries
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Clear Jel
- 1 cup water
- 3½ teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
Rinse and Inspect Blueberries
- Select dark blue, firm blueberries (destemmed) and measure out 3½ cups of prepared berries.
- Rinse the blueberries in a colander under cool water to ensure they’re clean.
Prepare Jars and Lids
- Inspect three pint jars for chips or cracks. Wash the approved jars in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and place them in the water bath canner.
- Cover with water, secure the lid, and simmer on medium.
- Warm the lids in a small saucepan over low heat until needed.
Blanch Blueberries
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the blueberries and blanch for 1 minute.
- Drain the blueberries in a colander, then return them to the saucepan and cover with a lid to keep warm.
Prepare Thickening Agents
- In a stainless steel pan, combine ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar with ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Clear Jel.
- Add 1 cup cold water and stir well to form a smooth mixture.
Cook Your Sweetener
- Over medium-high heat, cook the sugar and Clear Jel mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens and begins to bubble.
- Stir in 3½ teaspoons lemon juice and bring the sauce to a boil. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Fold in Berries
- Remove the thickened sauce from the heat.
- Gently fold in the blanched blueberries, ensuring every berry is well coated.
- Return the mixture to a rolling boil while stirring.
Fill Jars
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Using a jar lifter, carefully remove one of your pre-heated jars from the canner.
- Insert a canning funnel and ladle the hot blueberry pie filling into the jar. Work quickly to maintain the temperature.
Check Headspace
- Ensure you leave 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar to allow for expansion during processing.
- Run a knife around the edge of the jar to release any trapped air bubbles.
Clean Jar Tops
- Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel to remove any residue that might interfere with sealing.
Apply Lids and Rings
- Using the lid lifter, remove the warmed lids from the water bath.
- Place a lid on each jar and secure with a ring, tightening until finger-tight to allow air to escape.
Process Jars
- Lower the filled jars into the water bath canner, ensuring they’re covered by at least 1 inch of boiling water.
- Cover the canner with its lid and process for 30 minutes (adjust for your elevation as needed).
Let Jars Rest
- After processing, turn off the heat and carefully remove the canner lid.
- Leave the jars submerged for 5 minutes, then use a jar lifter to remove them.
- Place the jars upright on a towel or cutting board and let them cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
Test Lids
- After 24 hours, check the seals by removing the rings and pressing the center of each lid.
- If the lids do not flex or pop, the jars are properly sealed.
- Label each jar with the date and store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- Storage: Canned blueberry pie filling is shelf-stable for about a year.
- Usage Ideas:
- Enjoy it straight from the jar as a snack.
- Use it as a pie filling for your favorite dessert.
