• aeader on July 06, 2025

  Errata for the book are listed at https://foodinjars.com/cookbooks/food-in-jars-errata/ . Note that some of the printing errors affect the acid level in a recipe, so check the page above before canning.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Vanilla-rhubarb jam with Earl Grey

  • zorra on August 04, 2014

    Tart & tasty. Sugar ratio is lower than other recipes, so rhubarb's flavor shines. Took a few extra minutes to gel.

  • breakthroughc on May 24, 2022

    I make this jam each year. I like the lower sugar content. The earl grey adds a nice note. This jam usually takes a day to set, so don’t panic when it doesn’t set right away. This time I got 7 half pint jars.

• Strawberry vanilla jam

  • rosyannposy on September 27, 2014

    This recipe came out with too much of a lemon flavour, which I think clashes with the vanilla. If I were to make this again I would leave out the lemon zest.

  • inflytur on September 21, 2019

    The best strawberry jam I’ve ever tasted. My only regret is that I didn’t make multiple batches before strawberry season ended.

• Peach jam

  • clkandel on August 30, 2016

    Like this recipe since it uses less sugar than some jam recipes. Substitute maple syrup for some of the sugar (2 c maple syrup, 1 c sugar).

• Peach-plum ginger jam

  • GinaRhodes on June 12, 2025

    As a person who doesn't get excited about jam, this one is worth the hassle. Tastes like nothing you can buy from the store. A really special recip.

• Cantaloupe jam with vanilla

  • clcorbi on July 28, 2017

    I made this last year while cantaloupes were in season because the idea was very intriguing to me. I followed the directions exactly as written, but unfortunately, I wasn't happy with the outcome. The jam set nicely, and canned just fine, but it had a sort of bitter, off flavor to it that I can't explain. The flavor definitely didn't come from the jars, which were both cleaned and boiled beforehand. I'm not sure which of the ingredients might have caused it--could my vanilla bean have spoiled, maybe? was it the pectin?--but I wouldn't bother repeating. It does seem like a fun idea for a jam though.

• Blueberry jam

  • zorra on August 04, 2014

    Easy for an inexperienced preserver like me. Less sugar than comparable recipes. One of us found the cinnamon overpowering, the other loved it. Second batch, subbed 2 teaspoons dried ginger + 3-inches fresh ginger cut in long strips & removed before bottling.

• Amy's tomato jam

  • Barb_N on September 20, 2014

    This is a sweet spicy condiment- more smooth chutney than jam. A great complement to cheese in any form.

  • Sladea86 on October 01, 2022

    Lovely recipe can’t recommend it enough

  • Kmatazz on July 23, 2025

    This is fabulous! I cooked down for almost 3 hours into that ooey gooey jammy goodness! Great on grilled cheese or in quesadillas or... anywhere you can think of!

• Chunky fig jam

  • Barb_N on August 17, 2014

    My standby fig jam recipe. They had half price organic figs at Whole Foods today so I could not resist. I couldn't remember which type makes beautiful magenta jam and the produce guy didn't know either so I got half Brown Turkey and half Black Mission- I think the Brown Turkey are the pinkest but I will have something in between. I never use added pectin and it works fine as long as I cook it long enough for the gel test to work. Ah if only I could make enough to last through the winter.

• Mimosa jelly

  • spharo00 on March 11, 2013

    This jelly was so much fun to make. It was easy and it turned out delicious. It took a good 15-16 oranges to get enough juice for one batch, but after the juicing was finished the rest was a breeze. The finished jelly is so bright and has such a beautiful color. The only mistake I made was that I forgot to skim the top of the jelly before putting it in the jars so I had unappetizing clumps of foam suspended in my jelly. I had to pull them out of each jar individually which took some time, but the jelly looked better for it.

• Concord grape jelly

  • spharo00 on March 11, 2013

    This jelly was incredibly easy to make. It may be considered cheating by some to use bottled grape juice, but since I live in a place where it is hard to find Concord grapes it was an easy decision to make. I used organic unsweetened grape juice and bought enough bottles to make three batches of jelly. The texture was a little different from batch to batch, with two of them being a bit firmer and the other a little runny. But every batch was entirely grape. After trying this recipe, I ate some storebought grape jelly that I had in the fridge. There was absolutely no comparison. This cheater's version was by far the better of the two.

• Spicy tomato chutney

  • averythingcooks on August 20, 2023

    Perhaps my tomatoes were not meaty enough but I did need to cook this down for longer than suggested (and not surprisingly came up a bit short re: the predicted yield... 1/2 recipe = 2 x 250 mL jars + about 1/3 of jar for the fridge). But more importantly, I just ate a spoonful and I think it is delicious. This time I used a mix of black & brown mustard seeds as I have both in the pantry.

• Apple-pear chutney

  • kkillebrew on September 13, 2014

    I used 1 1/2 c. currants and 1 1/2 c. golden raisins, 1 cup cider vinegar + 1 c. apple juice, reduced brown sugar to 2 cups, used fresh hot pepper/s instead of pepper flakes, and no garlic (don't like it in chutney)

  • kkillebrew on September 12, 2020

    This makes more than the recipe indicates. Half a recipe made 5 1/2 half pints. I expected 4.

• Cranberry ketchup

  • jumali on November 10, 2012

    Probably the best thing I've ever canned. Not too spicy, not too sweet. Nice and tangy. I got 9 half pint jars instead of the stated 6. I'll definitely be making this again.

  • Barb_N on September 20, 2014

    I made jars of this as gifts for the office- like Jumali I got a high yield. Of all the preserves I have gifted over the years this received the most rave reviews. Can be made with frozen cranberries which adds to the convenience.

  • averythingcooks on October 25, 2023

    I had 3 recipes to choose from & the EYB comments sold me on this one. This is a beautiful red colour, it thickened as predicted and a quick taste confirmed it is sweet/tart with the warmth of the muslin bag contents in the background. I also got a higher yield than expected (1 extra 250 ml jar for the canner & a partial jar for the fridge)... but thanks to EYB comments, I was ready for this & I prepped extra jars :)

• Bread-and-butter pickles

  • clcorbi on July 28, 2017

    The perfect pickle. I never add the red bell peppers, but I do add the onions, and they are just as good as the cucumbers. It's very important not to simmer these veggies in the brine too long, or else they get a bit mushy. I always err on the side of less simmering than the author calls for since we like a crunchy pickle, but of course I do then process them in the water bath for the correct amount of time. At any rate, this brine is fabulous, and is the exact balance of sweet to salty that I like in a bread and butter pickle.

  • verlaj54 on June 10, 2025

    I've made 4 batches in the past couple of days. They are delicious pickles! I did not get the yield that the recipe says. The first batch was per the recipe & produced 3.5 pt jars of pickles, not 5. For batches 3 & 4, I measured the cucumbers by weight & increased the ingredients to 1.5X. Using 1500g of whole cucumbers (with minimal trimming), by volume of cucumber slices, I had 12 c (not 9 c, as the recipe would suggest). I ended up with 6 pints of pickles from each batch. It was helpful to have extra brine on hand with the 1.5X batch, so I suggest making 2X the volume of brine for the first batch. I saved extra brine to top off the subsequent batches, making only 1.5X the volume of brine for these & adding what was needed from the saved brine to easily immerse the vegetables. We loved them, but if you don't like your bread & butter pickles a little spicy, I suggest you reduce the red pepper flakes. Thanks to clcorbi for your note! It's why I selected this recipe to try!

• Sweet-and-sour pickled red onions

  • averythingcooks on December 02, 2023

    I canned 2 versions of pickled red onions this fall and we just opened one of these jars. They are good and will get used but I will say that we both prefer the "Not your mama's canning book" crunchy pickled red onion recipe.

  • breakthroughc on December 02, 2023

    I completely agree with averythingcooks, after trying several recipes “Not your Mama’s canning book” is the best recipe.

• Pickled green tomatoes

  • averythingcooks on September 24, 2025

    I used 1.5 lbs of tomatoes to make 2 pint jars (rather than the intended 3) but just in case, I made the full amount of the brine & was glad I did. While I was sure I packed my tomato wedges as instructed ("as tightly as you can without mangling" them), I definitely would not have had enough brine for a 3rd jar. The key is always opening/1st use and she does say to let them pickle for at least a week before eating.

• Spiced pickled pear halves

  • Beetqueen on August 20, 2025

    Made with Silke's pears. Yield: 4 pint jars. 8/20/25

• Chunky tomatillo salsa

  • averythingcooks on August 26, 2023

    I made this compare to my favourite tomatillo salsa verde (from the The Canning Kitchen which is the 1st thing I make as the tomatillos start to ripen). I think this one is destined to be used more like a green enchilada sauce as opposed to a salsa, which is reserved for my "still the favourite" version. 1/2 recipe yield = 3 x 250 mL jars for the canner plus some excess that is going into the freezer.

• Caramelized red onion relish

  • averythingcooks on July 23, 2024

    This is a flavour packed little condiment. I cut it in 1/2 and my yield was lower than expected (1 x 250 mL , 1 x 125 mL + a partial jar for the fridge). This never surpises me when the instructions simply say "until the liquid has reduced". No matter.....the spoonful I just ate with my cheese & crackers is delicious. I especially like the cayenne here as it perfectly offsets the usual sweetness associated with these kinds of recipes.

• Whole peeled tomatoes

  • monica107 on April 29, 2014

    Marisa's instructions are my go-to for canning whole tomatoes!

• Chopped tomatoes

  • averythingcooks on August 16, 2023

    Good, clear instructions on canning pint jars of chopped tomatoes. Last year I canned whole tomatoes but I found myself draining most of the liquid and squishing them up to use in recipes so.....it's chopped tomatoes (in their natural juices) this year. I am prepping more than the mass called for, reducing the volume (here they call for a 30-35 cook time before putting in the jars) and I just freeze the excess amount.

• Rotel-style tomatoes

  • averythingcooks on August 19, 2024

    I like this idea and it is quite easy to control your heat level with how you prep the jalapenos but I do wish there was a clearer idea of the needed simmer time given. I did think the juices had "thickened a bit" but I ended up with more than 2 pint jars worth. I processed the 2 jars and put the excess in a pot to reduce and then froze it in useful portions.

• Basic tomato sauce

  • averythingcooks on August 12, 2025

    I am happy with this very smooth sauce canned in pint jars. Because it calls for "non-peeled" tomatoes, this goes in the pot pretty quickly. After a quick boil, a food mill does the work - I use 2 passes...big holes for the skins followed by small holes for the seeds & a smoother product. A final simmer to reduce/thicken and it's ready for the canner. I will come back here for sure as the summer progresses.

• Cranberry syrup

  • averythingcooks on September 18, 2025

    With cranberries in the freezer, I made a 1/2 recipe. I did press my berries in the strainer a bit & I don't notice any cloudiness. The yield was bit short with a 250 mL & a 125 mL jar for the canner + enough for a couple of drinks today. I love clear bubbles...both soft & hard and WOW....I think this stuff is lovely. Today it was drizzled over ice (you don't need much!) then topped with San Pellegrino. Next up is her "fancier" version from "Preserving by the Pint" with fresh ginger & lemon + more specific cooking/target temperature instructions. We'll see which version wins (& gets made again in October when I buy fresh cranberries).

• Maple pecan granola with blueberries

  • averythingcooks on February 02, 2026

    This is a very simple yet still very tasty granola. I always like the inclusion of maple syrup and the fresh grated nutmeg is a nice add-in. I did replace the dried blueberries with dried cranberries and next time I might up the pecans and/or use a mix of different nuts. .

• Crunchy buckwheat granola

  • monica107 on January 08, 2014

    I usually choose the longer end of the range of baking times given in recipes because my oven tends to need that extra time. However, this got a little too cooked when I baked for the full 35 minutes - next time I will probably stop at 30. You may also be able to cut back just a bit on the liquid ingredients - there was a nice layer of "candy" on the bottom of the sheet of granola.

• Ty's herbed beer bread mix

  • averythingcooks on December 02, 2023

    I made this quick loaf of bread to eat with our dinner soup and it is very good. It has a lot of dried herbs and I had to improvise using what I actually have on hand...ie marjoram, summer savoury leaves, thyme & 2 different Italian blends made it in and the amount of sage (which I can find over powering) was cut drastically. This bread is good with butter whether straight from the oven, at room temp or toasted. Note that in addition to a couple of "store cupboard" ingredients obviously not listed here, you do need 12 oz of beer (also not listed here) to make the loaf.

• Vanilla salt

  • bching on February 10, 2015

    disappointing flavor balance. I think finer grain salt would result in a better mix of vanilla and salt.

• Rosemary salt

  • averythingcooks on August 03, 2025

    I typically keep a jar of fresh herb salt (with the Simon & Garfunkel herbs) in my freezer, but this is my 1st try at an oven dried/sit in the pantry salt. My kitchen smells great, I can imagine lots of reasons to reach for this stuff & another batch is likely coming later in the summer.

• Homemade vanilla extract

  • averythingcooks on May 08, 2026

    I followed these quantities to start the extract...I'll guess I'll follow up in 4 - 6 months!

• 5 second rule

  If you've always wanted to master the fundamentals of canning, pickling, and preserving, but have felt intimidated (like I did), this book will ease your way with clear information...

  Full review