Spring Conserve for Water Bath Canning
Conserves are unique and something, frankly, I can’t seem to find to buy in the grocery store. If you are not familiar with conserves, then you must try this recipe. This Spring Conserve is a pectin-based jam made with crushed pineapples and strawberries, chopped rhubarb, and white sugar. What makes a conserve is the addition of nuts and raisins. In this recipe, I finely chopped the pecans and whole raisins. These two additions are optional. It is what makes it a conserve but can be omitted out to have pineapple, strawberry, and rhubarb jam.
Making and canning anything strawberry gives a lot of foam as it cooks. I have found that skimming off as much of the foam as the jam boils is the best. Canning all that foam makes the jars look ugly, and it traps lots of air into the jam and mason jar. It is one reason I don’t love to can anything strawberry, so much foam. But don’t let that stop you from this recipe. It is exceptional and another family favorite.
Canning Equipment
Are you new to canning? Or do you need more materials? You can get everything you need to make this Spring Conserve all right here and through Amazon.
- 9 piece Granite Ware Enamel-on-Steel Canning Kit
- Ball Half Pint Regular Mouth Mason Jars
- Hoosier Hill Fruit Pectin 2 lb
Cost of this recipe.
The full price of all the ingredients to make this conserve recipe is about $16.33 for all 7-8 half-pints. I can reduce the cost considerably. First, I purchase my pineapples when they are on a giant
Second, I grow two other ingredients, pecans and strawberries. Now you may say, wait for a second, wait a second. All these ingredients don’t correlate seasonally. And for me, they don’t. Pineapples are, like I said, in January and February. Strawberries are in season in my garden in April and May. Rhubarb is usually in July and August. And finally, the pecan harvest is in November and December. We should name this Full Season Conserve instead of Spring Conserve.
I can get around all the separate months of harvest by freezing my harvests. Strawberries and pecans are perfectly preserved by being frozen until you are ready to use them. And did you know it is completely safe to can with frozen fruits and vegetables? Well, as long as you thaw them thoroughly first, of course. Having frozen strawberries and pecans from last year’s harvest makes it very easy to whip up this conserve when pineapples are on sale a few months later.
Similar recipes to try or turn into a conserve
Cost to make this recipe
So in conclusion, after all this, I can reduce my canning price drastically. My price comes to about $6.42 for the entire batch of Spring Conserve. That is less than $1.00 per half
Recipe adapted
This canning recipe was from Ball’s Blue Book Guide to Preserving. All images and text are all my own and original to One Acre Vintage Homestead – Pumpkin Patch Mountain Homestead. Please refer to our home food preservation disclaimer information and our recipe sharing policies.
Spring Conserve
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pineapple crushed (about one whole pineapple)…[$4.00]
- 1½ cups strawberries crushed (about a pound)…[$3.00]
- 1¼ cups rhubarb diced…[$1.99]
- 6 tbsp. fruit pectin …[$3.00]
- 1 tbsp. lemon peel grated…[$0.05]
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice …[$0.10]
- 6½ cups white granulated sugar …[$1.89]
- ½ cup pecans finely chopped optional…[$1.92]
- ½ cup raisins optional…[$0.38]
Instructions
- Combine pineapples, strawberries, rhubarb, pectin, lemon peel, and lemon juice in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Add sugar, stirring until all sugar dissolves. Return to a rolling boil and boil hard one minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and raisins. Ladle hot conserve into hot jars. Leave ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust lids and rings.
- Process in water bath canner for 15 minutes. Leave untouched for 24 hours.
Spring Conserve
Cooking Methods
- Water Bath Canner
- Mason Jar, Lids, and Rings
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pineapple, crushed (about one whole pineapple)…[$4.00]
- 1½ cups strawberries, crushed (about a pound)…[$3.00]
- 1¼ cups rhubarb, diced…[$1.99]
- 6 tbsp. fruit pectin, …[$3.00]
- 1 tbsp. lemon peel, grated…[$0.05]
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice, …[$0.10]
- 6½ cups white granulated sugar, …[$1.89]
- ½ cup pecans, finely chopped optional…[$1.92]
- ½ cup raisins, optional…[$0.38]
Instructions
- Combine pineapples, strawberries, rhubarb, pectin, lemon peel, and lemon juice in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Add sugar, stirring until all sugar dissolves. Return to a rolling boil and boil hard one minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and raisins. Ladle hot conserve into hot jars. Leave ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust lids and rings.
- Process in water bath canner for 15 minutes. Leave untouched for 24 hours.