Quantity: An average of 12 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts;
an average of 8 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A 24-quart
crate weighs 36 pounds and yields 18 to 24 quarts - an average of 1-3/4
pounds per quart.
Quality: Choose ripe, sweet berries with uniform color.
Procedure: Wash 1 or 2 quarts of berries at a time. Drain, cap, and stem
if necessary. For gooseberries, snip off heads and tails with scissors.
Prepare and boil preferred syrup, if desired. Add 1/2 cup syrup, juice,
or water to each clean jar.
Hot pack -- For blueberries, currants, elderberries, gooseberries, and
huckleberries. Heat berries in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain.
Fill jars and cover with hot juice, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Raw pack -- Fill jars with any of the raw berries, shaking down gently
while filling. Cover with hot syrup, juice, or water, leaving 1/2-inch
headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Processing directions for canning berries in a boiling-water, a dial, or
a weighted-gauge canner are given in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.
Table 1. Recommended process time for Berries, Whole, in a boiling-water
canner.
Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints or Quarts.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 15 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 20 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 20 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 25 min.
Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 15 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 20 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 20 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 25 min.
Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Quarts.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 20 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 25 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 30 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 35 min.
Table 2. Process Times Berries, Whole, in a Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner.
Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints or Quarts.
Process Time: 8 min.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 2,000 ft: 6 lb.
2,001 - 4,000 ft: 7 lb.
4,001 - 6,000 ft: 8 lb.
6,001 - 8,000 ft: 9 lb.
Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints, Quarts.
Process Time: 8 min (for pints), 10 min (for quarts).
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 2,000 ft: 6 lb.
2,001 - 4,000 ft: 7 lb.
4,001 - 6,000 ft: 8 lb.
6,001 - 8,000 ft: 9 lb.
Table 3. Process Times for Berries, Whole, in a Weighted-Gauge Pressure
Canner.
Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints.
Process Time: 8 min.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 5 lb.
Above 1,000 ft: 10 lb.
Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints, Quarts.
Process Time: 8 min for Pints, 10 min for Quarts.
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 5 lb.
Above 1,000 ft: 10 lb.
=============================================================
* USDA Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994)
* Meal-Master format courtesy of Karen Mintzias
