During the height of canning season – we seem to end up in the kitchen every day canning something from the garden.  The tomato harvest at it’s peak brings in around a bushel a day – and the ripening peppers seem to beg us to take them home as we make our morning stroll down each row.

So with the sheer volume of veggies  – we make it a priority to can at least one thing every evening – and sometimes a double batch if the holding rack and refrigerator begin to overflow.

We thought for today we would share our 10 most popular canning recipes of all time on the website.

For those who haven’t attempted canning yet – it is much easier than you think – and so worth the effort!

If it still seems a bit daunting – the good news is that all of the recipes below can be frozen for storage if you still want to preserve.

And last – even though its requested often – I still haven’t shared the family recipe for hot pepper mustard (even with Jim – although I seem him trying to take notes when I make it 🙂 )   Maybe someday….

Our Most Popular Canning Recipes:

1. Strawberry Honey Jam – uses 4 natural ingredients.  This by far has been our most popular canning post over the last 2 years. With the massive amounts of sugar added to traditional jams, this is a great alternative to those who prefer more natural ingredients.

2. Sweet Pickle Relish – a standard condiment that can be used for so much more than just a topping on a hot dog or hamburger. Use in potato salad, deviled eggs, or whatever dish you like that needs that extra sweet tang.

3. Cowboy Candy – Candied Jalapenos – what a sweet treat, and what a terrific way to use all those jalapenos that come on at the end of the summer. This by far is my favorite addition to almost any sandwich!

4. Garlic Dill Pickle Recipe – who doesn’t love the crunch of a dill pickle! Use all those cucumbers to create your own version of the dill pickle. With a few hints, you can make your own crunchy dill pickles to enjoy throughout the year!

5.  Crockpot Apple Butter – No Sugar Added! – If you have every been to Amish country, the chances are that you have had a piece of fresh bread with a layer of apple butter.  

Now you can make your own – without all the added white, refined sugar.  Plus, your house will smell wonderful at the day’s end!

6. How to Make and Can the Perfect Applesauce – I think this one is so popular because almost every kid in America loves applesauce.  And what better feeling is there than knowing what is exactly it is made of.  Fresh apples are typically easy to find, and using ‘seconds’ is an economical way to preserve that fresh flavor.

7. Pasta Sauce (aka Spaghetti Sauce) – one of the staples in our canning pantry.  We make about 30 quarts of pasta sauce each summer to help with those last minute, or late night dinners after a long work day or a quick meal after attending a ball game.  We always make a few extra to give away to family and friends, as it is a huge hit!

8. Picante Salsa – this recipe is our scaled down version to allow for a smaller quantity, but can easily be made in larger batches. You can also check out our larger quantity recipe in this article: Picante Salsa – larger batches.

9. Summertime Salsa Recipe – This recipe is similar to the picante recipe, however, like traditional salsa, it contains larger diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers as compared to picante salsa. We sometimes combine this salsa with our canned picante sauce to make everyone in the house happy (can you really do that?).

10. V-8 Tomato Juice Recipe – A step up from the traditional tomato juice recipe – see how to make your own Tomato Juice here.  We prefer the spicer version of the “V-8” tomato juice as a daily drink to get a jump start in the morning, or for a refreshing drink after a long afternoon at the farm.

So, there you have it, our top 10 most requested and researched recipes.  Don’t forget to check out our Must-Haves for Canning article to help get you started!   We will continue to post recipes every Friday, and of course, over the next several weeks, they will most likely be related to preserving the summer garden (aka: canning and freezing). You can look for how to can hot pepper rings, basic ketchup, and barbecue sauce, just to mention a few.

Happy Canning!

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Mary and Jim