How to Can Blueberry Pie Filling
Canning blueberry pie filling lets you enjoy this summer treat all year long! Preserve blueberries with this recipe for home-canned blueberry pie filling.
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Blueberries are one of my favourite summer fruits. I love to eat them fresh, and frozen blueberries can’t be beat! I usually buy a bunch in the summer and freeze pounds of them to use throughout the year in baking, on top of cereal, in smoothies, in oatmeal, on ice cream and yogurt, or just to eat by the handful. But one of my favourite ways to preserve them is to make home-canned blueberry pie filling.
We purchase organic blueberries from a local farm and every year our order seems to get larger and larger! This year I ordered 40 pounds to preserve in various forms and to get us through the year (because I just refuse to pay top dollar for berries from other countries when they’re not in season here, especially non-organic ones that have been sprayed with all sorts of chemicals. Yuck!)
We do have four blueberry bushes of our own, but since this is our first summer in our new home and we only just planted them this spring, we don’t have nearly enough to enjoy fresh and preserve too. (Plus, we have a three-year-old who likes to swipe all the blueberries off the plant as soon as they’re ready to eat!)
I’ve been canning blueberry pie filling for a few years now and every year I seem to put up more and more jars because it is such a handy thing to keep on hand in the pantry all year long! It makes for a super quick and easy dessert if you need to whip something together at the last minute, and I actually find that using this home-canned pie filling makes for a thicker, less runny pie filling than you get when making it fresh.
This recipe is adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, which I affectionately call my “canning bible.” It’s packed with 400 recipes for canning everything from jams, jellies pie fillings and preserves to stocks, soups, sauces and so much more. If canning is something you want to learn more about or you want to expand your repertoire of home canning recipes, I can’t recommend this book highly enough!
If you already own a copy of this book, you might notice that I’ve made a few minor changes to the recipe. For one, I’ve doubled the batch because I just don’t see much point in doing all of the prep work just to make a measly three or four pints. Plus, I like to can my pie filling in quart jars because I find that one quart of blueberry pie filling is the perfect amount for a standard 9-inch pie.
Now, if you’ve read any of my canning recipes before, you know I always stress that you should follow a tried and tested recipe and don’t alter it as it could make your recipe unsafe. However, once you understand how canning works, you can actually tweak recipes a bit here and there.
Basically the most important thing when water-bath canning fruits like blueberries is that you maintain the acidity levels as this is what prevents botulism spores from growing. Typically when canning most fruits you are able to use the water-bath method because fruits are already high in acidity. The addition of lemon juice helps to make sure that acidity is maintained.
From there, it’s recommended that you don’t change a recipe too much as adding different ingredients can affect the acidity level. However all I did with this recipe was swap plain water for blueberry water (for extra flavour), and add nutmeg (which is quite common in similar canning recipes).
I much preferred the flavour once I added the nutmeg. Of course, nutmeg is completely optional, and you could even make your pie filling without nutmeg and then add it later. Or try cinnamon instead! But I personally find that the nutmeg really brings out the flavour of the blueberries in this pie filling.
Canning pie filling in general is also super easy even if you’re a total canning newbie. You don’t need much in the way of special equipment, but one thing that is highly recommended is using Clear-Jel, which is basically a thickener that takes the place of flour or cornstarch in pie filling.
Clear-Jel is recommended for canning because flour and cornstarch can end up clumping together and affecting the quality of your canned pie filling. Clear-Jel is a corn derivative just like cornstarch, but is is made to withstand the heat of canning and maintains its consistency. It’s widely recommended for use in canning pie filling and is even considered to be the safer method. But mostly it’s a quality issue.
Using Clear-Jel (cook-type, not instant) will ensure your pie filling comes out of the jar just as good as when it went in!
Otherwise I do recommend a few basic canning tools that will make your life much easier (and spare you from scolding your hands with boiling water or hot pie filling!) These are the tools I use, love and recommend:
- Canning scoop
- Canning funnel (with built-in headspace measurement)
- Jar lifter
Once you have everything you need, you’re ready to get canning!
As for what to do with your canned pie filling afterward? Well, of course you can make some delicious, flaky homemade pie crust and use your blueberry pie filling to make a traditional homemade blueberry pie. But there are so many other ways to enjoy it too!
Try it over cheesecake, mixed with yogurt or oatmeal, or for a really quick and easy dessert, dump pie filling into a baking dish and cover with a mixture of rolled oats, butter and sugar to make a crumble. (You can use the same crumble topping that I use for my homemade apple crumble to make a blueberry crumble with this pie filling).
And of course, you could always just crack a jar and eat it with a spoon. There is absolutely no shame in that;)
Oh, and if you like this recipe, be sure to check out my recipe for home-canned cherry pie filling too! While I love blueberry pie, cherry pie is by far my favourite, so I ALWAYS make sure to stock up on home-canned cherry pie filling each summer.
What about you? What’s your favourite type of pie? How else would you use this home-canned pie filling? Leave a comment below and let me know!
How to Can Blueberry Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 14 cups blueberries (washed and de-stemmed)
- 3 1/3 cups Sugar
- 1 1/3 cups ClearJel
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- water
Instructions
- Prepare canner, jars and lids.
- Fill a large stainless steel pot halfway with water and boil over high heat. Add blueberries and cook for one minute.
- Drain blueberries, allowing blueberry water to drain into a bowl. Cover blueberries to keep them warm. Reserve 4 cups of the blueberry liquid. *Note: If you accidentally forget to reserve the blueberry liquid, just measure out 4 cups of regular water.
- In a large stainless steel pot, mix sugar and Clear-Jel. Whisk in 4 cups of reserved blueberry liquid and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Stirring constantly, reduce heat and boil lightly until mixture begins to bubble and thicken (it will get quite thick and you will feel resistance so you'll know when it's thick enough).
- Stir in lemon juice and nutmeg and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and gently mix in the warm blueberries.
- Remove hot jars from canner one at a time and ladle hot pie filling into each one, leaving just a bit more than one inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles with a knife and adjust headspace if needed.
- Wipe rim, place lid on jar and screw band down until fingertip tight.
- Place jars in canner and make sure they're completely submerged in water before placing the canner lid on. Bring water to a boil and process jars for 30 minutes. Once processing time is up, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid and allow jars to rest in the canner for another 5 minutes.
- Remove jars and let cool completely before storing in a cool dark place.
Wanna learn how to can your own food?
Whether you’ve never canned anything before or you’ve done a little canning and you’re ready to take the next step, my Yes, You CAN! complete home canning course will walk you through everything you need to know to get started canning food SAFELY at home.
Over the course of 12 easy-to-follow lessons, we cover both water bath canning and pressure canning, and I show you step-by-step how to can your own jams, jellies, pickles, pie fillings, fruits, vegetables, tomato sauce and chicken stock at home. And of course we’ll go over canning safety, equipment and over all best practices in more depth so that you always feel confident both during the canning process and while enjoying your home-canned food afterwards.
You’ll also get a collection of bonuses including:
- Printable checklists and cheatsheets to help you stay safe and never miss a step while canning food at home
- My bonus Jam and Jelly Making Mini-Course to help you make and can your own jams and jellies with store-bought pectin, no pectin and even low-sugar
- A copy of my Home Canning Handbook, complete with 30 of my favourite home canning recipes for canning everything from fruits and vegetables to jams and jellies to sauces and salsa to stocks, soups, meats, combination meals and more!
If you’re ready to get started canning (or canning more food than ever before this year!) enroll now and get started stocking your pantry!
*** Use code PREPARED2023 until the end of September 2023 to take 20% off the regular price and get lifetime access to the course and all bonuses! ***
I hope to see you in class:)
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I’m all about practical gifts; Gifts that will truly make life easier and contribute to my and my family’s wellbeing. And our family includes our animals!
One of the ways we make sure our chickens are taken care of is by letting them free range during the day, but making sure they’re locked up and safe from predators at night. But who wants to be up at the crack of dawn to open the coop, or wake up to a bloodbath because you forgot to close the coop the night before?
(The answer is obviously no one… No one wants that).
Automating our homesteading tasks as much as possible allows us to worry about other things and saves us a ton of time. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not.
Using an automatic chicken door has been a GAME CHANGER for us. It’s one of those lesser known homestead tools that can make all the difference, and I’m always recommending one to anyone who keeps chickens!
This chicken door from @chickcozy_ is so easy to install and use too, and right now you can get one for a steal during their Black Friday sale!
Save over $40 off an automatic chicken door, plus use my coupon code for an ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT!
Don’t forget to check out their chicken coop heaters too, which are also on sale right now:)
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for the perfect gift for the chicken lover who has everything (which might also be yourself;) the @chickcozy_ automatic chicken door is one Christmas gift that won’t soon be forgotten!
Comment “Chicken” below for more info and to get my exclusive coupon code! 🐓
#chicken #chickens #chickendoor #chickcozyautodoor #chickcozy #chickensofinstagram #chickensofig #chickenlover #homesteadlife
Yes, you read that right…
Modern Homesteading Magazine is coming to an end.
This decision has not come easily, but there’s a season for everything, and more and more I’m feeling called to transition out of this season and into the next in both life and business.
And so this final farewell issue is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s the first ever annual issue, with 100 pages packed with brand new content that celebrates the best of the past 32 issues!
And it’s the first issue I’ve ever offered in PRINT!
But on the other hand, it marks the end of an era, and of this publication that I’ve absolutely had the pleasure of creating and sharing with you.
If you’re a digital subscriber, you will not be charged a renewal fee going forward, and will continue to have access to the digital library until your subscription runs out. As part of your subscription, you’re able to download and/or print each issue of you like, so that you never lose access to the hundreds of articles and vast amount of information in each issue.
Rather than subscribing, you can now purchase an all-access pass for a one-time fee of just $20, which gives you access to our entire digital library of issues.
Plus, for a limited time, when you purchase an all-access pass you’ll also get a gift certificate for a second all-access pass to gift to someone else.
I’m also still taking preorders for the print version of this special edition issue, but only for a few more weeks!
When you preorder the print issue, you’ll also get a digital copy of the special edition issue (this issue only), and will receive a print copy in the mail later this year (hopefully by Christmas so long as there are no shipping delays!)
Click the link in my profile or visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to check out the latest issue, purchase an all-access pass to the digital library and/or preorder the print issue today!
Thanks to everyone who has read the magazine over the past 4 years. I’m humbled and grateful for your support, and can’t wait to share whatever comes next:)
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #homesteadersofinstagram
It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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Hum, interesting. Should it be 3,5 quarts or 7 pints ?
Anna Sakawsky on July 12, 2019 at 12:34 pm
Hi Lori!
This recipe makes about 4 quarts or 8 pints.
Anna Sakawsky on April 24, 2021 at 3:52 pm
Hi Deena,
This recipe makes 3 quarts or 6 pints.
Hi Georges,
This recipe is adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, which states that the recipe should make 4 quarts / 8 pints. However in practice, I typically only get 3 quarts / 6 pints out of this recipe. Sometimes there’s a little extra leftover that I’ll put in the fridge, but not enough to can. The amounts can sometimes vary. I always prepare extra jars just in case, but usually I get about 3 quart jars or 6 pints from this recipe. Sorry about the confusion!
Can sub the sugar with Splenda or Stevia
Hi Shirley – if you’d like to use other sweeteners, it is recommended that you look for recipes that specifically use those sweeteners. Here is more information – Canning with Less Sugar
I’m moving hundreds of miles from my overachieving blueberry bush (9 gallons this year!). I’m using all the half pint jars I have to take jam with me to my new home, and I’ve still got buckets of berries. I was all set to try this recipe when I realized it makes 3 quarts. I’ve only got 2 one-quart jars. Then I realized, I can make a pie! Thanks! Boy, I’m gonna miss that bush. 🙁
Bonjour Anna, here in Quebec it is blueberries high season. We got kilos from our garden. We will make preserve as you suggest. To do so, we have two questions : first, can we substitute sugar with maple syrup ? Second, can we substitute Clearjel with chia as the thickener ?
Merci, have a nice day.
Great questions, Georges!
First, yes – you can substitute maple syrup for sugar in canning recipes without any safety issues. However, it will change the product described in Anna’s recipe. The amount to substitute seems dependent on taste preference. One source said for every cup of sugar substitute 2/3 cup maple syrup and reduce the overall liquid by 1/4 cup. BUT as Anna nor I have tried this recipe with a sugar substitute, we can not guarantee the finished product will be the same. This link has some good information on canning fruits with syrup. (https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=331404) It seems that the product quality may be a concern when making the switch but not safety of the product.
Secondly, chia seeds have not been tested for use as a thickener and I would not try it. Your best bet would be to omit the thickener completely for canning. The pie filling will be fine to can without the thickener and then you are free to thicken it as you wish when you will actually use it. Again, do not can anything with chia seeds for safety reasons.
Enjoy all those wonderful blueberries!
Getting ready to make a batch of your blueberry pie filling. My blueberries are frozen. Do I need to thaw them first or adjust any cooking time? Wish me luck!
Hi Donna,
When using frozen berries, the process is the same with a couple of adjustments.
First, measure the berries while frozen (like as fresh) for accuracy.
Second, thaw the berries but as you do do, drain and save the juice they leave and set aside.
Then follow the process in the recipe including heating in water and draining/saving the liquid (separately from thawed juice).
When measuring the 4 cups liquid for the recipe, use the thawed juice first and then continue with the warm juice if needed.
The rest should is the same as in the recipe.
Enjoy!!
This is gonna be great! How many finished quarts does the 14 cups make? (On avg)
Oops! Just saw it, nvm!
How many quarts does this make?
Hi Deena,
This recipe makes 3 quarts or 6 pints.
Oh my! I just made 6 pints of this heavenly goodness! I actually had some extra and put it in 2 1/2 pint jars in the fridge. Not sure if I measured wrong or didn’t fill the jars enough. Those two pints in the fridge probably won’t make it through the night! We will eat it with a spoon! Sooooo good! Used the blueberries from my yard. I have enough to do another batch tomorrow, was gonna make jelly with those but now I may just make more pie filling!
That’s wonderful, Donna! The actual amount of filling really depends on many factors including berry size and volume. That is why I always prep one or two extra jars for the extra that may occur. I don’t always need them, but they come in handy when I do. 😉
Hi Anna, Is there anything I can do with all this leftover blueberry water after canning my pie filling?
Hi Sona,
If you have blueberry water left over you can turn it into juice or jelly!
Hi Anna,
I just made a triple batch of your pie filling and wound up with 9 quarts. I saw above that you mentioned making jelly with the leftover blueberry water. Do you have a recipe for that, or suggestions?
Hi Trina,
I am impressed that you were able to make such a large batch of this yummy pie filling! Great job! 🙂
Jellies are generally very easy. You will only need the juice and some sugar and pectin (and sometimes lemon juice). The amounts of each will vary depending on the pectin you will use. There are several brands out there and you can get a good jelly using any of them (powder or liquid, regular or low sugar). Each package will have recipes inside for jellies and jams for you to follow. For a blueberry jelly just follow the instructions for the berry jelly (it will work for all berries not listed individually). And you can add a bit of water to the juice to make the total amount of juice needed for your recipe if you are little bit short on the volume.
The process will be similar to Anna’s Spiced Plum Jelly recipe in which she uses a liquid pectin. However, some measurements may be slightly different depending on your choice of pectin and I would remove the spices unless you wanted a touch of the nutmeg like Anna used in her pie recipe. Here is her spiced plum jelly recipe for reference: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/spiced-plum-jelly/
I hope that helps. 🙂
Hi Trina,
Tish had some good tips. If you want to use a powdered pectin for your jelly, here’s a good recipe to follow (just sub your blueberry juice for the blackberry juice in this recipe).
Can this recepie be used for making huckleberry pie filling?
As I have not tried to can huckleberries in any way, I can not say for certain. I would venture to say that it probably can be done as most berries are similarly handled for canning. I may not use the nutmeg (unless you choose to do so) but I would say to give it a try and see. Maybe do a small batch as a test to see if it turns out the way you like it.
This recipe is adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Food Preservation. It calls specifically for blueberries so I can’t guarantee that huckleberries would work in place of the blueberries in this exact recipe. It shouldn’t be a problem as far as safety is concerned as huckleberries are quite a high acid fruit, but I’m not sure of the amounts or how much liquid you would get out of them for your filling.
If you use frozen blueberries do you still need to blanch them?
Do you just add the blueberries to the boiling water and cook for one minute or do you bring them back to a boil and cook for one minute after that?
When it’s time to make the pie, how long should it bake, seeing as how the filling is already prepared and edible? Should it still bake for 50 minutes or so?
Yes it still needs to bake as long as the recipe says – follow the directions for the specific pie crust recipe you are using 🙂
Thank you 😊
Yes, you need to bring them up to a boil first.
I wish I would have known that because I just made 2 batches and I did not bring the blueberries back up to a boil. Other than that they taste amazing and I hope they come out ok
This recipe looks amazing but just to be sure I understand – do I need to boil my blueberries if they are frozen?
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Can I make this with a sugar substitute such as erythritol?
Hi Jin,
I’ve never tried using a sugar substitute like this but in theory you could. It wouldn’t affect the safety of the finished product however it may affect the flavour so I’m not sure quite how it would turn out. I would maybe try doing a small batch first and then try that out a few days later after it’s had a chance to sit on your shelf for a few days and then if you like the result go ahead and can more. But you may find you don’t like the flavour in the end so I would just start small. The other thing you can do is reduce the sugar content. Again, sugar has no bearing on safety with canning so it would be safe to reduce the sugar. It just might affect the overall flavour and quality of your finished product.
Great, thank you!
A sugar substitute? Why do that if you are looking into fresh canning techniques that have been introduced for hundreds of years.
Why change a good thing? Personally I wouldn’t give my family anything
called erythritol! I know they say it’ s natural, but it can’t be as good as plain old refined sugar…just my opinion. However, if there’s a diabetic in the family and you want to eliminate refined sugar maybe someone out there can help, but if that is not the reason then keep it simple, the way granma used to make it.
This is My first year of Canning and it’s been a great joy!
When you measure your fruit do you use a liquid measuring cup?
I attempted to make Cherry Jam and used Turbinado Cane Sugar. It has a more course texture verses Domino Granulated Sugar. The batch did not have a firm set. It is more like a sauce. Do you think the substation of Sugar could have been the problem?
I’m enjoying all the information on your boards!
sticky mess. I am sure it will come out like store bought. transferring berries is also messy. I think I will just make the fruit canned and add the clear gel to the semi finished pie.
You can also can up the filling without the clear gel and add a thickener When you’re ready to make your pie. At this point you can use clear gel or you can use another thickener like flour or cornstarch.
Hi! A little late to the conversation but I just made this using 14 cups of blueberries I just picked from my bush. I followed instructions but got exactly 4 quarts out of it. Is that ok? It tastes delicious. Just nervous about the acidity since I got 4 instead of 3 but still only used 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Thanks
Hi Alicia! Yes as long as you followed the directions and have the correct headspace, etc. if you got a full 4 quarts instead of 3 then it’s fine. I always prepare an extra jar just in case for this exact reason. I always find that the end result is either a little more or less than what it “should” be. Sometimes it’s little things like extra cooking time, temperature, size of the berries, etc. that can cause a difference in the end yield. Totally normal and safe so long as you followed the directions:)
Thank you for this recipe!!!
i,m excited to find your post,as i didn’t know anything about canning pie filling, i will be canning blueberry pie filling tomorrow, and in four days canning peach pie filling.so happy to learn about CLEAR jell !! i do have one question however, is there any way to keep the blue berry skins more tender rather than chewy after they are cooked ? thank you for so much information.i’m only 80 and still learning !
Hi Doris!
I’ve never had a problem with blueberry skins being chewy once canned. Not with this recipe anyway so I’m not sure what to tell you. If you follow the recipe as it’s written you should have no problems:)
Can you use stevia for part of the sugar.
My Clear Jel was clumpy, so my first batch of pie filling had small hard lumps in it. I sifted the next time around, with much better results. I made one batch with fresh lemons and one with Realemon. The fresh batch was delicious; the other, less so. Thanks for this great recipe with its excellent instructions.
is the liquid clear gel thats used for making jam the same as the clear gel for pies? ive only been able to find jam one
Hi Karen,
I’m not sure I’ve seen Clear Jel for jam. Unless you’re talking about Sure Jell? And if so, no they’re not the same. Sure Jell is actually pectin for helping jam set, whereas Clear Jel is a modified corn starch that is used for thickening things like pie filling. Sure Jell would likely make your filling too thick and more like a jam than a pie filling. Clear Jel can be hard to find though so it’s not very well known. Here is where you can purchase Clear Jel online: Hoosier Hill Farm Clear Jel
Carnet foods also sells Ultra Gel and it’s amazing. That’s where I buy mine from. Also the nutmeg makes a HUGE difference, 1 tsp is the perfect amount
Can u use less clearjel if you want a softer set, we would use it more for over cake or on our dessert pizzas. Not sure why the berries need to be boiled. My husband was thinking more whole berry, not mushy?
Hi Mary,
Yes, you could use less Clearjel or even none at all and just thicken your pie filling when it comes out of the jar. If you omit it, fill to 1/2 inch headspace and then drain out 1/3 cup of liquid before adding thickener. As for boiling/blanching the blueberries, this is actually done to get the air out of the fruits as otherwise this can cause fruit to float to the top and can cause extra air to try to escape the jars while they’re being processed which can cause sticky liquid to pour out and over the rim preventing a seal. I don’t think the extra one minute of blanching makes them any more mushy than putting them in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes naturally will. They still maintain their shape:)
Is it safe to assume you process the same length of time for both the pints and quarts?
Yes, same processing time, however you’ll need to increase the processing time if you live more than 1,000 feet above sea level. I’ll make a note about that in the post.
I feel that you need to re-check number 10, as I feel you have a few items mixed up. Example #9 add lid, #10 submerged without lid. Some people may not know. But beside that I like the recipes and I am a first time user with clear-jel. Thank you for a different/better way of canning a pie mix.
I understand you are talking about the canner lid but some may not.
Hi Ken! I totally see what you’re saying! I will specify that I mean the canning lid. Thanks for the comment!
How many quarts does this recipe make ?
Hi Lori!
This recipe makes about 4 quarts or 8 pints.
Can I use frozen blueberries in this recipe
Yes you can!
Can a pressure cooker be used instead of a water bath? If so, at what pressure and for how long?
Hi Maribeth,
First off I’m assuming you mean a pressure canner, as you should never can in a pressure cooker. While you should be able to pressure can this recipe in theory, I haven’t been able to find a tested pressure canning recipe for pie filling so I would recommend sticking to water bath canning just to be on the safe side.
Does one quart make 2 pies?
In my experience, one quart will make one pie in a 9” pie plate.
Hi, did you use food coloring in your blueberry pie filling or did it turn out that color naturally.
No food colouring:) That is the natural colour. Blueberries can actually be used as a natural dye!
I bought from an Amish farmer in Lancaster pa. A quart jar of his canned blueberries. My question is; To make the blueberry pie. Do I drain any of the blueberry liquids . Or do I incorporate all in the pie. Canning the fruit is understanding. But do you use a regular recipe to make the pie. Is anything different. Is 4 tsp. Or 4 tablespoons used to make this pie. I would appreciate you telling me. Want to make this pie but, I don’t want to run it. I would appreciate you text me back. Thank you Judy
Hi Judy!
If you’re using canned pie filling you do not need to drain any liquid out. Just dump it right in your pie crust and you’re good to go! You can use a regular pie crust recipe (this is the one I use: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/easy-pie-purpose-pie-crust/). Just make your pie crust and dump the filling in and bake as normal! I’m not sure I understand what you mean when you ask about 4 tsp. vs. 4 Tbsp. Could you be more specific? I hope this helps. Let me know how it turns out!
What exactly is clear Helsinki and can I use anything else at all?
Hi Erin,
Clear Jel is a modified corn starch that is commonly used as a thickener in home canning recipes. It is the number one recommended thickening product for things like home-canned pie filling because it gels evenly, while flour and regular cornstarch tend to clump up and leave you with a lower quality final product. You can safely omit it and then add a thickener at the time of baking. I normally wouldn’t recommend a modified food product but it is the most highly recommended product in home canning today and it’s what I use in all of my pie fillings.
Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe! I made a batch and had about 1/2 quart “leftover” that I made into a crumble. Delicious! I can’t wait to taste that fresh blueberry taste again this winter. Canning instructions worked perfectly for me! Now I plan to try some of your other canning recipes. Thanks so much!
That’s so awesome Emily! I’m glad you enjoyed it:) I often find I have “leftovers” from canning recipes, but I honestly never mind. I like having some to eat right away;)
We’ve been growing 12 varieties of organic fruits, berries, grapes etc for 33 years on an acre on edge of town as well as raising chickens for meat & eggs. I was a county fair & state fair competitor in home preservation then became a state fair judge & teach home preservation to new brides etc. I found new products about 15 yrs ago from the Amish community called ThermoFlo & PermaFlo. Superior consistency and best part they’re about half cost of Clear Jel. I’m not sure if you made differentiation between Clear Jel instant and Clear Jel cook in your post above but they’re different products. We use the cook variety in pie fillings. People new to canning aren’t always aware of the difference.
I’ve picked 36 gallons of blueberries so far this summer and 14gallons of raspberries and now our blackberries are coming on. Before the berries I put up our sour pie cherries & a gazillion red currants. I made jelly with the currants but also steamed a bunch and canned the juice to use in making red currant cordial which I’m doing today along with red raspberry cordial. I”ll use it in drinks like raspberry shrub this winter. Enjoy yourself.
I didn’t know about Clear Jel Instant. Thanks for clarifying! I will also look into ThermoFlo/PermaFlo. I hadn’t heard of these products either!
You’re a total inspiration! We are actually just moving to a new house and there is a huge red currant bush out front. I’ve never worked with them and don’t really need new jelly so I was thinking about either drying them to use in tea or juicing them. I love the idea of a red currant cordial! I think I’ll try that. Our raspberries are also coming on so I will keep the cordial idea in the back of my mind for sure. I made a juice concentrate with rhubarb this year that was amazing so I like that idea. Thanks for sharing!
Your gardening and canning are my goals! Are you in a gardening group where I can find you to ask questions?! Thank you!
Hi Anna! I don’t currently run a group page other than the pages for my paid courses, but you can find me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/thehouseandhomestead or on Instagram (where I usually hang out) @thehouseandhomestead (https://www.instagram.com/thehouseandhomestead/)
Thanks for the link! Awesome post by the way!