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How to Make Canned Blueberry Pie Filling
You can make canned blueberry pie filling right at home with just a few simple ingredients.
The process involves cooking blueberries with sugar, lemon juice, and a thickening agent like cornstarch.
Then you seal the filling in sterilized jars so you can enjoy homemade blueberry pie filling any time you want.
It’s a smart way to preserve that fresh summer blueberry flavor for pies, cobblers, and desserts all year long.
In this post, we’ll walk through how to make canned blueberry pie filling step by step, including the tools you need and a few tips to get it right every time.
Ingredients and Tools for Canned Blueberry Pie Filling
Before you start making canned blueberry pie filling, gather everything so the process goes smoothly.
1. Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
You’ll need about 6 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries for a standard batch of canned blueberry pie filling.
Frozen berries work just fine and you don’t even need to thaw them first.
If using fresh blueberries, rinse them and remove any stems or mushy berries.
2. Sugar and Lemon Juice
Sugar sweetens the filling and helps preserve it once the jars are sealed.
About 1½ to 2 cups of granulated sugar works for a balanced, not-too-sweet blueberry pie filling.
Lemon juice adds acid, which brightens the flavor and helps the filling set properly.
3. Clear Jel or Cornstarch
For canning, Clear Jel is the preferred thickener for blueberry pie filling because it stays stable at high temperatures.
Cornstarch works too but is better for a freezer version rather than shelf-stable canning.
4. Jars, Lids, and a Water Bath Canner
Use sterilized pint or quart jars with new lids for canning blueberry pie filling safely.
A water bath canner and a jar lifter will make the whole process much easier.
How to Make Canned Blueberry Pie Filling Step by Step
Here’s the full process for making this delicious blueberry pie filling from scratch.
1. Prep Your Jars and Water Bath
Start by sterilizing your jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Keep them hot until you’re ready to fill them with the blueberry pie filling.
Fill your water bath canner and bring it to a simmer while you cook the berries.
2. Cook the Blueberries
In a large pot, combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat.
Stir gently as the sugar dissolves and the blueberries release their juices.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the Thickener
Mix Clear Jel with a little cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the hot blueberries.
Cook for another minute or two until the blueberry pie filling thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
This step is what gives your canned blueberry pie filling that perfect gel-like texture.
4. Fill and Seal the Jars
Ladle the hot blueberry pie filling into your prepared jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace.
Wipe the rims, place the lids on, and tighten the bands finger-tight.
5. Process in a Water Bath Canner
Lower the jars into boiling water, making sure they’re fully covered.
Process pint jars for 30 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes, adjusting for altitude if needed.
Once done, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing.
Tips for the Best Canned Blueberry Pie Filling
A few small things make a big difference when you’re canning blueberry pie filling at home.
1. Don’t Skip the Lemon Juice
Lemon juice isn’t just for flavor, it also helps your blueberry pie filling set and stay safe for canning.
2. Use Clear Jel for Canning
Cornstarch can break down during processing, leaving you with a runny blueberry pie filling.
Clear Jel keeps the texture consistent, even after months on the shelf.
3. Adjust Sugar to Taste
The sugar amount affects both flavor and preservation, so try not to cut it too drastically.
If you want a less sweet blueberry pie filling, reduce it slightly but keep enough for safety.
4. Check the Seals Before Storing
After the jars cool, press the center of each lid to make sure it’s sealed.
If any lid pops back, refrigerate that jar and use the blueberry pie filling within a week.
So, How Do You Make Canned Blueberry Pie Filling?
You make canned blueberry pie filling by cooking blueberries with sugar, lemon juice, and Clear Jel.
Then you seal the thickened blueberry pie filling in sterilized jars and process them in a water bath canner.
With a little prep and the right ingredients, you can stock your pantry with jars of homemade blueberry pie filling that taste like summer any time of year.
Once you try making canned blueberry pie filling yourself, you may never go back to the store-bought stuff again.