Canning summer vegetables is a great way to preserve the bounty of a summer garden or to take advantage of in season summer produce sales! Get the details on preserving summer produce now!
I had no idea what I was getting into this summer. The abundant harvest, while wonderful, caught me completely off guard!
And though I was surprised by all the work that went into preserving such a bountiful garden, I was thankful for the opportunity to can food for my family to eat throughout the year.
We had so much food within the first 3 weeks of harvest season, that Mr. Homestead ended up completely rebuilding the pantry so it could accommodate all the jars! This was just day one... the shelves are packed full now!
How to Preserve Summer Vegetables
So if you're lucky enough to have a abundance of produce this year, or maybe you just found a really great deal on your favorite summer produce at the grocery store (score!!), this list will give you the information you need to preserve your food for the months ahead!
Water Bath Canning
There are many things from your summer garden that you can water bath can, which means you don't need any special equipment to preserve your food!
Here are just a few of the ways you can preserve the summer with water bath canning:
Apple Butter
Beets, pickled
Blackberry Jelly
Cherries
Chow-Chow
Dill Relish
Dill Spears
Enchilada Sauce
Okra
Raspberry Jam
Red Plum Jam
Strawberry Jam
Sweet Pickles
Sweet Relish
Tomato Salsa
Tomato Sauce
Watermelon Jelly
I love water bath canning because it's quick, and doesn't require any special equipment. But there are many things that need to be pressure canned for safety. The next section will point you to the recipes you need for pressure canning your summer vegetables!
Pressure Canning
Pressure canning may seem intimidating (I hear that all the time, and it really is when you're just starting out!), but with a little guidance you can open up a whole new world of canning!
For example, with pressure canning you can preserve vegetables, meat, soups, and more! Here are a few ways to use pressure canning to your advantage this summer:
Carrots
Chicken Bone Broth Soup
Chili
Corn
Green Beans
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
White Potatoes
You might not be ready for pressure canning, and that's totally fine! Instead, try freezing or drying your remaining summer vegetables!
Freezing or Drying the Rest
While water bath canning and pressure canning cover a lot of your garden, there are probably a lot of things you're growing right now that aren't on the "can-able" list.
But don't worry, there are lots of ways to preserve the rest of your garden without needing to can the produce!
For example you zucchini can be canned, but I haven't found many people who like it that way. And spaghetti squash can only be saved by freezing, so I'm going to cover all of those options for you in this section!
Freezing
Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Corn
Fried Green Tomatoes, breaded
Fried Okra, breaded
Mashed Potatoes
Spinach
Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Tomatoes (if you don't want to can them)
Watermelon
Dehydrating/Other
If you're in need of a new dehydrator, let me recommend the one I have used for the last 15 years. It's held up to 10 moves and thousands of running hours!
The Excalibur dehydrator is simple the best there is - check it out today!
Beet Chips, in coconut oil
Cantaloupe
Carrot Greens
Okra
Roasted Zucchini Seeds
Strawberry Zucchini Fruit Leather
Watermelon Chips
Zucchini Chips
Kris says
Thanks for including me!
Victoria says
You’re so welcome sweet friend!