National Center for Home Food Preservation

Caution: These recommendations should not be used with bananas, figs, Asian pears, tomatoes, cantaloupe and other melons, papaya, ripe mango or coconut. There are no home canning recommendations available for purees of these products.

Procedure: Stem, wash, drain, peel, and remove pits if necessary. Measure fruit into large saucepan, crushing slightly if desired. Add 1 cup hot water for each quart of fruit. Cook slowly until fruit is soft, stirring frequently. Press through sieve or food mill. If desired for flavor, add sugar to taste. Reheat pulp to boil, or until sugar dissolves if added. Fill hot into clean jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Processing directions for canning purees 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 Fruit Purees in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	15 min	20	25

Table 2. Process Times for Fruit Purees in a Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time (Min)	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	8	6	7	8	9

Table 3. Process Times for Fruit Purees in a Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canner.
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time (Min)	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	8	5	10

This document is an update of information extracted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA. Revised 2009. Released by Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D., National Center for Home Food Preservation, August 2003.

Selecting, Preparing and Canning Fruit

Fruit Purees