How to Make Syrup for Canning Pineapple

While cutting and prepping your fresh pineapples, keep their cores! While they may not be edible, they are the perfect juice-filled center to help you create a syrup to retain the flavor of each pineapple chunk. While you may be tempted to simply cover your pineapple with water, chunks or crushed, I really do not advise doing so. Sadly, canning pineapple in water seems to dilute the flavor of the pineapple.

Creating a very simple syrup using the cores of fresh pineapple will ensure your home canned pineapple retain their flavor during processing and long-term storage.

Two Fresh Pineapples = Yield approx. 5 pints or 10 half-pints of Canned Pineapple Chunks

That is the math you will need to determine:

• How many fresh pineapples to buy/grow,
• How many jars you should have clean and ready, and
• How much syrup you will need to make to fill all of those jars

Simple Syrup for Canning Fresh Pineapple

Makes approx. 5 pints or 10 half-pints

Ingredients

• Cores from 2 fresh pineapples
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar, optional

Instructions

1. Take the pineapple cores from 2 fresh pineapples and place them in a saucepan.
2. Place the 6 cups of water into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar (if using) to the water. Using a whisk, whisk the sugar into the water until it is fully dissolved. Add the sugared water to the saucepan. If you are not using sugar, simply place the water into the saucepan with the pineapple cores.
3. Using medium-high heat, bring the cores to a boil. Boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring often to avoid scorching.
4. Cover the saucepan with a lid and remove from heat. Set aside until ready to ladle into your jars of pineapple chunks.
5. Do not be surprised if you have syrup left over after filling your jars. It is better to have more than not enough.

Now, depending on how many pineapples you have, you may do the math so you may have enough syrup on hand to adequately fill your jars prior to processing.

For instance, if you have 4 fresh pineapples, you would double the recipe. Doing so would mean you would use the cores from 4 fresh pineapples, 12 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar, if using.

For the recipe for canning pineapple, click here.

You get the picture! Have fun, and Happy Canning!

xo
Diane, The Canning Diva
www.canningdiva.com