Preserve Food Safely

See trusted resources that help you preserve foods safely and provide best quality. In addition to popular foods and methods found on this page, find more free information, recipes and directions at OSU Extension Home Food Safety and Preservation Publications web page.

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Home Food Safety and Preservation Publications

Keep home-canned Cranberry Sauce in your pantry for all kinds of special meals. Once opened, try blending the Cranberry Sauce with some of your favorite barbeque sauce to serve with a pork roast.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Jars of canned green and red salsa (Tomatillo and Spicy Cranberry Salsa)

If you need a green and red hostess gift, try Tomatillo Salsa and Spicy Cranberry Salsa!

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Cranberries

This year's crop of bright red, tangy cranberries are here! This popular "superfood" is full of vitamins and antioxidents needed for good health. Unlike many fruits, cranberries ripen and are harvested quite late in the food-growing season. Fresh cranberries can be found mid-October or early November just in time for the holiday season and can easily be frozen until needed.

Heated and sweetened cranberries are long known as a perfect sauce for sliced turkey. Make canned Cranberry Sauce and other cranberry-based condiments such as Cranberry Orange Chutney and Spicy Cranberry Salsa to have on hand for your special meals. Canned Spicy Cranberry Salsa adds a delighful kick to your turkey sandwiches. These are also great condiments for other poutry, meat, game and plant-based proteins. All three of these canned products can be made from fresh or frozen cranberries. Eat dried cranberries as a snack or add to oatmeal.

Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Preserving Cranberries - SP50-929

Publication includes information on how to preserve cranberries, including selection, freezing, and drying. Includes recipes for cranberry sauce, salsa, and chutney.

Mar 2013 | Publication

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...

Aug 2009 | OSU Extension Catalog

Display of homemade summer sausage and ingredients

Home made summer sausage is easy to make. These were rolled by hand. No casings required. Use up-to-date recipies or commercial mixes for safe products. Measure carefully.

Photo by Mike Curtis

Shaping summer sausage in 1" rolls for oven baking.

Shape summer sausages into 1-inch to 3-inch diameter rolls. Oven dry at 200 degrees F on a cooling rack over a baking sheet for 3 to 5 hours.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Oven-dried summer sausages cooling on a rack.

Sausages need to reach in internal temperature of 160 degrees F in the oven. When thoroughly cooled, wrap sausage in foil or plastic and refrigerate or freeze. Cooked sausage can be stored in the refrigerator up to three weeks or frozen for a year.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Summer Sausage and Deli Style Meats

Want to make your own summer sausage with your meat? It is easy and delicious. Summer sausage can be easily made at home. Spices and seasonings can be varied to produce your own flavor. Different meats can be used such as venision, turkey, chicken, beef, pork and lamb. Measure carefully. Nitrates/nitrites in home meat cures are necessary to inhibit the growth of botulism. Too much can cause serious illness or death. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension in the publication below. A corned beef recipe has been added.

Summer sausage & deli style meats (SP 50-735)

Publication includes tips on making summer sausage - including ingredients, nitrates/nitrites, cooking, and storage.

Mar 2013 | Article

Display of 7 home canned jars of dry bean varieties. Packaged beans supplied by Bob's Red Mill. Safe, tested resources from the USDA and University of Georgia.

Home canned dry beans (Cannellini, baby Lima, black, red kidney, cranberry, and great northern beans and navy beans in molasses sauce). In addition to OSU Extension food preservation resources, other reliable resources are the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and So Easy to Preserve from University of Georgia Extension.

Dry beans for our nutrition and food preservation public workshops were donated by Bob's Red Mill.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Canned great northern beans.

For best quality, fill jars with dry bean solids to 2-inch head space, then add liquid to 1-inch head space.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Two jars of home canned dry beans in molasses sauce

Home canned dry beans in molasses sauce. This recipe calls for the quick soak method to hydrate the dry beans.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Dry Beans

Looking for a healthy, convenient, plant-based protein food or a low cost meat alternative? Look no further than dried beans! All types of dried beans provide complex carbohydrates that are rich in fiber, contain 20% to 25% protein by weight, and are good sources of minerals and B vitamins.

Try pressure canning beans and using them to make chili, refried beans, dips, or add to soups, casseroles and stews. Canning Tips: Dried beans must be hydrated and boiled for 30 minutes prior to pressure canning to allow for save, adequate heat penetration. For best quality, fill jars with dry bean solids to 2-inch head space, then add liquid to 1-inch head space. "Dry-canned" beans and other low-acid foods are at risk for botulism. Try making refried beans from pressure canned pinto beans or hummus from garbanzo beans. Hummus and refried beans cannot be home canned due to their density.

Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Preserving Dried Beans - SP50-955

Publication provides information on how to preserve dried beans, including preparation, canning, and recipes.

Mar 2013 | Publication

Canning Vegetables

Canning can be a great way to get full benefit from your garden vegetables. When prepared properly, foods will retain their nutrients and flavor. Done improperly, they can kill, cause serious illness, or just plain taste bad. ...

Sep 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog

Canning Soups - SP50-931

Information on how to safely can soup, including procedure and processing times. Includes recipe for clam chowder base.

Mar 2020 | Publication

Pumpkins ready to preserve! Will you pressure can, freeze or dry them? Beware of unsafe processes. It is not safe to can purreed or mashed pumkin or winter squash.

Colorado State University Extension

Pressure canned pumpkin. Canning cubed pumpkin and winter squash assures proper heat penetration for a safe product. Remember to make altitude adjustments by increasing pressure for your elevation. See the Canning Vegetables publication for the chart.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Fall is here with winter squash and pumpkins ready for harvest! These vegetables are full of healthy complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals needed for a well rounded diet.

Try pressure canning cubes for a side dish or add to soups and stews. Puree canned cubes to make pie fillings and soups. Note: Spaghetti squash should not be canned because the flesh does not stay cubed when heated. Rehydrate dried pumpkin and winter squash to use as a side dish or puree to make pumpkin pie and soup. Pumpkin leather with pie spices makes a sweet treat the whole family will enjoy. Freezing is an easy way to preserve pumpkins and winter squash to enjoy all winter long.

Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Preserving Pumpkins and Winter Squash - SP50-767

How to preserve pumpkin/winter squash, including harvesting, storage, canning, freezing, and drying. Includes recipes for pumpkin leather and dried pumpkin seeds.

Mar 2013 | Publication

Canning Vegetables

Sep 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog

Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...

Meat is canned using the hot pack or raw pack method. Meatballs (left) made from ground meat, poultry or wild game (no extra ingredients) must be hot packed. Stew meat (right) is easy and quick to get in the canner for processing using the raw pack method.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Examples of raw pack (l) and hot pack chicken breasts (r).

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Avoid freezer burn with proper freezer packaging methods and materials.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

One chicken makes 3 pint jars of meat and 4 pint jars of stock (broth).

One chicken makes 2 jars of light meat, 1 jar of dark meat and 4 jars of stock (broth).

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Beef dipped in boiling marinade is placed on dehydrator trays.

Heat meat strips in boiling marinade before loading them into a dehydrator in the pre-cook method.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Meat, Poultry and Wild Game

Running out of freezer space? Have a side of beef or wild game you need to find room for? Need directions for safely processing and handling big game?
Try pressure canning strips, cubes and chunks of meat. Ground or chopped meat can also be pressure canned and used to make quick meals. Canned meat can be used for tacos, burritos, added to soups, stews, pasta dishes and casseroles. Jerky is a nutrient-rich, portable and lightweight source of protein. Home freezing is a quick way to preserve your meat and be prepared for delicous meals throughout the year. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Canning Meat, Poultry, and Game

Canning meats is made more simple using this easy-to-follow guide! Wonderful and tasty recipes within.

Mar 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog

Making Jerky at Home Safely

Traditional jerky preparation methods, in which raw meat is dried at about 140 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit won't kill pathogens present in the meat. Learn the steps in making tasty meat jerky at home, including a choice of three techniques that ensure your jerky is safe to eat.

Apr 2012 | OSU Extension Catalog

Freezing Convenience Foods That You've Prepared at Home

How to prepare home-cooked foods for freezing, preserve food quality in frozen storage, and retain quality during thawing and reheating. Covers baked products and doughs, main dishes and meals, eggs, sandwiches, soups, fruit dishes,...

Sep 2002 | OSU Extension Catalog

Frozen Food Storage Guide - SP50-711: Publication includes a table with recommended storage times for frozen foods.
Storing Food for Safety and Quality: This publication provides comprehensive information about home storage of food, including pantry staples, meats, vegetables, fruits, leftovers, home-canned food, and food stored for emergencies. Includes detailed tables listing storage times and optimal storage conditions for most kinds of foods.
Big Game from Hunt to Home: Describes techniques to handle game in the field, to butcher, and to store meat.

Harvest greens from your garden early in the day. If you are in an area impacted by wildfire smoke, rinse off any ash before you bring them inside with a gentle spray from your hose or as soon as you bring them in your kitchen. Give them a second rinse under cool running water rubbing them to loosen any dust or mud between your palms or with your fingertips.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Remove tough stems.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Blanch greens in boiling water or steam. This short heat treatment stops enzymes that can cause undesireable changes in flavor, texture, color, and nutritive value during storage.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Cool greens immediately in ice water for the same length of time used for blanching. When cool, drain, and pat dry.

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard and other greens

Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach and beet greens are important for our health. They provide many important nutrients that support good heart, brain, bone, skin and digestive system health. Preserve greens by freezing, dehydrating or canning. Explore new ways to enjoy greens. Serve heated with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Add chopped greens to pizza toppings, in quiche or casseroles.

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Aug 2009 | OSU Extension Catalog

Canning Vegetables

Sep 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog

Quarts of cubed potatoes ready for water to be added for canning.

Potatoes may be canned safely when peeled and cubed. Add hot water to 1-inch headspace. Then, process in a pressure canner. Remember to make altitude adjustments!

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Potatoes

Potatoes are plentiful right now and are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Safely preserve them to enjoy your harvest for months to come. Pressure can cubed or whole peeled potatoes (small to meduim sized) to use in soups, stews, potato salad, fried potatoes or in a side dish. Or, can potatoes with our Clam Chowder Soup Base recipe for a quick convenience food. Try dehydrating them for quick hashbrowns and additions to soups.

Canning Vegetables

Sep 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Aug 2009 | OSU Extension Catalog

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog

Storing Food for Safety & Quality - PNW 612: This publication provides comprehensive information about home storage of food, including pantry staples, meats, vegetables, fruits, leftovers, home-canned food, and food stored for emergencies. Includes detailed tables listing storage times and optimal storage conditions for most kinds of foods.
Enjoying Home Dried Fruits and Vegetables SP50-587: Dried fruits and vegetables make excellent snack and camping foods, but can also add variety to family meals. This publication offers a variety of recipes that use dried fruits and vegetables.
Canning Soups - SP50-931: Information on how to safely can soup, including procedure and processing times. Includes recipe for clam chowder base.

Boil cored tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds, then plunge in ice cold water to help remove skins easily.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

An option to enhance flavor of canned salsa is to broil peppers until they blister. Roasting over open flame works well, too.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Remove the brown papery outer layer, then rinse green tomatillos before you chop them. Pepper should be rinsed well before chopped fresh or broiled for salsa.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Jars of tomatillo, peach and chili salsa

Tasty Tomatillo, Peach and Chili Salsa! Try some!

Photo by Diane Tolzman

Demonstration of removing cores from tomatoes

We recommend removing the tomato core before blanching. Larger tomatoes can benefit from an "x" cut on the bottom so the skins slip off more easily.

Photo by Glenda Hyde

Salsa!

Hold onto summer all year long by safely canning salsa while tomatoes are still plentiful. Try making a green salsa by substituting tomatillos or green tomatoes for red tomatoes. All colors of heirloom tomatoes make a colorful salsa. Flavorful fruit salsas can be made with cranberries, mangoes and peaches. Find easy to use, safe tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Salsa Recipes for Canning

This popular publication has been updated with 5 new scrumptious-yet-simple salsa recipes and enough approved variations to please even the pickiest salsa makers. We've added detail on key ingredients and safety issues to help ...

Jun 2014 | OSU Extension Catalog

The Laws of Salsa - SP50-1003

Guidelines for preparing and preserving safe, healthy salsa.

Mar 2010 | Publication

Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products

Covers how to select equipment, prepare equipment and tomatoes, pack jars, add acid and salt, close jars, cool, test for a seal, store, and check jars for spoilage. Outlines steps for processing in pressure and boiling-water ...

Jeanne Brandt | Apr 2015 | OSU Extension Catalog

Preserving Tomatillos - SP50-768: How to preserve tomatillos, including harvesting, canning, and making salsa.
Preserving Cranberries - SP50-929: Publication includes information on how to preserve cranberries, including selection, freezing, and drying. Includes recipes for cranberry sauce, salsa, and chutney.
Preserving Mangoes - SP50-1006: Recipes and directions for storing and preserving mangoes. Green mangoes can be canned and made into sauce, chutney and salsa. Ripe mangoes can be frozen or dried. As mangoes ripen, they become less acidic. We do not have safe guidelines for canning ripe mangoes or mango sauce.

Demonstration of removing air bubbles from apple pie filling with a wooden chopstick before canning

Before canning, visible air bubbles trapped in apple pie filling when filling canning jars should be removed. Gently slide a commercial "bubbler" or a clean, sterilized wooden chopstick or corndog stick along the inside of the jar to an air pocket. This will release the air.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Blanched apple slices for the canned apple pie filling recipe.

These apple slices were pre-treated to prevent browning with an ascorbic acid solution, then blanched and kept hot until gently folded into the pie filling mixture for canned apple pie filling. Keeping the ingredients hot and filling the jars quickly prevents spoilage and extends shelflife of canned pie fillings.

Pretreating to prevent browning is also recommended when canning, dehydrating or freezing apple slices. Blanching is an optional step for drying apples, but may help reduce browning that occurs in storage for some apple varieties.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Pretreated apples sliced flat (not wedges) on a dehydrator tray

Pretreated apples, that have been peeled, halved or quartered, and cored are then sliced flat have been loaded into an electric dehydrator tray. "Flats" are easier and safer to slice on a cutting board and may dry more evenly. "Turn the cut-side down."

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Dried apples sliced flat (not wedges) on a dehydrator tray

The same tray of apple "flats" dried.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Apples

Enjoy an apple-a-day all year by preserving Oregon apples now. Versatile apples may be canned, dehydrated or frozen. Canned pie fillings, jams, jellies and spreads, some with low and no-sugar options can make best use of the many varieties. Choose safe canning processes to prevent spoilage. Raw juices and ciders can be lightly pasteurized to prevent risk of serious illness in children and pregnant women and other populations that are at-risk for food borne illness. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension below.

Reputable pectin companies provide many traditional and trendy recipes that have been tested for safety and quality AND consumer hotlines or contact links to address problems specific to their products. See their products or web pages for more information.

Preserving Apples - SP50-446

Fact sheet provides information on how to preserve apples, including canning, freezing, and drying to make applesauce, pie filling, apple butter and more.

Mar 2018 | Fact Sheet

Preserving Fruit Juices and Apple Cider - SP50-455

Publication includes information on how to preserve fruit juices and apple cider, including preparing, pasteurizing and canning.

Jul 2019 | Publication

Fruit Pie Fillings - SP50-616

Canned fruit fillings are a time saver for year around pie making. The fillings may also be used as toppings on desserts.

Feb 2019 | Publication

Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...
Canning Fruits: This publication explains how to ensure both safety and quality when canning fresh fruits. Details covered include selecting and preparing equipment; preparing apples, apricots, berries, cherries, peaches, pears, and plums; sweetening fruit; processing methods; and storage.
Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.
Making Jams, Jellies and Fruit Spreads - SP50-764: Publication includes important information regarding preserving jams, jellies, preserves and fruit spreads safely.
Fruit Butters - SP50-304: Publication includes information on making fruit butters - including making the pulp, a basic recipe, cooking, and processing.
Remaking Soft Jellies - SP50-604: What to do when jam or jelly is too soft? Includes recipe to remake jam/jelly, processing, and storage.
Jams, Jellies, and Preserves with No Added Pectin - SP 50-777: When making jams, jellies, and preserves from fruits that contain natural pectin, it’s not necessary to add additional pectin. This publication provides basic steps for making fruit spreads without added pectin.
Low Sugar Jams & Jellies/Fruit Spreads - SP 50-765: Low and no sugar jams and jellies are becoming very popular as people are changing their diets and reducing their intake of sugar. This publication gives tips on how to make low sugar jams, jellies and fruit spreads.
Jams and Jellies: Problems and Solutions - SP50-746: Publications provides information on common problems and solutions when making jam, jelly, and fruit preserves.

Canned Oregon peaches and pears are popular in pantries. How about adding something with a twist to liven up your winter menus? Try canning pears in mint or cinnamon flavored syrups or orange juice.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Dried Mint, Cinnamon and Orange flavored Pears

Syrup blanch sliced pears in mint or cinnamon syrup, or heavy simple syrup before dehydrating.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

When preserving peaches choose freestone (flesh readily separates from the pit). Good varieties for canning include Veteran, Early Elberta, Elberta, Rochester, hale, Alamar, Redglobe, Redhaven, and Sun Crest.

Photo: Diane Tolzman

Peaches and Pears

Try Peach Pickles and Chutney or Peach Pie Filling. Or, colorful Cinnamon, Mint and Orange Pears!

Preserving Peaches - SP50-444

Publication provides information on how to preserve peaches, including varieties to use, canning, freezing, drying, pickling, and making jams, jellies, and chutneys.

Mar 2013 | Publication

Preserving Pears - SP50-678

Publication covers how to preserve pears - including varieties, picking, canning, drying, pickling, and making preserves.

Feb 2013 | Publication

Canning Fruits

This publication explains how to ensure both safety and quality when canning fresh fruits. Details covered include selecting and preparing equipment; preparing apples, apricots, berries, cherries, peaches, pears, and plums; sweetening fruit; processing methods; and storage.

Sep 2012 | OSU Extension Catalog

Fruit Pie Fillings - SP50-616: Canned fruit fillings are a time saver for year around pie making. The fillings may also be used as toppings on desserts.
Preserving Asian Pears - SP50-694: Publication provides information on how to preserve Asian Pears, including selection/picking, canning, and drying.
Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...
Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

Home canned crushed tomatoes and whole or halved in water.

We have all been waiting for the exceptional summertime flavor of sun-ripened tomatoes. Preserve them now!

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Tomatoes

Special precautions need to be taken to safely can tomatoes and tomato products, including salsa. Pretreatments when freezing or drying tomatoes produce the best quality products.

Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products

Jeanne Brandt | Apr 2015 | OSU Extension Catalog

Salsa Recipes for Canning

Jun 2014 | OSU Extension Catalog

The Laws of Salsa - SP50-1003

Guidelines for preparing and preserving safe, healthy salsa.

Mar 2010 | Publication

Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...
Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.

A dehydrator try with dried zucchini chips

Has your neighbor been leaving bags of zucchini on your porch?

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Zucchini

Harvest young tender zucchini, 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter to preserve many ways! Substitute zucchini in many cucumber pickle recipes like Bread and Butter pickles and relishes. Try drying plain or flavored Zucchini Chips for a crispy treat! Freeze grated and blanched zucchini to make Zucchini Bread later in the year.

Preserving Summer Squash - SP50-447

How to preserve summer squash/zucchini, including freezing, drying, pickling, and canning. Recipes for zucchini pickles and relish.

Mar 2013 | Publication

Pickling Vegetables

Describes the equipment and ingredients needed for pickling, and how to pack jars, process vegetables, and store the pickled results. Includes 17 recipes, processing times for various altitudes, and a safety checklist.

Jeanne Brandt | Aug 2015 | OSU Extension Catalog

Drying Fruits and Vegetables

Aug 2009 | OSU Extension Catalog

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.
Salsa Recipes for Canning: This popular publication has been updated with 5 new scrumptious-yet-simple salsa recipes and enough approved variations to please even the pickiest salsa makers. We've added detail on key ingredients and safety issues to help ...

Three jars of canned green beans with county fair awards

Preserve award-quality green beans now while they are abundant and economical.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Green Beans

Green beans are a popular food for pressure canning and pickling. You can also freeze or dry them. Find easy to use, safe, tested recipes and directions from Oregon State University Extension in the publications linked below.

Preserving Green, Italian or Wax Beans - SP50-445

Publication includes information on how to preserve green, Italian, and wax beans, including canning, freezing, drying, and pickling.

Mar 2013 | Publication

Canning Vegetables

Sep 2011 | OSU Extension Catalog

Pickling Vegetables

Jeanne Brandt | Aug 2015 | OSU Extension Catalog

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.
Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...

Boost health benefits with berries!

Photo: Diane Tolzman

Berries

Enjoy antioxydent-rich berries all year when canned, frozen or dried, in pie filling, syrups, butters, jams, jellies and fruit spreads. Consider low or no sugar options, too. Berries can be frozen without sugar and may offer the best nutrition benefits when they are slightly thawed. Versatile berries can be eaten plain, added to cereal or yogurt, swirled in a smoothie or smashed on your toast. Canning Tip: Use the berry pulp left over when making syrups for fruit in berry butter.

Preserving Berries - SP50-780

Publication provides information on how to preserve berries, including harvesting, canning, freezing and drying.

Mar 2018 | Publication

Preserving Wild Berries and Fruits - SP50-536

Publication includes information about wild berries and uses, including pies, jam/jelly, and syrup. Some recipes included.

Mar 2018 | Publication

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables

Jeanne Brandt | Sep 2018 | OSU Extension Catalog

Canning Fruits: This publication explains how to ensure both safety and quality when canning fresh fruits. Details covered include selecting and preparing equipment; preparing apples, apricots, berries, cherries, peaches, pears, and plums; sweetening fruit; processing methods; and storage.
Fruit Pie Fillings - SP50-616: Canned fruit fillings are a time saver for year around pie making. The fillings may also be used as toppings on desserts.
Making Berry Syrups at Home - SP50-632: How to make berry syrup - includes tips on fruit preparation, cooking, processing, and storage.
Making Jams, Jellies and Fruit Spreads - SP50-764: Publication includes important information regarding preserving jams, jellies, preserves and fruit spreads safely.
Low Sugar Jams & Jellies/Fruit Spreads - SP 50-765: Low and no sugar jams and jellies are becoming very popular as people are changing their diets and reducing their intake of sugar. This publication gives tips on how to make low sugar jams, jellies and fruit spreads.
Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...

Cherries can be in season all year when preserved.

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Cherries

Can cherries, make ready-to-use pie filling, freeze or dry cherries. Cherry jam, jellies or spreads make great gifts, too. Check your pectin company recipes or web page too, for old favorites or new recipes for jams, jellies and spreads.

Freezing and Drying Directions

Freezing Fruits and Vegetables: This publication describes how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and juices, and how to refreeze frozen foods. Includes freezing fruit without sugar, with ascorbic acid, in syrup, and packed in sugar; and blanching vegetables. A chart lists freezing instructions for dozens of fruits and vegetables.
Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Written primarily for drying in an electric dehydrator, this guide applies as well to oven drying. Sections cover selecting, preparing, and pretreating foods for drying as well as storing and using dried foods. A drying chart ...
Making Jams, Jellies and Fruit Spreads - SP50-764: Publication includes important information regarding preserving jams, jellies, preserves and fruit spreads safely.

A tray of sliced, dried Roma tomatoes

Photo: Glenda Hyde

Food Safety and Preservation in Central Oregon

Learn more about home food safety and preservation in Central Oregon.

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Home Food Preservation

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Meet our expert

Glenda Hyde

Associate Professor of Practice, Family and Community Health; OSU Extension Service Extension Disaster Education Network Delegate

Preserve Food Safely

Cranberries

Summer Sausage and Deli Style Meats

Dry Beans

Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Meat, Poultry and Wild Game

Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard and other greens

Potatoes

Salsa!

Apples

Peaches and Pears

Tomatoes

Zucchini

Green Beans

Berries

Cherries

Freezing and Drying Directions

Food Safety and Preservation in Central Oregon

Browse Extension's resources

Meet our expert

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