It is mid August, right before the tomatoes start to ripen in Northern Minnesota. At this time I am harvesting more zucchinis than I know what to do with. I could go for the simple method of shredding and freezing, but I don’t like to use up my freezer space. I want recipes that are shelf stable for my root cellar.
This one is a good one!
Zucchini is nice because you can add it to pretty much anything and it will take on that flavor. In this case, pineapple juice!
So how do we use it?
The shredded version is used in baked items. Zucchini bread, pineapple upside down cake, carrot cake. You can just dump it right into your recipe or strain out a little juice first, depending on how much liquid your recipe calls for.
The cubbed version we just eat as a snack. It is also good in Chinese dishes that you normally would add pineapple to, like sweet and sour chicken. Me personally, I love a good Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza! That is where I will be using it.
Pineapple Zucchini
Do you have baskets full of zucchini coming in from your garden? Me too! I personally like filling my shelves over filling my freezers. So here is a very simple water bath canning recipe to preserve your zucchini harvest. Beginner friendly!
Prep the zucchini. If you are shredding, no need to peel. If you are cubbing, I like to peel before cutting it up.
Clean and sterilize your jars. This is a hot recipe, the jars need to be hot when packing the ingredients.
Get your water bath canner going on high. You want the water to be boiling before you set the jars inside.
In a large pot, combine the pineapple juice, sugar and lemon juice. Bring it to a simmer and add the zucchini. Simmer for 20 mins.
With a slotted spoon, add the zucchini to the jars, no liquid.
Then add the liquid on top. Leave 1/2 an inch of headspace.
Use a butter knife or chop stick to get the bubbles out of the jar. Do so by placing your object against the Side of the jar in up and down motions. You'll see the bubbles pop.
Clean off the tops of the jars with a towel and a dab of vinegar. You do not want any sticky juice on that rim.
Add lids and rings to the jars, fingertip tight
Water bath can for 15 min (for pints)
Carefully remove jars, try not to tilt them. Set jars on your counter for 24 hours. Leave them be, do not touch!
After 24 hours, remove the rings and check the seal.
Notes
When I did this recipe I had enough liquid to do 4 quarts of cubbed AND 4 quarts of shredded. 14 pints total
You can water bath can any extra liquid in jars as well, 15 minuets
Keyword canning, harvest, pineapple, preserve, preserving, water bath, zucchini