Canning Zucchini: How to Make Canned Zucchini

Zucchini—also known as a courgette or marrow—is a summer squash with a smooth green or yellow skin. Typically, it is harvested early on—a medium cucumber is about 8 inches long—though the world’s largest zucchini measured over 8 feet. Because it develops from a flower and contains seeds, zucchinis—like pumpkins, tomatoes, and eggplants—are fruits that are considered akin to vegetables in the kitchen.

Water bath canning uses high heat and boiling water to can pickles and high-acid foods. Pressure canners are safest for low-acid foods, like vegetables and zucchinis, and can stop the spread of bacteria. Pressure canners abide by the recommendations of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which follows USDA guidelines, and they preserve vegetables safely to avoid foodborne illness.

Even if it’s your first time canning summer squash, you’ll find it’s a reasonably straightforward process and one that allows for fun canning recipes:

1. 1. Sterilize your canning jars. Assemble the number of pint jars you need for canning. Run the jars through the dishwasher or sterilize using hot water and soap. Let them fully dry, then place the open canning jars in the oven at a lower temperature, about 250 degrees Fahrenheit, while you go through the rest of the steps.
2. 2. Prepare your zucchini. After cleaning your jars, give yourself twenty-five minutes of prep time. Wash your zucchini by rinsing with water in the sink, or use a vegetable brush to get it extra clean. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil. You’ll want to blanch the zucchini, placing it in the boiling water for two minutes to preserve flavor. Drain in a colander, rinsing with cold water, then place the yellow or green squash on a cutting board.
3. 3. Chop the zucchini. You can now customize your green or yellow squash to your zucchini recipes’ needs. You can slice, dice, or shred zucchini. Whatever the form, chop your zucchini into uniform pieces, so they pickle consistently.
4. 4. Flavor your zucchini. Carefully remove the hot jars from the oven, giving them a chance to cool. Then, place the zucchini into a large bowl and add any ingredients for flavoring. This may include white vinegar, lemon juice, diced green pepper or other veggies, pineapple juice, or spices like turmeric, red pepper flakes, mustard seed, or canning salt. Mix in the bowl to evenly coat your zucchini.
5. 5. Stuff your jars. Stuff the flavored zucchini into the jars and ladle boiling water over them, leaving an inch headspace at the top of each jar. Remove air bubbles, so your pickled zucchini stays fresh by tapping the jar on the counter. Cover with the rims and lids.
6. 6. Process the cans. Process the squash at ten pounds of pressure for a weighted gauge canner, or eleven pounds for a dial gauge. Processing time will depend on the size of the jars—for a pint jar, it’ll be one hour, and for quarts, an hour and a half. After the time is up, let the canner equalize back to a neutral pressure before removing the lid. Let the jar cool atop a towel, which may catch any spillage when you reseal.
7. 7. Store and enjoy the zucchini. Keep your cans at room temperature and refrigerate after opening. They can last for a whole year, and you can use them for various recipes. If you notice any white residue on the top layer, that is a result of the canning process, and you can simply wipe it off.

When home canning, your servings of pickled zucchini will come out better if you heed these simple tips:

1. 1. Avoid oversalting. If you are using pickling salt, add only half of a teaspoon for pints or a teaspoon for quarts to your mixtures—any more will oversalt the product.
2. 2. Use a pressure canner. When working with low-acid vegetables, use pressure canners to avoid contracting botulism or another foodborne illness. A water bath canner cannot reach the temperature necessary to safely can low-acid vegetables.
3. 3. Clean and blanch your zucchini. Any germs that go into your pickling jars can fester, so it is best to wash your zucchinis first and then blanch them in a boiling water bath (for a total time of just two minutes) before placing them in jars.

When canning zucchini, you can customize your jars with different ingredients to make future recipes, such as:

• Zucchini relish: This relish—which also features red pepper, onion, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and spices—can be a zesty topping for hamburgers, hot dogs, and other sandwiches.
• Zucchini pickles: You can pickle squash like cucumbers. Concoct a brine flavored with garlic, dill, salt, mustard seed, and vinegar, and pour atop your zucchini to pickle it.
• Pineapple zucchini: For a sweeter garnish, try creating canned pineapple zucchini. Combine six cups of unsweetened pineapple juice, three cups sugar, and a cup and a half of lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Pour over sixteen cups of jarred and cubed zucchini to create a tangier, sweeter canned good.

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