The Amish are an intriguing group of people. They are infamous for their wisdom and simple lifestyle. The Amish live according to their religious values and beliefs that it pleases God to see His creation working in harmony with nature. Let me show you 10 Amish canning recipes you should know.

This is one of the reasons why they grow their own food. While they are well-known for their extraordinary baking capabilities, the Amish also love to can food. One of the main reasons for this is that it allows them to preserve seasonal produce so they have it readily available all year round. If you want some traditional Amish canning recipes, keep reading.

Basic Information About Amish People

The Amish originate from southern Germany and Switzerland. They emigrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries and made their home in eastern Pennsylvania. They later settled in Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Canada.

The Amish avoid using electricity, they rarely use cars except in an emergency. Instead, they are transported in horse-drawn buggies and ride bicycles. They are well-respected for their farming capabilities. They grow the majority of their food and only purchase items such as flour and sugar from stores.  

10 Amish Canning Recipes You Should Know

You can use the water bath canning method or the pressure canner method to can the recipes below.

Please note that process times will vary depending on the size of the jar you’re using. Check the National Center for Home Food Preservation website for exact times for these recipes.

1. Amish Canned Pepper Relish

This pepper relish recipe tastes delightful with any kind of meat.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Pepper Relish

Ingredients

  • 12 seeded and finely chopped sweet green peppers
  • 12 seeded and finely chopped sweet red peppers
  • 8 finely chopped small onions
  • 1 ½ cups of sugar
  • 1 quart of vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons of salt

Directions

  1. Combine the green peppers, red peppers, and onions in a bowl full of boiling water. Cover and leave the ingredients to sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Drain the water, add some more boiling water, cover and leave the ingredients to sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Tip the ingredients into a cheesecloth bag or a colander and leave it to drain overnight.
  4. The next day, add the salt, vinegar, and sugar, stir to combine, and boil for 20 minutes.
  5. Transfer the ingredients into jars and boil.

Related: Cheap Recipes To Keep You Well Fed In The Next Crisis

2. Amish Canning Recipes: Canned Chow Chow

This delicious combination of vegetables makes the perfect dipping sauce.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Chow Chow

  • 3 tablespoons of white mustard seeds
  • ½ a tablespoon of ginger
  • 1 ½ tablespoons of celery seeds
  • 3 deseeded and chopped sweet red peppers
  • 6 chopped large onions
  • 1-quart green tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 quarts of cabbage, chopped
  • Salt
  • 2 pounds of sugar
  • 8 cups of vinegar

Directions

  • Put all the vegetables into separate bowls.
  • Sprinkle some salt over them and leave the vegetables to sit for 4 hours.
  • Use a vegetable presser to squeeze the juice out of the vegetables until they’re completely dry.
  • Combine all the dry ingredients in a large saucepan and keep adding vinegar while stirring until a paste is formed.
  • Add the rest of the vinegar and bring the ingredients to a boil.
  • Turn the temperature down to low, and slow cook for 20 minutes.
  • Transfer the ingredients into jars and boil.

3. Amish Canning Recipes: Canned Pickled Red Beets

Pickled red beets taste fantastic on a sandwich, or in a salad. You can even eat them on their own as a snack.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Pickled Red Beets

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds of beets
  • 1 teaspoon of allspice
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • ½ a cup of water
  • 1 pint of vinegar
  • 6 whole cloves
  • ½ a cup of sugar

Directions

  1. Soften the beets by boiling them, take the beets out, and remove the skins.
  2. Add the spices to a cheesecloth and tie it.
  3. Then, add the spices, vinegar, sugar, and water to the boiling water.
  4. Add the beets and boil for another 5 minutes.
  5. Transfer the beets into jars and boil.

4. Amish Canned Pickled Pears

There are a thousand reasons to can pears, most importantly, they taste absolutely delightful!10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Pickled Pears

Ingredients

  • 14 pounds of pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon of whole cloves
  • 6 pounds of sugar
  • 1 quart of cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sticks broken into pieces

Directions

  1. Put the spices into a cheesecloth bag.
  2. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan.
  3. Add the bag of spices and bring the ingredients to a boil.
  4. Add the pears and keep boiling until they become tender.
  5. Scoop out the pears and add them to jars.
  6. Keep boiling the syrup until it thickens.
  7. Spoon the syrup onto the pears and boil.

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5. Amish Canning Recipes: Spiced Gooseberries

Add some flavor to your gooseberries by infusing them with spices, trust me…you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds of ripe gooseberries
  • 3 teaspoons of allspice
  • 3 teaspoons of cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons of cloves
  • 2 cups of vinegar
  • 4 pounds of brown sugar

Directions

  1. Combine the gooseberries, vinegar, and sugar into a saucepan and cook on a low. temperature until the ingredients turn into a thick mixture.
  2. Transfer the mixture into jars and can.

6. Amish Canned Ginger Pears

Give your pears an additional kick by adding some ginger.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Ginger Pears

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds of hard pears, peeled, cored, and diced
  • ½ a cup of chopped preserved ginger
  • The juice and rind of 3 lemons
  • 5 pounds of sugar
  • 3 cups of water

Directions

  1. Put the pears into a saucepan and cover them with water.
  2. Cook the pears at a low temperature until they become tender.
  3. Add the lime rind, lime juice, ginger, and sugar and stir to combine.
  4. Leave the mixture to simmer until the ingredients become thick and the pear is transparent.
  5. Transfer the pear mixture into jars and can.

7. Amish Canning Recipes: Ketchup

You’ll never need to worry about wasting tomatoes when you know how to make your own ketchup.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Ketchup

Ingredients

  • 1 pint of apple cider vinegar
  • 3 quarts of tomato juice
  • 5 cups of sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of dry, ground mustard
  • 5 drops of cinnamon oil
  • 3 drops of clove oil
  • ¼ teaspoon of pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Directions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and boil until a thick mixture is formed, this will take around 2 ½ hours.
  2. Pour the ketchup into jars and boil.

8. Amish Canned Meatloaf

With this canned meatloaf recipe, you’ll always have a good hearty meal on standby.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 2 diced onions
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 1 cup of oatmeal
  • 36 saltine crackers
  • 4 slices of bread
  • ½ a cup of salt
  • 15 pounds of ground beef

Directions

  1. Combine the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together thoroughly.
  2. Pack the mixture into canning jars and boil.

9. Amish Canning Recipes: Apple Pie Filling

Enjoy your apple harvest no matter what time of the year it is with this Amish apple pie filling recipe.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

  • 7 pounds of fresh apples, sliced and peeled
  • ½ a teaspoon of nutmeg
  • 4 ½ cups of sugar
  • 1 cup of cornstarch
  • 10 cups of water
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons of lemon juice

Directions

  1. Fill your canning jars with apple slices.
  2. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 10 cups of water, stir and boil until the ingredients become thick and bubbly.
  3. Take the saucepan off the stove, add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
  4. Pour the syrup on top of the apples leaving one inch of space at the top and then boil.

10. Amish Canning Recipes: Canned Coleslaw

It’s always good to have some coleslaw to hand, it goes well with any dish.10 Canning Recipes From The Amish - Amish Canned Coleslaw

Ingredients

  1. 1 finely chopped medium onion
  2. 2 bags of 16-ounce cabbage coleslaw mixture
  3. ¾ cup of vegetable oil
  4. 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard
  5. 1 teaspoon of white sugar
  6. a teaspoon of salt
  7. 1 teaspoon of celery seed
  8. 1 cup of vinegar

Directions

  1. Combine the onion, cabbage coleslaw mixture, and ¾ cup of sugar in a large bowl and toss to combine.
  2. In a small saucepan combine the oil, mustard, 1 teaspoon of sugar, celery seed, salt, and vinegar and bring the ingredients to a boil for three minutes.
  3. Leave the mixture to completely cool down, and then pour it over the coleslaw.
  4. Transfer the mixture into jars and boil.

Not only is canning a great way to preserve food, but you’ll always have a ready supply of meals available to you. These ten recipes are just the beginning of your canning journey… Bon appetite!

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