Like most people this time of year we have a plethora of squash and zucchini. We have canned squash and zucchini in jars. We have blanched and froze squash and zucchini. We have breaded and froze squash and zucchini. We have dehydrated squash and zucchini and even made bread from zucchini. And then I ran across a recipe for pineapple made from zucchini.
I remembered years ago O Wise One's mother used to can pears for Baby O in pineapple juice. She loved them. Many times during the year I make pineapple upside down cake. My plan is to take this zucchini flavored like pineapple and use it as a substitute for pineapple pieces. I love trying new canning recipes and this one thus far has been a success. The zucchini after being chopped and cooked in a mixture of lemon juice, pineapple juice and sugar takes on the flavor of the pineapple juice. My whole house smelled of pineapple. It tasted wonderful. I can't wait to cook with it.
This recipe came from the Missouri State University Extension Service although I have found many variations of it floating around on the web.
ZUCCHINI PINEAPPLE
4 quarts zucchini, grated or diced
1 1/2 cups bottled lemon juice (standardized acidity)
1 can ( 46 oz. ) unsweetened pineapple juice
3 cups sugar
Remove peel from zucchini and seeds. Coarsely grate or cube zucchini into small cubes.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Fill clean hot jars with hot zucchini mixture leaving 1/2 inch head space. Adjust lids an
process 15 minutes for half pints or pint jars. ( Do not put in jars larger than pints. )
Remove jars and allow to cool completely. Test seal and store in a cool dry place.
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
Very cool recipe. This is very unique and unlike anything that I have ever seen for zucchinni. Thank you. Miss Nirvana @ http://www.creatingnirvanatoday.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteHave you tried this one yet? How was the taste? What did you use it on/in?
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome!! I always end up with waaaay more zucchini than I know what to do with and I use a ton of pineapple throughout the year. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm the founder/moderator for Punk Domestics (www.punkdomestics.com), a community site for those of use obsessed with, er, interested in DIY food. It's sort of like Tastespotting, but specific to the niche. I'd love for you to submit this to the site. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteYes, I too am wondering if you've tried the upside down pineapple cake with this yet? How was it? These are two must-try zucchini recipes for me this year!
ReplyDeleteYes I have tried pineapple upside down cake and it worked and tasted great : )
DeleteDoes this work with yellow squash? I didn't grow zucchini this year but I do cook with pineapple a fair amount so this could be really fabulous ...
ReplyDeleteYes it does work for yellow squash. I use zucchini and yellow squash interchangeably!
DeleteThe more I think about this recipe I am wondering if it is safe for canning. The USDA no longer reccomends summer squash for pressure canning. You can safely pickle summer squash, but I am not sure the pineapple juice pickles the zucchini enough. Plus, this is a very dense pack which is what is concerning to the USDA.
ReplyDeleteOn this we will agree to disagree. This recipe can be found at Utah State University website and the Missouri State University Cooperative Extension webiste
Deletehttp://extension.missouri.edu/franklin/qfk/08July/08JulyQFK.pdf
and I quote from the above publication "Zucchini can be preserved in a water bath canner as a
pickled product, or with pineapple
juice. The vinegar or pineapple
juice will add enough acid to prevent botulism"
And at the bottom of the page.....
University of Missouri, Lincoln University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Local Extension Councils Cooperating
This is dated 2008 but i would hardly think that either the USDA or MU would leave up an unsafe recipe on a website they sponsor.
And most importantly these directions are also in the "Complete Guide to Home Canning", Ag. Information Bulletin 539, which is available on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.
Canningly Yours
The Canned Quilter
Lemon Juice is higher acid level then vinegar in your pickling for prevention also. I researched as it made me nervous with other recipes also.
DeleteThank you for the link I was worried about the waterbath
ReplyDeleteIt is for a waterbath, correct? Also why could you not do it in quart jars? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteCorrect. The publication that I got the recipe from recommended pints and did not say why. I think the West Ladies in their video preserve it this way in larger jars though.
DeleteI am new to the canning world and this sounds very interesting. I may try a batch and see what happens. I make several recipes using crushed pineapple and am hoping to be able to sub this in and feel a little bit better about eating it and sneak some veggies into my kiddos and hubby without them knowing it! :)
ReplyDeleteIf I were to can it in quart jars, how much time do you think I should add to it? I'm thinking maybe some pints, maybe some quarts. By the way, I've held onto this recipe for a year. I found it right after my plants died last year. I absolutely can't wait to get started which will probably be Saturday night!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this site. I'm lovin' it!
ReplyDeleteDawn
"Pineapple" on stove. So excited.
ReplyDeleteDawn
Do u you use this as a spread or dip? Please email me at Kashoaf99@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHow ever you would use crushed pineapple .. one lady used it in a Pineapple Upside Down Cake ..
DeleteI am doing this today. I am very excited! I love your site, here. I've looked over some of your recipes and am totally psyched!
ReplyDeleteI made this the other day and I totally love it!! This is a fabulous recipe.
ReplyDeleteThis is done in a water bath and not in a pressure canner? Just want to make sure before hand as I have many zucchinis to deal with and we love pineapple.
ReplyDeleteNever mind the above question. I found the information with the additional processing times here:
ReplyDeletehttp://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/zucchini_pineapple.html
The reason you can't use jars larger than pints is that the processing time would be so long that you would end up with a jar of mush.
I'm wondering if this can be safely made without sugar?
ReplyDeleteCan I use Splenda instead of sugar?
ReplyDeleteNo, it doesn't have the same properties. However, you could use Stevia, as Stevia can be used instead of sugar in other recipes, and many diabetics use Stevia since it's not a sugar, but a natural sweetener that comes from a plant. Check with your University Extension Dept. Sometimes, sugar has other needed properties to keep a recipe safe to cook &
Deleteeat.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!! I made it yesterday and am loving it so much. I found this through pinterest and have copied your link to bring my friends here to your website several times today! They are very interested. I am so happy to have a great idea for all this zucchini folks share with me. :) You are a wonderful help to this Pastor's wife who is yearly overwhelmed with zucchini!!!
ReplyDeleteHi I just saw this on pinterest-is this water bath canned or pressure canned thanks
ReplyDeleteBecause of the pineapple juice it is a high acid food and water bath canned.
Deletecan't wait to make this. by the way i can almost tast those peas. they are so good looking
ReplyDeleteThe above link is no longer working, but the National Center for Home Food Preservation still recognizes this recipe. It is delicious! Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteHere is the link if others want to check it out.
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/zucchini_pineapple.html
Thanks again! :)
Thanks for updating the link and sharing.
DeleteWe are trying this tomorrow, I have 6 huge zucchini to process & have already shred & froze countless bags of zucchini 4 cups in each bag. My friend told me she had this at a friends house so I looked up the recipe & here it is, thank you!
ReplyDeleteyou could dehydrate these after a while and have a nice raisin snack or cookie ingredients.
ReplyDeleteI cracked open a jar of these that I canned in the summer, holy moly delicious! I wish I had made more when I was under a mountain of zucchinis!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this! I am diabetic so all things tropical runs the blood sugar up but this being less tropical so to speak I might be able to eat this and enjoy it to. :-) YUM
ReplyDeleteAmazing recipe and still tastes great a year later. I'll make it again and again.
ReplyDeleteI made these yesterday and my grandsons were over today, I gave them some and they loved them. They truly taste like pineapple, now I know what to do with my extra squash. Thank you
ReplyDeleteSounds really good. Do you remember how many pints it made?
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here waiting my 15 minutes for these to process :-) I have 9 pints in the canner now, and I would guess I'll get 3-5 more pints for the second round. I can't believe how much it tastes like pineapple!
DeleteI'm sitting here waiting my 15 minutes for these to process :-) I have 9 pints in the canner now, and I would guess I'll get 3-5 more pints for the second round. I can't believe how much it tastes like pineapple!
DeleteMaking it right now EEEK!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to use zucchini!! Thank you! Do you know if honey or Monk fruit sweetener or Xylitol could be substituted for sugar?
ReplyDeleteI honestly have never tried either on this recipe. If you do try them please share your experiences.
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated by this recipe! Planning to make it, and wondering approximately how many zucchini does it take to get to 4 quarts of grated? Thank you, love everything about your blog 😊
ReplyDeleteWill large zucchini work for this recipe?
ReplyDelete