Learn how to can asparagus for long term storage, using a pressure canner. Once fresh asparagus is canned, it’s shelf stable, & ready for your pantry!
It has been such a fun project, learning how to can different soups, vegetables, jams, and fruits since learning basic canning techniques. This “recipe” for how to can asparagus is a pressure canning recipe, and I am happy to share it with you today.
Please note that you will need a pressure canner to do this, since asparagus is a low-acid food. Low acid foods (most veggies, meats, and soups) require higher temps, achieved through pressure canning, to be safely canned for storage.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare Canning Equipment Before Beginning
Before beginning, make sure to have your pressure canner, canning jars, flat lids and screw bands prepped and ready, according to manufacturer instructions and USDA guidelines. If you are at higher altitudes (above 1,000 feet), or are using a dial gauge pressure canner, make sure to refer to the instruction manual for your pressure canner for additional info.
Prepare The Fresh Asparagus For Canning
Rinse the asparagus really well, and then drain. Snap off the tough (woody) ends of each stalk (discard ends). There are two methods to can asparagus. I prefer the hot pack method, but the choice is yours:
RAW PACK METHOD: You can either leave asparagus whole and tightly pack them, stem down into jar, or cut into 1″ pieces and tightly pack jar. Leave 1″ headspace in the jars. Raw veggies will shrink more during the canning process, so pack ’em in there.
HOT PACK METHOD: This is the method shown below. Cut each asparagus stalk into 1″ long pieces. Place in large pot or skillet and add water, to fully cover asparagus. Turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the water to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, and the asparagus should be tender-crisp.
Drain the asparagus, but save the cooking water for the jars (if desired). Pack the asparagus tightly into jars, leaving 1″ of headspace in the jars.
Filling The Jars
If you want to add canning salt to the asparagus, add 1/2 teaspoon canning salt to each PINT jar, and 1 teaspoon canning salt to each QUART jar.
Carefully ladle the boiling water into each jar to cover the asparagus (and still leave a 1″ headspace). Remove the air bubbles from each jar, by inserting a knife or plastic utensil into jars in several places. Adjust the headspace, if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars clean, and then place flat lids and screw band onto jars. Tighten bands to fingertip tightness.
How To Can Asparagus – Processing Times
Once jars of asparagus are sealed, place them into your pressure canner. Make sure to adjust the water level if necessary, according to your canner’s manufacturer instructions. Lock the lid, and then bring the water to a boil, on medium-high heat. Vent the steam (vent open) for 10 minutes once boiling, and THEN close the vent or add vent cover.
Continue to heat the canner until it reaches 10# (pounds) pressure. You need to maintain 10# pressure the entire processing time. Process PINTS for 30 minutes, and QUARTS for 40 minutes.
Processing Time Is Complete – Now What?
Once processing time is complete, turn off the heat, and let the pressure in the canner drop NATURALLY until it reaches 0 (zero pressure). Open the vent (or remove vent cover), and let the steam vent for 2 more minutes.
Carefully open lid. Wait for 10 more minutes, and then carefully remove jars of canned asparagus with canning tongs. Set the hot jars onto a dish towel, to avoid jars cracking due to temperature variances of various types of countertops.
Let the jars cool completely (12 hours or overnight) without disturbing. Once cool, check to ensure the jars have sealed properly, wipe jars clean, and label them. You have now learned how to can asparagus, and the properly sealed jars are now ready for long term storage in your pantry! Congratulations!
I hope you will consider canning fresh asparagus. It’s very convenient to pull a jar out of the pantry and whip up asparagus soup or add the asparagus to another dish!
The recipe, as written below, will make 2 pint jars, but the recipe below has a feature to let you calculate the exact amount of jars you wish to make. Once you add the number you want, it will adjust the ingredient amount automatically.
Looking For More PRESSURE CANNING Recipes?
You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few pressure canning recipes you might be interested in include:
- How To Can Green Beans
- How To Can Beef Stew With Vegetables
- Split Pea and Ham Soup (and how to can it)
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Original recipe source: The Ball Complete book of Home Preserving, copyright 2006, published by The Jarden Corporation, page 386
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Learn how to can asparagus for long term storage, using a pressure canner. Once fresh asparagus is canned, it's shelf stable, & ready for your pantry!
Have pressure canner, canning jars, flat lids and screwbands prepped and ready, according to manufacturer instructions and USDA guidelines. If at higher altitudes (above 1,000 feet), or are using a dial gauge pressure canner, make sure to refer to instruction manual for your pressure canner for additional info.
Rinse asparagus well, and then drain. Snap off tough (woody) ends and discard. There are two methods to can asparagus. RAW PACK METHOD: You can either leave asparagus whole and tightly pack them, stem down into jar, or cut into 1" pieces and tightly pack jar. Leave 1" headspace. HOT PACK METHOD: This is the method I use. Cut each asparagus stalk into 1" long pieces. Place in large pot or skillet and add water, to fully cover asparagus. Turn heat to medium-high, and bring water to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes; asparagus should be tender-crisp. Drain asparagus, but save the cooking water for jars (if desired). Pack asparagus tightly into jars, leaving 1" of headspace.
If adding canning salt to the asparagus, add 1/2 teaspoon to each PINT jar, and 1 teaspoon to each QUART jar. Carefully ladle boiling water into each jar to cover asparagus (still leaving 1" headspace). Remove air bubbles from each jar. Adjust headspace, if necessary. Wipe rims of the jars clean, and place flat lids and screwband onto jars. Tighten bands to fingertip tightness.
Once jars are sealed, place them into prepared pressure canner. Adjust the water level if necessary, according to your canner's manufacturer instructions. Lock lid, and bring water to a boil, on medium-high heat. Vent the steam (vent open) for 10 minutes once boiling, and THEN close vent or add vent cover. Continue to heat until it reaches 10# (pounds) pressure. You need to maintain 10# pressure the entire processing time. Process PINTS for 30 minutes, and QUARTS for 40 minutes after pressure has been reached.
When processing is complete, turn off heat, and let the pressure in the canner drop NATURALLY until it reaches 0 (zero pressure). Open the vent (or remove vent cover), and let steam vent for 2 more minutes. Carefully unlock and open lid. Wait for 10 more minutes, and then remove hot jars with canning tongs. Set the hot jars onto a dish towel, to avoid jars cracking due to countertop temperature variances. Let jars cool completely (12 hours or overnight) without disturbing. Once cool, check to ensure the jars have sealed properly, wipe jars clean, and label them. Store in pantry.
NOTE: If using QUART sized jars, please know that EACH quart jar will require about 3 1/2 pounds of asparagus.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!