If you’re fortunate to have a bounty of saskatoons—whether foraged in the wild or growing in your own yard—you’ll want to preserve some of those sweet berries to enjoy through the winter. Below are practical tips and recipes for canning saskatoons and making a delicious saskatoon-peach preserve.
Since returning home I’ve been immersed in saskatoons—picking, cleaning and preserving them has kept me happily busy. This season I ended up with 133 jars, and the routine of harvesting and canning felt almost therapeutic: hands busy during the day and dreams of sweet, purple-hued berries at night.
Saskatoons go by many names—juneberries, serviceberries, pigeon berries—but their flavor is hard to describe to someone who hasn’t tasted them. They’re sweet and dense, with small seeds and a flavour that hints of blueberry, almond and apple all at once. The only real answer is to try them if you get the chance.
As children we foraged pails of these berries, savoring summer heat, sticky fingers and the hush of prairie skies. There’s always a slight thrill picking near bear sign, and those memories are part of what makes saskatoon season feel like summer itself.
Today I grow my own bushes and share the harvest with family (and the dog—Pippa loves them too).
This year I experimented with ways to preserve that summer flavor: juice, jelly, syrup, canned berries with lemon, saskatoon-peach preserves, and several chutney variations (I’m still refining one of those recipes for the next season).
More Delicious Saskatoon Recipes:
- Saskatoon Juice (And How to Easily Clean Your Saskatoon Berries)
- Saskatoon Roll or Saskatoon Cobbler (And How to Freeze Your Saskatoon Berries)
- Old Fashioned Saskatoon Pie
- Saskatoon Jelly
- Prairie Mess (Eton Mess with Saskatoons and Rhubarb)
- Gluten Free Saskatoon Scones
- Saskatoon Muffins
- Saskatoon Slump
- Saskatoon Ice Cream Made with Homemade Saskatoon Jelly
- Pork Chops with Saskatoon and Green Apple Chutney
- Saskatoon Pickle (A Unique & Delicious Berry Chutney)
Saskatoon-Peach Preserve
Saskatoons are low in acidity, so pairing them with a tangy fruit brightens their flavor. I like combining them with peaches for a preserve that’s saucy rather than jammy. If you can’t find saskatoons, blueberries could be a substitute, though blueberries yield more juice and may require longer cooking to reach the same consistency. Orange flower water adds a subtle floral note; it’s optional but lovely if you have it.
- 5 pounds (2.25 kg) saskatoon berries, picked over, rinsed and drained
- 12 peaches (about 5 pounds or 2.25 kg)
- juice of 2 lemons
- 1 cup (250 ml) honey
- 2 teaspoons orange flower water (or rose water), optional
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Dip the peaches into the boiling water for 1–2 minutes until their skins loosen. Transfer to cold water, slip off the skins, then cut the peaches into wedges and slice each wedge into about four pieces.
Combine the saskatoons, diced peaches and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, add the honey, and simmer gently for 15–30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches a saucy consistency. The goal is to keep the berries mostly intact while the peach pieces soften and begin to break down.
Ladle the hot preserve into hot, sterilized jars, leaving appropriate headspace, and seal with sterilized lids. For extra safety you may process the jars in a boiling water bath. Alternatively, cool the mixture and freeze it in containers for later use.
This preserve is delicious chilled over ice cream, yogurt, pancakes, cheesecake or rice pudding, or simply enjoyed on toast.
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Canned Saskatoons
As a child I often ate canned saskatoons, but they could be a bit bland. Adding lemon brightens them beautifully. Use organic lemons if you plan to include the peel, to avoid preserving pesticide residues.
- Saskatoons, picked over, rinsed and drained
- Organic lemons, sliced
- Honey
- Water
Make a honey syrup using a ratio of 1 cup honey to 4 cups water. Bring it to a boil and keep hot. You’ll need about 1 to 1½ cups of syrup per quart of berries; reserve any extra syrup for beverages.
Into each sterilized quart jar place two slices of lemon: one at the bottom and one along the side so it is visible from the outside, then pack the jar with saskatoons, leaving ¾ inch headspace. For pint jars, use one lemon slice. Pour the hot honey syrup over the berries, leaving ½ inch headspace. Seal the jars and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes (15 minutes for pints).
(The lemon slice inside is a delightful surprise—don’t be surprised if your family fights over it.)
Guten Appetit!
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You might also like:
How to Clean Your Saskatoon Berries | How to Freeze Saskatoons | Rhubarb Curd, a Luscious Treat | Sour Cherry Cobbler with a Crumbly Almond Biscuit Topping