The processing information below, provided by the USDA, is for the safe canning of fruit, 
and making jams, butters, syrups and spreads using a hot water bath canner.

A Little Aside About Storing and Preserving Honey....
Honey, by itself, does not need to be processed in a hot water canner. It can be stored in jars, in a cool, dark place, and last indefinitely. The natural antibacterial properties keep it safe. Store-bought has circumvented this nicety by putting on a "best if used by" date. No need to fall for that if you store it properly. They would naturally like it better if you had to buy honey a few times a year. Honey is acidic, and has a high concentration of fructose and glucose. The concentration is so high, that it is almost a solid. This is why honey often crystallizes. The saturation is so high, that there isn’t enough water in the honey to support the growth of bacteria and mold spores. The bacteria actually suffocate or dehydrate.

I substitute honey for sugar in many recipes for condiments and spreads. You can and should use the canner for fruit preserves and spreads when you use honey in your recipe.

**It is important to note that honey can contain small amounts of botulism, which is harmless to adults and older children, but younger children, especially under the age of 1, should not consume honey. I eat lots of honey and honey products and have never suffered ill effects.

Jelly, jam, preserves, conserves and marmalades are fruit products that are jellied or thickened. Most are preserved by sugar. Their individual characteristics depend on the kind of fruit used and the way it is prepared, the proportions of different ingredients in the mixture and the method of cooking.

Jellies are usually made by cooking fruit juice with sugar. (Some are made without cooking using special uncooked jelly recipes.) A good product is clear and firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of the container, but quivers when the container is moved. When cut, it should be tender yet retain the angle of the cut. Jelly should have a flavorful, fresh, fruity taste.

Jams are thick, sweet spreads made by cooking crushed or chopped fruits with sugar. Jams tend to hold their shape but are generally less firm than jelly.

Preserves are small, whole fruit or uniform size pieces in a clear, slightly gelled syrup. The fruit should be tender and plump.

Conserves are jam-like products that may be made with a combination of fruits. They also contain nuts, raisins or coconut.

Marmalades are soft fruit jellies containing small pieces of fruit or peel evenly suspended in the transparent jelly. They often contain citrus fruit.

Other fruit products that are preserved by sugar but not jellied include butters, honeys and syrups. 
Fruit butters are sweet spreads made by cooking fruit pulp with sugar to a thick consistency. Spices are often added. 
Honeys and syrups are made by cooking fruit juice or pulp with sugar to the consistency of honey or syrup.

Vintage Jam Recipes -  Process as recommended on this page.   

Fruit Purees

Procedure: Stem, wash, drain, peel, and remove pits if necessary. Measure fruit into large saucepan, crushing slightly if desired. Add 1 cup hot water for each quart of fruit. Cook slowly until fruit is soft, stirring frequently. Press through sieve or food mill. If desired for flavor, add sugar to taste. Reheat pulp to boil, or until sugar dissolves if added. Fill hot mixture into clean jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Processing directions for canning purees in a boiling-water canner

Berries - Whole

Blackberries, blueberries, currants, dewberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, loganberries, mulberries, raspberries. 

Quantity: An average of 12 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 8 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A 24-quart crate weighs 36 pounds and yields 18 to 24 quarts - an average of 1¾ pounds per quart.

Quality: Choose ripe, sweet berries with uniform color.

Procedure: Wash 1 or 2 quarts of berries at a time. Drain, cap, and stem if necessary. For gooseberries, snip off heads and tails with scissors. Prepare and boil preferred syrup , if desired. Add ½ cup syrup, juice, or water to each clean jar.

Hot pack – For blueberries, currants, gooseberries, and huckleberries. Heat berries in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain. Fill jars and cover with hot juice, leaving ½-inch headspace.

Raw pack – Fill jars with any of the raw berries, shaking down gently while filling. Cover with hot syrup, juice, or water, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Berry Syrup

Juices from fresh or frozen blueberries, cherries, grapes, raspberries (black or red), and strawberries can be made into toppings for use on ice cream and pastries. Use these directions only with the berries listed.

Yield: About 9 half-pints.

Procedure: Select 6½ cups of fresh or frozen fruit of your choice from the list above. Wash, cap, and stem fresh fruit and crush in a saucepan. Heat to boiling and simmer until soft (5 to 10 minutes). Strain hot through a colander and drain until cool enough to handle. Strain the collected juice through a double layer of cheesecloth or jelly bag. Discard the dry pulp. The yield of the pressed juice should be about 4½ to 5 cups. 

Combine the juice with 6¾ cups of sugar in a large saucepan, bring to boil, and simmer 1 minute. 

To make a syrup with whole fruit pieces, save 1 or 2 cups of the fresh or frozen fruit, combine these with the sugar, and simmer as in making regular syrup. Remove from heat, skim off foam, and fill into clean half-pint or pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1.

Figs - Whole

Quantity: An average of 16 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints-an average of 2-1/2 pounds yields 1 quart.

Quality: Select firm, ripe, uncracked figs. The mature color depends on the variety. Avoid overripe figs with very soft flesh.

Procedure: Wash figs thoroughly in clean water Drain. Do not peel or remove stems. 
Cover figs with water and boil 2 minutes. Drain. 
Gently boil figs in light syrup for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart or 1 tablespoon per pint to the jars; or add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart or 1/4 teaspoon per pint to the jars. 
Fill jars with hot figs and cooking syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1.

Rhubarb

Quantity: An average of 10-1/2 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; 
an average of 7 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. 

Quality: Select young, tender, well-colored stalks from the spring or late fall crop.

Procedure: Trim off leaves. Wash stalks and cut into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. 
In a large saucepan add 1/2 cup sugar for each quart of fruit. Let stand until juice appears. 
Heat gently to boiling. 
Fill jars without delay, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Process directions for canning rhubarb in a boiling-water canner in Table 1

Grapefruit and Orange Sections

Quantity: An average of 15 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; 
an average of 13 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints – an average of about 2 pounds yields 1 quart.

Quality: Select firm, mature, sweet fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh. 
The flavor of orange sections is best if the sections are canned with equal parts of grapefruit. 
Grapefruit may be canned without oranges. Sections may be packed in your choice of water, citrus juice or syrup.

Procedure: Wash and peel fruit and remove white tissue to prevent a bitter taste. If you use syrup, prepare a very light, light, or medium syrup and bring to boil. Fill jars with sections and water, juice or hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Processing directions for canning grapefruit and orange sections in a boiling-water canner

Nectarines - Halved or Sliced

Quantity: An average of 17-1/2 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; 
an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. 
A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts – an average of 2-1/2 pounds per quart.

Quality: Choose ripe, mature fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking.

Procedure: Wash fruit. Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired. (Nectarines are not dipped in hot water or peeled like peaches.) 
To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in lemon juice or ascorbic acid solution until ready to prepare.
Prepare and boil a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack nectarines in water, apple juice, or white grape juice. 
Raw packs make poor quality nectarines.

Hot pack – In a large saucepan place drained fruit in syrup, water, or juice and bring to boil. Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Place halves in layers, cut side down.

Adjust lids and process. Processing directions for canning nectarines in a boiling-water canner are given in Table 1.

Plums-Halved or Whole

Quantity: An average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. 
A bushel weighs 56 pounds and yields 22 to 36 quarts – an average of 2 pounds per quart.

Quality: Select deep-colored, mature fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking. Plums may be packed in water or syrup.

Procedure: Stem and wash plums. To can whole, prick skins on two sides of plums with fork to prevent splitting. 
Freestone varieties may be halved and pitted. 
If you use syrup, prepare very light, light, or medium syrup.

Hot pack – Add plums to water or hot syrup and boil 2 minutes. Cover saucepan and let stand 20 to 30 minutes. 
Fill jars with hot plums and cooking liquid or syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Raw pack – Fill jars with raw plums, packing firmly. Add hot water or syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process.

Pears-Halved

Quantity: An average of 17½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. 
A bushel weighs 50 pounds and yields 16 to 25 quarts – an average of 2½ pounds per quart.

Quality: Choose ripe, mature fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking.

Procedure: Wash and peel pears. Cut lengthwise in halves and remove core. 
A melon baller or metal measuring spoon is suitable for coring pears. 
To prevent discoloration, keep pears in an ascorbic acid solution. 
Prepare a very light, light, or medium syrup or pack pears in apple juice, white grape juice, or water. 
Raw packs make poor quality pears. 
Boil drained pears 5 minutes in syrup, juice, or water. 
Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process. 
Processing directions for canning pears in a boiling-water canner are given below.

Apple Butter

Use Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, Maclntosh, or other tasty apple varieties for good results.
I use honeycrisps.

• 8 lbs apples

• 2 cups apple cider

• 2 cups vinegar

• 2¼ cups white sugar

• 2¼ cups packed brown sugar

• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp ground cloves

Yield: About 8 to 9 pints

Procedure: Wash, remove stems, quarter and core fruit. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft. Press fruit through a colander, food mill, or strainer. Cook fruit pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small quantity onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter, it is ready for canning. Fill hot into sterile half-pint or pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Quart jars need not be pre-sterilized. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1.

Adapted from USDA
 "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539
"So Easy to Preserve", 6th ed. 2014. Bulletin 989