I have a bumper crop of strawberries this year and would like to know the best way (if there is a way) to home can them whole. I am familiar with other fruits and the methods for canning them in a syrup, but I am not sure how to go about it for strawberries. Can I use the same syrup method with them? When I have done pears, I used a very light sugar to water ratio so the syrup would not be too overpowering, and I used the "parboil" method to pre-heat the pears. I am not entirely sure that strawberries would hold up to that. Thanks for any help.

Ok I looked this up in both The Ball Blue Book and The Joy of Cooking, two of my favorites. All say to use light syrup with whole strawberries. Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar sprinkled over the washed hulled and carefully selected berries, let them sit for a few hours (Ball: 5 to 6 hrs.) Then heat slowly until the sugar melts, pack hot in hot jars adding more light syrup if you need it to cover. 1/2 inch headspace boiling water bath 10 min. pints or 15min. Qts. If you use too heavy a syrup berries will tend to float at the top of the jar and though they are safe to eat sometimes will discolor. Also depends on your plans for the end use, if you want a heavy strawberry syrup to pour over desserts or icecream or something. We like to just clean them add the sugar and freeze them whole in Ziploc freezer bags because this gives you better color. In the jars the berries tend to fade and the color and flavor go into the liquid.

Thank you for your info. I appreciate it very much. I have so many this year, that added to what I froze last year it is too much for my freezer. LOL I will try your suggestion!:) :)