The 5 Summer Canning Recipes You Need Right Now

If you’re like us, you couldn’t be sadder to see summer—and more importantly, summer food—fall out of season. But as August ends, apples start flooding the grocery store, and Pumpkin Spice Lattes come back in vogue, all of those plump tomatoes, sugar-sweet berries, and bumper-crop squash and zucchini will quickly disappearing from farmer’s market stands and supermarket shelves. Looking for ways to ensure you’ll be able to enjoy all of that sun-kissed flavor long after the weather turns chilly? These five recipes are the tastiest ways to pickle, preserve, and can all of your warm-weather produce, so you’ll never have to really say goodbye.

Those sad, shriveled cartons you may be able to scavenge late into the winter have nothing on plump, sweet, juicy, peak-summer berries. Which is all the more reason to take the time to cook up this jam before those summer blueberries disappear. You can enjoy it spread on toast, over pancakes, with cheese and crackers, or swirled into oatmeal for a cozy winter breakfast with a hit of summer flavor. A little bit of fresh ginger adds a pleasant zing that makes this better than any of the jarred stuff you’ll find on supermarket stores.

So you’ve already, grilled, baked, fried, grated into bread, and zoodled all of the zucchini and squash you can handle? It’s time to get to work on this relish with the rest of that summer haul. With just the right balance of tang and sweetness, you may want to make an extra batch to make sure you’ll have some leftover after all of the hot dogs during tailgating season cookouts.

Is there anything sadder than the mealy texture and watery flavor delivered by out-of-season tomatoes? There’s a reason summer is synonymous with heirloom tomato tarts and eat-over-the-kitchen-sink tomato sandwiches. Do your future self a favor and take the time to make this basic, blank-canvas tomato sauce with that summer bounty. Your pizzas, pastas, and tomato soups will thank you come winter.

Bell peppers are the underappreciated, unsung heroes of summer produce—but you’ll miss their mild, crisp sweetness when they’re gone. Grab a few at your next veggie stand or farmers market stop and make a few batches of this vibrant pepper jelly that has just the right amount of heat. The best part: You’re already set on hostess gifts through the holiday season.

Even if you’re not a fan of okra, there’s a good chance you’ll love this tangy, sweet pickle that’s as versatile as it is tasty. Grab a bundle of summer okra, whip up this easy pickle, and take joy in knowing that your Bloody Marys, charcuterie boards, and sandwiches are about to be a little more exciting through the cooler months this year. The okra pods stay crisp and crunchy through the pickling process, and you can adjust the heat to your liking. Looking for something a little more fiery? Just add more chiles and you’re set.