How to Can Mandarin Oranges at Home

Marie Overton
5 hours ago
2 min read

Canned mandarins are a great addition to meals, wonderful snacks and so convenient. It is an easy way to preserve fruit and perfect for beginning canners. This is a step by step guide to preserving mandarin oranges.

How to Can and Preserve Fresh mandarin oranges

Person peeling an orange beside a large pile of oranges on a countertop. Apron with "Marie" text visible. Kitchen background.

Peel the mandarin oranges, removing as much of the white as you can but avoiding puncturing the skin. Then, either remove the center pith with a straw and can them whole or separate the segments.

Hands filling glass jars with orange mandarins on a kitchen counter. Many jars are neatly aligned. Background shows a sink and bowl.

Next, place your oranges into your hot pint or half pint jar.

Person holding a white bowl, filling jars with orange fruit segments and sugar on a kitchen counter. Apron and stone background visible.

Using a jar funnel, top the oranges with 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of sugar in the pint size jars or 1-2 tablespoons in a half pint jar. This will make a light to heavy syrup.

Copper kettle pouring liquid into jars of mandarins on a countertop. Pile of jars creates a vibrant orange pattern. Rustic kitchen setting.

Fill the rest of the jar with hot water. Leave a 1/2 inch headspace.

Place the lids on top of each jar and screw the metal bands until they are fingertip-tight.

(For quality, American made Superb canning lids and jars follow this link and use the coupon code WP20 to get 20% off your purchase.)

Chalkboard sign with water bath canning times for altitudes. Jars of preserves in the background. Text in white on black surface.

Place the jars in a boiling water bath canner, ensuring they are covered with at least an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 10 minutes. (Adjust the processing time if you are above 1000 feet.)

Hands use red tongs to lift a jar of canned oranges on a kitchen counter with multiple jars. Apron and woven mat visible in background.

Once your oranges have completed the appropriate time in the boiling water bath canner , allow them to cool in the water bath with the heat off and the lid removed for 5 minutes. Take them out and set them on a heat resistant surface, spacing them about an inch apart, for 24 hours to cool and completely seal.

Jars of peeled mandarins on a woven mat with whole mandarins in the background. Orange hues dominate the cozy kitchen setting.

If your jar of oranges did not seal then place it in the fridge and use it after a week or two so that the sugar can disperse throughout the jar. Allow the sealed jars to rest for 3 weeks before using them for the same reason. Store the sealed jars in your pantry to enjoy for the next 1-3 years. After three years the nutritional value of canned food diminishes.

If you have any questions about canning with the boiling water canner or how to adjust the pressure or processing time for altitude, take a look at my canning basics videos.