Prepare your water bath canner by filling it with water. You just need to have enough water to cover the jars by 2 inches once the water is boiling.
Set the canner on the stove. Turn the burner to high. Once it reaches a boil, reduce it to simmer. You want to keep the water hot so that everything is ready when the jars of pineapple are.
Wash and sanitize your jars. You’ll want to keep them warm to avoid having them crack when placed in the canner. You can fill them with hot water, or place them on a tray in the oven at 170F.
Wash your lids with hot soapy water and place them in a clean bowl for now.
Prep the Pineapple
Cut the crown and base off of the pineapple.
With the pineapple on its base, cut down the sides to remove the skin on all sides.
Cut the pineapple in half length-wise and then cut each half in half again.
Using a knife, remove the woody core. Set aside.
Cut the quarters into the desired size for canning – cubes or spears.
At this point, you’re going to bring the water in the canner back up to a rolling boil.
(For Raw Pack): Add pineapple cubes or spears to your hot canning jars. Using a canning funnel, carefully ladle hot syrup over the pineapple, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Headspace is defined as the space between the top of the food and the top of the jar. Remove any bubbles from the jar (I use a plastic chopstick).
(For Hot Pack): Cook pineapple cubes/spears in water, juice, or syrup at a simmer for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pineapple and add them to the hot jars. Using a canning funnel, carefully ladle hot syrup, juice, or water over the pineapple, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove any bubbles from the jar.
Use a wet clean rag and wipe the rim of the jars to make sure it is free of any food or syrup.
Place a clean lid and ring on the jar and tighten the ring to fingertip tight.
Canning the Pineapple
Using canning tongs, add jars to the boiling water, and put the canner lid on. Pro tip: you must have at least 2 inches of water over the tops of the jars for safe canning.
Once your jars are completely covered with the boiling water, put the lid on and boil for 15 minutes (pints) or 20 minutes (quarts).
When the time is up, remove the canner from heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Remove the jars using canning tongs and place them on towels on the counter undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
After everything has cooled, check the seal by pushing down on the middle of the lid. If it doesn't give way, it's sealed. If the lid bows a little bit, put that in the fridge and use it within 3 weeks.
Label the sealed jars, and store in a cool dark place for up to a year.
Notes
Making Pineapple Core Syrup: You can use the core to make a sugar-free syrup for pineapple canning. Add the cores to a large saucepan and cover with 4-6 cups of water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, and then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain and use the liquid in place of water, syrup, or juice for canning.Making a Traditional Sugar Syrup: If you prefer to make a syrup for the pineapple, combine 1 cup of sugar with 6 cups of water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.Making A Fruit Juice Syrup: Using frozen concentrated apple or white grape juice is a great and easy substitution for refined sugar syrup. Use one can (12 oz) of thawed concentrate mixed with three cans of water.You’ll need about 21 pounds of pineapple to fill seven quarts, 13 pounds to fill nine pints.For canning at different altitudes, check out this guide for adjusted processing times.You do not need to use citric acid, lemon juice, or any other preservative even if you can your pineapple in water.