Bananas Foster Butter

Note: This is reposted from Deadster, as so many of us are home during pandemic, and might have time to make homemade holiday gifts.

Bananas Foster is a fantastic dessert. One that sadly, I can’t enjoy anymore since it’s normally served with ice cream and I’m lactose intolerant. But I’ve found a way to have my bananas and eat them too! The recipe came from a magazine from BH&G called Canning, Preserving + Freezing + Drying which came out in 2014, and doesn’t seem to be available anymore. It was reprinted in Better Homes and Gardens Complete Canning Guide: Freezing, Preserving, Drying.

I’ve now made 3 batches, (15 jars) and for my third go I decided to tinker with the recipe a bit.* I personally like cinnamon, but I hate when it’s overused, so I’ve reduced the amount called for to let the banana and brown sugar flavors shine through. If you can’t get enough cinnamon, I’ve also seen the recipe posted on a blog in which that person doubled the cinnamon with good results. And while I like nutmeg, I generally prefer allspice, which has a bit of clove flavor to it without being quite as strong as ground cloves. I’ve posted my new version below, which was adapted from the original. It tastes amazing, and even better it’s very cheap to make. The bananas came to all of $4 for 2 batches, and the rest of the ingredients were all things I had around the house.

If you’ve never tried home canning before, this would be a great recipe to learn with. The directions are simple, and you won’t have to spend hours chopping produce like you would for salsa. Be sure to read up on all the basics first though!

FreshPreserving.com has lots of help for beginners.

Bananas Foster Butter
(makes 5 half-pint jars)
8 ripe, firm large bananas
1 c granulated sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c lemon juice
3 T rum
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice

  1. Place peeled bananas in a wide 5 qt heavy pot. Using a potato masher, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, rum, cinnamon, and allspice. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, about 20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring frequently.

  2. Ladle hot banana butter into hot sterilized half pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw on bands to fingertip tight.

  3. Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 mins (starting timing when water returns to boiling). Turn off heat. Wait 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on a towel. (Leaving the jars in the canner for those 5 minutes without heat, allows them to cool more slowly, and helps avoid the rare possibility of a jar ‘spurting’ when removed and placed on a cooler surface. Spurting is when the contents of the jar bubble up and out, making a mess and possibly causing burns to nearby humans. It’s only happened to me once, but it wasn’t fun.) Leave jars undisturbed, and away from any draughts for 24 hours.

  4. After 24 hours check lids to make sure they’ve sealed. Then be double sure by removing bands and lifting the jars gently by the edge of the lids, about an inch off the table. Any unsealed jars should be used right away. Store the jars without bands, for up to a year. Leaving the bands on can result in them rusting onto the jars in the presence of any ambient moisture. Just remember to put a band back on the jar when you give them away as gifts.

  • Please note: The only tinkering I did with the recipe was with the spices called for. Never, ever mess with the amount of sugar, lemon juice, or vinegar called for in a canning recipe, as they are both there as preservatives to prevent the growth of microorganisms. But adding a dash of cinnamon, or swapping out allspice for nutmeg will not change the pH of your project.
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Oh thank you! I remember you sent some of this to me and it was SO good! Now I need to try making it.

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Adding bananas to my grocery list. Thank you!

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Yum yum yum!!! I will make this this weekend. Thanks for reposting. :banana: :yum:

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Book marking for gifts this year!
I’m looking forward to your small batch canning class next weekend @MistressJennie, this one might be next on the list after that!