This Stardew Valley guide details Preserves Jars, a crucial tool for boosting profits from crops and foraged goods. While Kegs and Jelly production are popular later-game strategies, Preserves Jars offer an early-game advantage.
Obtaining Preserves Jars:
The Preserves Jar recipe unlocks at Farming Level 4, requiring:
- 50 Wood
- 40 Stone
- 8 Coal
These materials are readily available early in the game. Wood comes from chopping trees, stone and coal from mining. Completing the Quality Crops Bundle (or Rare Crops Bundle in remixed games) also rewards a Preserves Jar, and they may appear in the Prize Machine.
Preserves Jar Uses:
Preserves Jars transform various items into artisan goods, significantly increasing their value. The Artisan profession (Farming Level 10) provides a 40% bonus to these goods' selling prices.
| Item Category | Product | Sell Price Calculation | Health/Energy | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | Jelly | 2x (base fruit value) + 50 | Edible: 2x base energy & health; Inedible: see below | 2-3 days |
| Vegetable, Mushroom, Forage | Pickles | 2x (base item value) + 50 | Edible: 1.75x base energy & health; Inedible: see below | 2-3 days |
| Sturgeon Roe | Caviar | 500g | 175 Energy, 78 Health | 4 days |
| Other Fish Roe | Aged Roe | 60 + (base fish price) | 100 Energy, 45 Health | 2-3 days |
Inedible Fruit/Vegetable/Forage: Health and Energy values are calculated differently for inedible items. For Jelly, Health is 0.5x base value and Energy is 0.225x base value. For Pickles, Energy is 0.625x base value and Health is 0.28125x base value. Only forageables with positive energy when consumed can be pickled.
Item quality doesn't affect the final product's value, making low-quality produce ideal for Preserves Jars.
Preserves Jars vs. Kegs:
Both create artisan goods, but Preserves Jars are more efficient for low-value fruits (<50g) and vegetables/forage (<160g), processing faster than Kegs. They are essential for Fish Roe and Mushrooms, which cannot be used in Kegs.
High-yield, low-value crops like eggplants, wild berries, corn, and tomatoes are excellent choices for maximizing Preserves Jar profits. Their speed and unique applications make them a valuable asset throughout the game. The 1.6 update significantly expanded the range of foraged items that can be pickled, adding even more versatility.
