Home Canning Foods

Updated November 24, 2007

Another way to save money is to preserve your food through canning. You can preserve almost anything by canning; you just need the right recipe.

These are the methods I use to can foods. For safety, please http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/canningguide.html for the most up to date canning information.

Supplies

• Glass Jars Designed for Canning Do not try to use your old mayonnaise jars or pickle jars or any other jar that isn't specifically designed for HOME canning. Yes, food processing plants can their foods, but they use a different process which requires different jars. Don't use jars with chips, cracks, scratches, or deformities either.
• Metal Screw-On Lids You can use one piece or two piece lids. One piece lids and the flat metal part of two piece lids should only be used once (don't reuse them because they probably won't seal properly). The rings of two piece lids can be reused, though. Make sure your lids are new to ensure the gaskets form a tight seal (so no lids that you found in the back of your cabinet after you put them in there six years ago). Also make sure that they don't have any dents or deformities and that the gaskets don't have any gaps or scratches.
• Canner There are water bath canners, pressure canners, steam canners, and a variety of other experimental ones. Stick with water bath or pressure canners for safety purposes. I recommend skipping the water bath canner and going straight to a pressure canner because pressure canners can be used to can meats, dairy, and vegetable products while water bath canners can't.
• Canning Rack This fits in your canner and keeps the jars from touching the bottom of the canner.
• Jar Lifters To put jars into and take them out of the hot water.
• Tea Kettle To boil water for making sterilized water and adding to boiling water canning during processing.

Food Choices

No matter what food you choose to can, only use items that are in excellent condition (definitely no mold or disease, and avoid anything with bruises, or at least cut the bruises off). For best flavor, you should use fresh, ripe fruit and vegetables that are harvested the same day.

Preparation

1. Wash jars (not lids) in your dishwasher or in your sink with hot water and soap or detergent. Rinse twice to make sure all residue is removed.
2. Sterilize jars by putting then in your canner, filling it up with enough water so that the water level is one inch above the tops of the jars and the jars are completely filled with water (hot water is best), and boil the jars for 10 minutes plus 1 minute extra for every 1000 feet above sea level. (I always sterilize my jars even if it's not required because it's better to be safe than sorry, and it heats up the water in the canner before processing if you're using a boiling water canner.)
3. Fill the jars with the food you wish to can.
4. Use a rubber or silicone spatula to gently slide around the inside of the jar between the glass and food to work out any air bubbles. You may need to add sterile water or more food to make sure you have the right headspace (room between the top of the food and the lid) if you work out some big bubbles.
5. Use a paper towel dampened with sterile water to clean off the rim and screw threads of the jar.
6. Screw on the lids.
7. Wipe down the outside of the jars.
8. Place jars in your canner and process according to your recipe instructions and canner instructions.
9. When they are finished processing (and the pressure canner has depressurized and cooled), remove the jars and let them cool (do not put them in cold water to cool them, just set them out to cool to room temperature).
10. After your jars have cooled, remove the screw on rings (if using two piece lids) and store them for next time (don't store your jars with the rings because they'll rust and such, and you won't be able to use them again).
11. Label each jar with the contents and the date canned.