Canning: It probably sounds like something your ancestors did in a bygone era of telegrams and general stores. But this homesteader practice is still beneficial today as a great way to enjoy delicious homemade pickles, preserves, and jams without going to the grocery store.
In a nutshell, canning is a preservation method where food is processed at high temperatures for a long time and then sealed in airtight containers. When practiced correctly, it’s a safe, effective, and sustainable food storage method.
Freezing is another popular way to store food, but it still requires access to electricity and takes up lots of freezer space. Canning offers year-round access to seasonal fruits and vegetables, takes up minimal space, and doesn’t require electricity for storage.
A Note On Safety: Preventing Botulism
Before you get started on the canning process, let’s discuss which foods are and are not safe to can. It’s essential to be aware of botulism, an extremely dangerous type of food poisoning caused by bacteria on improperly sealed or sterilized canned goods. By choosing the correct foods to preserve and following all the necessary safety precautions you can significantly lower the risk of botulism.
Acidic foods, like pickled vegetables and fruit jams, are best for canning because high acidity levels help prevent botulism growth. Grains, dairy, and tender vegetables are low acid foods, so they’re not appropriate for canning.
What Can You Can?
- Fruit (Includes Chutneys and Pie Fillings)
- Tomatoes (Includes Juice, Sauce, and Salsa)
- Vegetables (Includes Pickles)
- Soups
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish (Includes Stocks)
- Jams and Jellies
- Pickles and Fermented Items
What Shouldn’t Be Canned?
- Fats (Lard, Oil, and Mayo)
- Dairy (Butter, Milk, Cheese, and Yogurt)
- Grains (Oats, Pasta, Rice)
- Thickeners (Cornstarch, Flour, and Cornmeal)
- Tender Vegetables (Broccoli, Summer Squash, and Eggplant)
- Dense Purees
- Eggs
Canning Supplies
Before you start, make sure you have all the right canning supplies. This includes plenty of jars, proper sealing lids, a canning pot, lifting tongs, and funnels.
Complete list of canning supplies:
- Canning Jars
- Three-Piece Lids For Sealing
- Canning Pot
- Jar Lifting Tongs
- Pot Rack
- Sterilizing Rack
- Funnels
- Strainer
The Canning Process:
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Prep The Food
Wash your produce as if you were eating it fresh. Scrub away dirt and remove any blemished or low-quality produce. Remove skin from tomatoes, pits from peaches or cherries, and seeds from cucumbers. Chop and dice your produce according to the recipe you’re following.
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Assemble and Sterilize Equipment
Jars: Check your canning jars for cracks and chips and discard any damaged jars. Once you’ve checked all the jars, wash them in the dishwasher or by hand in hot soapy water. Once they’re clean, submerge your jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Lids: Ensure your lids and rings are not bent, damaged, or rusted. Wash them in hot soapy water and rinse well. Put lids in a saucepan, cover them with water, and bring the water to a simmer. Once the lids are at a simmer, turn the heat off but leave the lids in the hot water until you’re ready to use them.
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Add Food To Jars With Funnel
Fill jars according to the pack methods mentioned below. Use a funnel to ensure proper headspace at the top of the jar. Headspace is important as it allows food to expand from heat during processing and creates a vacuum seal on the jars. When jars are full, remove excess air bubbles by gently pressing a rubber spatula between the side of the jar and the food.
Hot Packing vs. Raw Packing: Hot packing is when fresh food is cleaned, prepared as instructed by a recipe, placed in a pan, and covered with water. Water is heated to a boil, simmered for 2-5 minutes, and immediately placed loosely into a canning jar and covered with hot water, juice, or syrup. Raw packing is when fresh food is cleaned, prepared, and then placed raw into canning jars and covered with hot water, juice, or syrup.
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Close Jars Securely With Lids
Wipe down rims and jar necks to remove any residue that will get in the way of sealing. Place your sterilized lid directly on the rim and hold it in place while placing the ring. Tighten the lids securely but not so tight that you won’t be able to open them again.
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Place Jars In Water Bath to Process
If you have a rack, load your jars into it and lower them into the water bath. You can also use lifting tongs to carefully lower jars into the boiling water, ensuring at least an inch of water above the jars. Make sure to keep them vertical and leave half an inch of space between jars. Turn up the heat to a rolling mobile, put the lid on the pot, and start timing according to your specific recipe.
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Remove Jars From Water and Seal
When the processing time is up, turn off the stove and let the jars cool down for about five minutes. Remove jars in their rack or use lifting tongs and transfer them to a cooling rack or towels. Don’t set jars directly on a countertop or table since a sudden temperature drop could cause them to crack. Allow jars to cool between 12 and 14 hours without touching them. It’s normal to hear ‘pinging’ sounds as the lids flex and seal.
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Store, Label, and Enjoy
Once the jars have settled, make sure the lids are adequately sealed by removing the rings and lifting the jars from the edge of the rim. You should be able to lift them from the sealed lid alone. If some lids are loose, refrigerate the food and use it within a week, but if it’s been under 24 hours, you can reprocess the food. Finally, wipe down your jars with a moist cloth, add labels, and store them in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
With the proper supplies, ingredients, and methods, the limits of canning are endless. Experiment with jams, sauces, pickles, and soups. Happy canning!