Once you have harvested your food, you may have too much to use before the food spoils. Canning is a great way to enjoy the bounty of your farm or garden year-round. Canning is a safe method of preserving your food if done properly. It involves placing foods in glass jars and heating them to a temperature that both destroys microorganisms that can cause your food to spoil and creates a vacuum seal by driving the air out of the jar. This vacuum seal prevents air with contaminating microorganisms from getting back into the jar.
There are two safe ways to can and preserve your foods. The first is water bath canning and the second is pressure canning.
Water Bath Canning
Water bath canning is a lower-temperature, shorter method of canning and is ideal for high-acid foods. Because the natural acidity of these foods kills bacteria, a higher temperature is not needed in this canning process. Types of fruits and veggies ideal for this method of canning include:
- Fruits and fruit juices
- Jams and jellies
- Salsas
- Tomatoes with added acid
- Pickles and relishes
- Chutneys
- vinegars
- Condiments
What you will need for water bath canning:
- A tested preserving recipe
- Boiling water bath canner or a large, deep saucepan with a lid that can immerse the jars in water by 1 to 2 inches, and rack
- Glass preserving jars, lids and bands (always start with new lids)
- Common kitchen utensils such as wooden spoon, laden and funnel
- Fresh produce and other quality ingredients
Steps for water bath canning method:
- Read through the recipe and instructions, assemble your equipment and ingredients.
- Check your jars, lids and bands for proper functioning. Make sure your jars don’t have any cracks, nicks, uneven rims or sharp edges that could prevent sealing or cause the jar to break. The underside of the lids should not have scratches and the sealing compound should be even and complete. Bands should fit on the jars. Wash your jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water then rinse and dry well, including the bands.
- Heat home canning jars in hot, simmering water (not boiling) over medium heat. Filling jars with water from the the saucepan will prevent the jars from floating. You can also use a dishwasher to wash and heat jars. Keep the jars hot until ready to use. This will keep them from breaking when food is added. Leave the lids and bands at room temperature.
- Prepare the boiling water bath canner by filling it half full with water and keep it at a simmer while covered until jars are filled and placed in the canner. Be sure to use the rack. If you don’t have a rack, use a cake cooking rack or extra bands tied together to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Prepare your tested preserving recipe.
- Remove hot jar from hot water using a jar lifter and empty the water inside the jar. Fill jars, one at a time, using a funnel if needed. Don’t forget to remove air bubbles if the recipe calls for it. You can do this by sliding a rubber spatula along the inside of the jar. Repeat this 2 to 3 times.
- Clean the rim and threads of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Place the lid on the jar, and twist on the band until it is fingertip tight. Place filled jars in canner until it is full then lower the rack with jars into the water. Make sure the water covers by 1 to 2 inches deep.
- Place the lid on the water bath canner. Bring water to a full rolling boil then begin processing time.
- Process the jars for the time indicated by the recipe, adjusting for altitude. When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Allow the jars to stand for 5 minutes to get acclimated to the outside temperature.
- Remove the jars from the canner and set upright on a towel. Leave the jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Bands should not be retightened as this may interfere with the sealing process.
- Check jar lids for seals. Lids should not flex up and down when the center is pressed. Remove the bands and try to lift the lid with your fingertips. If the lid cannot be lifted off, you have a good seal. If the lid does not seal within 24 hours, the product can be immediately reprocessed or refrigerated.
- Clean the mason jars and lids. Label and then share if desired. Store in a cool, dry and dark place up to 18 months.
Pressure Canning
This method is for preserving low-acid foods such as many veggies, poultry, meats and seafood. Because there is not as much natural acid in these foods, a higher temperature is used to kill food borne bacteria. Pressure canning heats the contents to 240 degrees Fahrenheit to kill this bacteria. Even if you are mixing high-acid foods with low-acid foods, you still must use the pressure canning method to safely preserve the contents.
What you will need for pressure canning:
- A tested preserving recipe
- Pressure canner
- Glass preserving jars, lids and bands (always start with new lids)
- Common kitchen utensils such as wood spoon, ladle and funnel
- Rest veggies, meat, seafood, poultry and other quality ingredients
Steps for pressure canning method:
- Read through the recipe and instructions, assemble your equipment and ingredients.
- Check your jars, lids and bands for proper functioning. Make sure your jars don’t have any cracks, nicks, uneven rims or sharp edges that could prevent sealing or cause the jar to break. The underside of the lids should not have scratches and the sealing compound should be even and complete. Bands should fit on the jars. Wash your jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water then rinse and dry well, including the bands.
- Heat home canning jars in hot, simmering water (not boiling) over medium heat. Filling jars with water from the the saucepan will prevent the jars from floating. You can also use a dishwasher to wash and heat jars. Keep the jars hot until ready to use. This will keep them from breaking when food is added. Leave the lids and bands at room temperature.
- Prepare your pressure canner by filling it with 2 to 3 inches of water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Keep water at a simmer until jars are filled and placed in the pressure canner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for using your canner.
- Prepare your tested preserving recipe.
- Remove hot jar from hot water using a jar lifter and empty the water inside the jar. Fill jars, one at a time, using a funnel if needed. Don’t forget to remove air bubbles if the recipe calls for it. You can do this by sliding a rubber spatula along the inside of the jar. Repeat this 2 to 3 times.
- Clean the rim and threads of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Place the lid on the jar, and twist on the band until it is fingertip tight. Place filled jars in canner until it is full then lower the rack with jars into the water. Make sure the water covers by 1 to 2 inches deep.
- Lock the pressure canner lid in place, leaving the vent pip open and adjusting the heat. Allow steam to escape through the vent pipe. Once there has been a steady stream of steam escaping, vent for 10 minutes to ensure there is no air (only steam) left in the canner. Close the vent then gradually adjust your heat to achieve and maintain the recommended pounds of pressure.
- Process the jars at the recommended pounds pressure for the amount of time indicated on the recipe, adjusting for altitude. Then cool the pressure canner by removing it from the heat. Do not remove the weighted gauge or open the vent. Let the canner sit undisturbed until the pressure returns naturally to zero. Wait 10 minutes then remove weight and unlock the lid, tilting it away from yourself. Wait 10 more minutes to allow the jars to begin to cool.
- Remove the jars from the pressure canner and sit upright on a towel. Leave jars undisturbed for 12 20 24 hours. Do not retighten bands and as this may interfere with the sealing process.
- Check jar lids for seals. Lids should not flex up and down when the center is pressed. Remove the bands and try to lift the lid with your fingertips. If the lid cannot be lifted off, you have a good seal. If the lid does not seal within 24 hours, the product can be immediately reprocessed or refrigerated.
- Clean the mason jars and lids. Label and then share if desired. Store in a cool, dry and dark place up to one year.
After canning your fresh foods, you will be able to enjoy products from your garden even in the dead of winter. Sharing with family and friends also makes for a wonderful holiday gift idea. And not only does canning preserve the food that you have grown, it also saves you money, cuts down on waste, is eco-friendly, and it is fresher and tastes so much better!