How To Can Foods

If you haven’t canned foods for a while, or never have, there are some basics you will need to know before you start preserving your foods. There are two basic methods of canning-the boiling water bath and the pressure cooker method. Each of these methods can be used for various types of preserving foods from your garden, or meats, seafood and poultry. Before you start any process of canning, you must first sterilize all jars and lids that you will be using. This can be done by boiling them for 10 minutes.

If you are using the boiling water bath method, you will need to have a big enough cook pot with a lid that fits tightly. You will also need a rack that keeps the jars from coming in contact with each other during the process. The rack also allows the boiling water to evenly flow around the jars for better processing. If you don’t have a rack you can also use dish towels to set your jars in. The boiling water bath method is most frequently used for fruits, jams, pickles, and tomatoes. Once you have gathered your fruit, there are two possible methods of filling your jars.

The first method, or cold packing method, is done by filling the jar full with your fruits, and then covering them with a sugar syrup, water, or juice. The other method, or hot pack method, is accomplished by heating your fruits with the liquids and then pouring this into your sterilized jars. Keep in mind that you will need to keep a headspace of ” or so before placing the lids on your jars. Place your jars in the rack or around the cloth, and cover with boiling water until the whole jar is covered. You will want at least 1″ of water over the tops of the jars. When your water begins rolling at a full boil, begin counting your processing time.

The next method of canning is the pressurized cooking method. During this method you will need to have a special pressure cooker. These come with special lids that have vents, a pressure gauge and a lock to hold the lid onto the base. This method is used for canning vegetables, meats, seafood and poultry, because they have a lower acidic value. This type of process is needed to kill off the bacteria Cholstridium botulinum. By pressure cooking your cans at the temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit, you can easily kill off the bacteria. Once your jars are ready (again saving ” headspace) place the jars into the cooker with about 2″ of boiling water. Clamp on your special lid. Once the water begins to rapidly boil, the pressure will begin to build up inside the pot. You can watch this on the gauge. When it reaches the right pressure, begin counting off your processing time.

There are many cookbooks available to find recipes for canning. Many of these can be for relishes, pickles, jams, etc. You may also check with the Cooperative Extension office in your area or the Food and Agriculture Department. Just remember, picking your fruits and vegetables at their peaks will give you the best results.

Addison is a wife, a mom, and a food lover who began learning how to can food from an early age. She has set up her own website reviewing water bath canners and pressure cookers, as well as canning recipes to share with others who enjoy preserving food. To see what she has to offer, take a look at www.howtocanfood.net