Ok, so canning isn't that difficult if you are to scared to try. I started out with a quick canning kit that I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond. It came with a few jars, a plastic basket and a small recipe book (that I never used). And it cost less than $15. I soon bought a lot more jars and eventually bought a new canning pot that holds 7 quart sized jars with a basket inside.
The first step is always the same, wash and sanitize both of the jars and lids.
Step two is cooking the food on the stove. Whether it is vegetables or fruits, you want to cook it before putting it in the jars. Also, if you are canning fruit, you are going to need to also make a syrup. You don't want to leave any air in the jars... which leads us to the next step...
Step three is to fill the jars. You want to use a spoon to push the food around in the jars and release the air bubbles. You also want to leave various amount of head space. Head space is the amount of empty space that should be left to the top of the jar. As a rule of thumb, leave 1 inch for low acid foods, vegetables and meats. Leave 1/2 inch of space for high acid foods, fruits, tomatoes, pickles and relishes. And leave about 1/4 of space for juices, jams or jellies.
Step four is to wipe the rim well. You want to make sure that the top is going to be able to be sealed. Then place the top on and screw it down (tight, but not too tight).
Step 5 is to place the jars in a pot of water. It is best to have a basket that keeps the jars from touching the bottom of the pans. You also want about an inch of water over the jars. Cook over medium high heat. For precooked foods, cook from 25-30 minutes and 30-40 minutes for raw foods. (I usually aim for 30-40 always, just in case).
Step 6 is remove from heat. When you press on the top of the lids while in the pan (with a spoon or utensil), the lid shouldn't press down. You want it to be under pressure. As the cans cool, the top should be sucked down. It may take a while for the food to cool enough, but it should happen on its own. If for some reason it doesn't seal, and the food has come down to room temperature, you may need to try again. Repeat steps 4-6. (And just a note, I have had a jar that I thought wouldn't seal because all of the others that were the same food and from the same batch did. I decided to try leaving it over night to see if it would seal and it did. It just needed to come down to room temperature).
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| My new big pot! |
Step two is cooking the food on the stove. Whether it is vegetables or fruits, you want to cook it before putting it in the jars. Also, if you are canning fruit, you are going to need to also make a syrup. You don't want to leave any air in the jars... which leads us to the next step...
Step three is to fill the jars. You want to use a spoon to push the food around in the jars and release the air bubbles. You also want to leave various amount of head space. Head space is the amount of empty space that should be left to the top of the jar. As a rule of thumb, leave 1 inch for low acid foods, vegetables and meats. Leave 1/2 inch of space for high acid foods, fruits, tomatoes, pickles and relishes. And leave about 1/4 of space for juices, jams or jellies.
Step four is to wipe the rim well. You want to make sure that the top is going to be able to be sealed. Then place the top on and screw it down (tight, but not too tight).
Step 5 is to place the jars in a pot of water. It is best to have a basket that keeps the jars from touching the bottom of the pans. You also want about an inch of water over the jars. Cook over medium high heat. For precooked foods, cook from 25-30 minutes and 30-40 minutes for raw foods. (I usually aim for 30-40 always, just in case).
Step 6 is remove from heat. When you press on the top of the lids while in the pan (with a spoon or utensil), the lid shouldn't press down. You want it to be under pressure. As the cans cool, the top should be sucked down. It may take a while for the food to cool enough, but it should happen on its own. If for some reason it doesn't seal, and the food has come down to room temperature, you may need to try again. Repeat steps 4-6. (And just a note, I have had a jar that I thought wouldn't seal because all of the others that were the same food and from the same batch did. I decided to try leaving it over night to see if it would seal and it did. It just needed to come down to room temperature).
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