Home Canning for Food Storage

The purpose of home canning is to store food that you grow yourself or buy so that you have control over the nutritional value of the food your family eats. Other important reasons are to hopefully save money on groceries and have food stored away for any emergency or crisis.

Safety in Home Canning

Food preservation, whichever methods are used, must always include safety. Canning provides a method of preservation that can be very safe, providing the "rules" are followed. Canning kills most food borne illness microorganisms except Clostridium botulinum (botulism) which is found in all foods and even the soil where food is grown.

However, heating food to a temperature of more than 240 °F will kill the botulism spores that cause illness. That's why it's important to use a pressure canner for low acid foods which will heat the food to more than 240 °F. The spores cannot live or multiply in temperatures over 240 °F.

Boiling Water Bath or Pressure Canner?

The general rule is that most fruits can be canned with the boiling water bath method and vegetables and meats must be canned in a pressure canner.

Boiling Water Bath Method

The water bath canner should be large enough to process foods with at least 2 inches above the jar lid. Foods must be process for a specific number of minutes which is determined by the food product and especially by the altitude where you live. Processing at sea level takes less time than processing at higher altitudes.

Pressure Canner Method

Although a pressure canner can hold the same number of bottles as a water bath canner, the higher temperature and pressure provides a safer method of canning low acid foods, like vegetables and meat. The same rule applies: the cooking time must be increased for higher altitudes. Follow the instructions that come with your canner.

Basic Instructions

1. Examine canning jars for nicks or cracks and throw it away if it has defects.
2. Wash jars in hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher.
3. Place canning lids in a pan of hot water. Keep water scalding hot until read to use, but do not boil the lids.
4. Prepare food according to the recipe you choose.
5. Pack food into bottles leaving a 1/2-inch head space for vegetables and a 1-inch head space for corn, peas, lima beans, meats, poultry, and fish. Fruits should have a 1/2 to 1-1/2 inch head space, depending on type of fruit being canned.
6. Add liquid (this can be a syrup, broth, or plain water).
7. Meat, poultry, and fish: For precooked meat, poultry, or fish, add 3 or 4 tablespoons of liquid or broth. When raw processing, do not add liquid. For both raw and precooked meat, poultry, and fish, leave a 1-inch head space.
8. Using a clean cloth, wipe rim of bottle clean of syrup, seeds, juice, broth, etc.
9. Place canning lids on top of filled bottles. Rubberized ring goes next to jar lip.
10. Place screw band on top of lid and jar. Firmly tighten by hand.
11. Process according to recipe, altitude, and timetable instructions included with your canner. Be sure bottles do not touch canning wall while processing, or bottles may break.
12. Remove bottles from canner and place 2 to 3 inches apart on a cooling rack or a thick towel to cool. Do not set jars in cool drafts or on a cold or wet surface as bottles may break.
13. When jars have cooled, (did you hear the "ping"?) and remove screw bands; or leave them on if you prefer or if they are stuck because of syrup boiling over during processing. Test to make sure they have properly sealed by pressing on the center of the lid. If it "pops" down when pressed, it did not seal properly and should be refrigerated and eaten within a short period of time.
14. Mark on top of the lid with a permanent marker the date that the food was processed and what the food is (just in case you can't tell the pork from the chicken).

For lots of detailed information and recipes, visit my friend Sharon's website, SimplyCanning.com. You will find everything you've ever wanted to know about canning there